Ha is a senior at Harvard College, pursuing a BA in biomedical engineering and a minor in film studies.

 

Introduced to design and the arts through her work for daily newspaper The Harvard Crimson, Ha is engaged with drawing connections between the sciences and humanities. In particular, she cares about the ways in which interdisciplinary modes of thought can better solve challenges facing the world—a concern manifested in her pursuits as a reporter, designer, and animator.

 

As a designer, Ha is most concerned with creating functional and visually pleasing products. Though equipped to design under the concepts of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and B.J. Fogg’s model for behavioral change, she primarily finds inspiration from Pieter Diesmet and Paul Hekkert’s theories on product experience. Her designs integrate aesthetics and emotional impact to create a product that positively affects and interests the consumer. Her background in film further guides her approaches to design: similar to the way film critics consider the relationship between the viewing experience and the spectator in judging a film, Ha regards successful designs as those concerned with improving the relationship between the product experience and the user.