Liu Yutong ’25
Industrial Design (Intelligent Design Track), School of Creativity and Art (SCA)
College: Shangdao College
High school: Affiliated High School of Yunnan Normal University
Post-graduation destination: University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), Master of Design (Human-Computer Interaction Track)
Honors and awards:
2025 ShanghaiTech President’s Award
2025 Graduate Excellence Award of ShanghaiTech
Excellent Student Award of ShanghaiTech 2021–2022, 2023–2024
2022 ShanghaiTech Top Ten Singer, Most Popular Singer
2024 A’Design International Design Award, recognized as a global Popular Designer
Selected for Milan Design Week 2024, nominated for Isola Design Award
International exchange:
UC Berkeley 3+1 Exchange Program in spring 2024 (awarded special scholarship)
Personal statement
Diverse encounters: embarking on a design journey
As a member of the inaugural cohort at the SCA, I deeply cherished my unique growth here. In the school’s open academic atmosphere, professors unveiled the boundless possibilities of design through their diverse expertise. This environment granted me the freedom to explore, transforming me from a design novice into someone who, through interdisciplinary ventures and diverse encounters, discovered my own design philosophy. I realized that cultivating a unique design mindset and aesthetic perspective outweighs mere technical mastery.
In the “Form Design” course during my first year, under the patient guidance of Teaching Associate Professor Yang Jidong, I explored innovative lamp designs inspired by origami. I enjoyed the process of hands-on discovery, testing ten stretchable origami forms using everyday materials. Encouraged by Prof. Yang, I delved into parametric design, expanding my creative horizons. To my surprise, this lamp design project not only earned top marks but also caught the attention of Covestro, a materials company interested in commercial applications, fueling my passion for design.
The design process of the origami lamp
Beyond coursework, my hobbies opened new dimensions of design. Passionate about music, I took a music design course and served as associate director and producer for a short interactive sound-based stage performance. I was entrusted with the visual designs for the campus events brought by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Ensemble Berlin, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts. By doing the designs, I expressed my admiration for these ensembles in a way that blends my strength and passions and contributed to building up ShanghaiTech’s public image.
Visual designs for the campus events
In addition to design works, I also have enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research, particularly the convergence of AI and biotechnology. I collaborated with Cellverse, an “AI for Science” startup founded by students from the School of Information Science and Technology, to design an AI-driven protein design prediction platform. Beyond rigorous user interface design, I leveraged team-designed protein structures to unleash creativity, crafting distinctive brand visuals through 3D rendering.
Brand visuals design for Cellverse
Design without boundaries: shining on the global stage
Through diverse explorations, my initial confusion and uncertainty as a newcomer to industrial design gradually faded, and I began to seek the meaning of “design” and “designer” in the real world. To me, design means engaging with the world as an integral part, perceiving and shaping it through senses and thought.
In the Emotional Design course during my third year, I collaborated with classmates Lu Shenhuan and Fan Runming to create an interactive installation titled “Breathings: Wind,” under the guidance of Teaching Associate Professor Liao Shulin and Assistant Professor Zou Yue. Selected for the 2024 Milan Design Week’s Isola exhibition, the project reimagined wind as a medium to reconnect urban dwellers with nature. At the exhibition, the installation captivated international visitors and professionals, eliciting thoughtful expressions and joyful interactions. These “aha moments” affirmed design’s power to inspire.
My design work was selected for the 2024 Milan Design Week’s Isola exhibition
Surfing the world
In my junior year’s spring semester, I participated in ShanghaiTech’s 3+1 exchange program with UC Berkeley for a one-semester exchange. I was eager to study product commercialization at the Haas School of Business and asked Teaching Professor Gu Mingde for his valuable advice for the coming transformative experience.
Certificate conferred by UC Berkeley
At Berkeley, I participated in a Challenge Lab entrepreneurial project, reshaping my design perspective. In an era where technology races forward, design serves as the saddle and reins, enabling people to harness and adapt to progress. Collaborating with teammates from Poland, Norway, Türkiye, and Ghana—specializing in molecular biology and computer science—I contributed to an AI-driven early dementia screening solution. As the only member of the team having design background, I focused on user experience to make new technology accessible to users, while benefiting through the interdisciplinary efforts. Our project reached the finals of Berkeley’s competition, The Large Bid, earning high praise from professors and professionals. Even after I returned to ShanghaiTech, we continued to advance this initiative, aiming for commercial impact to address aging challenges.
Entrepreneurship exploration with an interdisciplinary team
During my exchange period, I visited Amazon’s Seattle headquarters, experienced Apple Vision Pro’s innovative interactions, and attended Stanford University’s Design Week, broadening my horizons and forging connections with like-minded peers.
In the summer of my third year, I joined Berkeley’s Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Lab as a research assistant, working with former MIT Media Lab researchers to explore new material applications. I also attended the ACM CHI 2024 conference in Hawaii, embodying its theme, “surfing the world.” This experience immersed me in cutting-edge HCI research, allowing me to learn from leading scholars and apply design thinking to novel scenarios. It confirmed my passion and propelled my growth.
ACM CHI 2024 in Hawaii
My journey at SCA has liberated me to unlock infinite possibilities. Looking ahead, I will continue exploring the unknowns of design, technology, and life.
Message to underclassmen
Interdisciplinary breakthroughs: Leverage ShanghaiTech’s strength in cross-disciplinary collaboration by connecting with diverse peers.
Beyond GPA: Keep grades as the baseline and expand horizons to unlock your potential.
Authentic choices: In uncertainty, seek paths that truly align with you, as authenticity matters more than perfection.
Proactive connections: Create opportunities through research and international exchanges.
Action-oriented idealism: Let execution bring your dreams to life.
Embrace adventure: Every “risk” becomes a badge of growth.