BACKGROUND

About me

Karen is a recent graduate from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where she completed a dual degree program in Master of Architecture and Master of Design Studies with a specialization in Technology. Prior to her graduate studies, she obtained a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture from Pennsylvania State University, demonstrating her diverse background and multidisciplinary approach to design.

Throughout her academic journey, Karen has gained valuable experience through internships at prestigious firms, including renowned architecture offices such as SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill) and Morphosis architects. These opportunities allowed her to work on a variety of projects, honing her skills in conceptual design, project management, and architectural innovation.

Driven by her passion for exploring the intersection of technology and design, Karen also interned at Fab Lab Barcelona, a technology and fabrication office, where she delved into cutting-edge fabrication techniques and digital design processes. Additionally, she engaged in space architecture exploration with SEArch+ (Space Exploration Architecture), where she contributed to conceptualizing innovative designs for extraterrestrial habitats.

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BACKGROUND

Education

Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Master in Architecture I ‘23
Master in Design Studies Technology ‘23

CS 50: Intro to Computer Science
CS 171: Data Visualization
CS 109A: Data Science 1: Introduction to Data Science
SCI 6378: Data Analysis and Data Physicalization
SCI 6338: Introduction to Computational Design
SCI 6483: Artifacts as Media: Signals, Data, Information and Technology

SCI 6359: Interface Design: Integrating Material Perception
SCI 6126: Advanced Materials
SCI 6478: Informal Robotics
SCI 6364: Thermal Monocoque: An Energy Systems Laboratory
SCI 6477: Nano Micro Macro: Adaptive Material Laboratory (with SEAS)
VIS 2483: Interrogative Design: Cultural Prosthetics
VIS 2224: Digital Media: Neural Bodies

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cross-Registration

MIT MAS .826: Projects in Media and Music
MIT 9.720: Vision in Art and Neuroscience
MIT MAS .S65: Spec Subj in Media Technology

Pennsylvania State University Stuckeman School
Bachelor in Landscape Architecture ’18

ARCH 497: Special Topics Shape Grammars
ARCH 497: Special Topics Machine Session Industrial Robotics
ARCH 497: Special Topics Hacking Materials/Production
ARCH 497: Special Topics Architectural Metals
ART 200: Scripting Fundamentals
CMPSC 101: Intro C++ Program
ARCH 497: Special Topics Programming
ART 318: Game Art

BACKGROUND

Professional Experiences

Corgan
Practice Technology Developer, Computational Designer, New York, June 2024 to Present

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Intermediate BIM Technologist, New York, Oct 2023 to June 2024

MIT Civic Data Design Lab
UI Developer, remote, Aug 2023 to Present

MIT Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism
Front-end Developer, remote, Aug 2023 to Present

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Internship, Chicago, remote, June to July 2022

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Internship, Chicago, remote, June to July 2021

Morphosis Architects
Internship, New York, remote, July to December 2020

NAC Architecture
Internship, Los Angeles, May to August 2019

SEArch+ LLC Space Exploration
Internship, New York, remote, July 2020

Fab Lab Barcelona
IAACFab City Lab, Future Learning Lab
Internship, Barcelona, May to July 2018

Tetsuo Kondo Architects
Internship, Tokyo, May to June 2017

Mahan Rykiel Associates
Internship, Baltimore, May to August 2016

BACKGROUND

Exhibition

‘Garden of Light’
MIT Comptom Gallery - 2023

‘Vision as Contemplation:Meditation, Art, and Neuroscience in Conversation’
MIT Museum - 2023

‘REGENERATE: A Critical Intersection of AI, Urbanism, and Climate Change’
MIT's Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism
MIT Civic Data Design Lab - 2023

‘Intersection Exhibition: Collaborating in Textile Design Research’
Loughborough University - 2020

‘Barcelona Design Week’, ‘Sonor + D’, ‘Maker Faire’, ‘Fab City Summit’
Fab City Lab, Future Learning Lab
Institute of Advanced Architecture Catalonia - 2020

BACKGROUND

Recognition

AEC Tech
Best Collaborative Hack - Graph Hop - 2024

eCAADe 2024
Tactile Painting: Assistive Toolbox for Visual Impairment - 2024

ACSA 108th
‘The Phototropic Fiber Composite Structure’ - 2020

Intersection Exhibition: Collaborating in Textile Design Research
‘The Phototropic Fiber Composite Structure’ - 2020

ASLA American Society of Landscape Architects
Honor and Merid Award - 2018

ASLA American Society of Landscape Architects Professional Award 2018 'Design with Dredge: Resilient Landscape Infrastructure in the Chesapeake Bay'
( internship Mahan Rykiel Associates )

Pennsylvania State University
Undergrad Creative Achievement Award - 2018

Pennsylvania State University
Excellence in study of Landscape Architecture 2013

CS171: Data Visualization
Honorable Mentions: Energy Crisis

SCI6338: Introduction to Computational Design
Jury’s Choice: Doodle, Cross-cultural Directional Trends in Drawing

BACKGROUND

Workshops

ACMA Composites Challenge
Soft Built Lab, Workshop

Design Tropism AA Visiting School
Die Angewante workshop, Vienna, Austria

Making & Meaning
SCI-Arc workshop, Los Angeles

UrbanActionsHK
CUHK workshop, Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

Certifications

Meta: Front End Developer
Introduction to Front-End Development
Version Control
Principles of UX/UI Design
HTML + CSS in depth
Programming with Javascript
React Basics
Advanced React
Front-End Develop Capstone
Coding Interview Preparation

Revit
Revit 2020: Essential Training for Architecture (Imperial)