Amy Kern

Amy Kern, MID, is an associate professor in the Department of Industrial Design at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her areas of expertise include industrial design, human-centered design, design thinking and design research. Kern currently teaches Introduction to Industrial Design.

Prior to joining MSU Denver in 2014, her work included being a senior product designer, furniture and lighting designer and director of product design. In 2012, Kern launched her design consultancy, AK Magma Design, where she still works as the founder and director of design. Her extensive experience, specializing in furniture and spatial and lighting design, includes work with factories around the world and major corporate retailers and custom designs for restaurants, lounges, hotels and casinos.

Kern’s research areas include globalization, ethnography, humanitarian design and universal design. Her current projects are being completed at her consultancy, focusing on balancing humanitarian and universal design projects with projects using expertise in the business of product design and manufacturing. She is a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America.

Kern received her Master of Industrial Design degree from Pratt Institute in New York in 2002 and her bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1994. She also holds a special certification in Design Thinking.