Profile

MS, Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, 1998
Honors, BA, Engineering Sciences, Dartmouth College, 1993

Kiersten Muenchinger is a Professor in the Department of Product Design at the University of Oregon. Kiersten researches and teaches the intersection of materials, manufacturing and design with an emphasis on sustainability tactics and metrics.  Her current research utilizes Kansei engineering principles to measure how consumers perceive the sustainability of consumer product materials. Her experimental design work has received international commendation by Red Dot; IDEA; the Green Product Award; ShowPDX; and Salão Design. She has been a US Fulbright scholar specializing in sustainable product design with Polis University in Tirana, Albania, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Before joining UO, Kiersten was a practicing design engineer with IDEO, Fitch, Sottsass Associatti, Walt Disney Imagineering and Ford Motor Company.