TJ Kim

Promoted to Professor
Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art & Performance
Kim1886@purdue.edu

TJ Kim completed a M.S. in engineering, design, and innovation at Northwestern University and a B.A. in industrial design at the University of Bridgeport. Before joining the Purdue faculty, he worked in consulting and as a design leader in the corporate world. He has been involved with various universities and design communities, giving lectures across the globe on design thinking and coordinating creative workshops for non-designers and community organizations. 

Kim’s research interest is the commercialization of design and building design platforms and communities that help students develop their own products. He also encourages these communities to establish a company in collaboration with others, allowing students to gain real industry experience and knowledge by practicing design as part of a business solution. 

Kim is a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), and his works have won many design awards. He holds more than 50 U.S. patents.