Rachel Duan 段舒嘉

I am an interdisciplinary designer and researcher passionate about creating interactive experiences that bridge art, technology, and human understanding. My work often explores how media—both digital and material—can store, transmit, and transform information, shaping the ways people perceive themselves and the world. From building VR museums that reimagine cultural memory to designing AI-driven media literacy tools, I seek to make technology a space for reflection rather than distraction—a medium for empathy, awareness, and connection.

Trained in Interactive Media Arts at NYU Shanghai, I approach design as both a creative and philosophical practice. I’m fascinated by how stories travel through different forms—hair, sound, code, or memory—and how design can translate these narratives into tangible experiences. My recent projects combine visual storytelling, critical theory, and computational tools to question what it means to communicate, remember, and feel in an increasingly mediated world.

Beyond academia, I find inspiration in music, film, and collaborative creation. Whether composing acapella harmonies, crafting short films, or experimenting with data visualization, I’m drawn to moments where disciplines intersect and something unexpected emerges. Ultimately, my goal is to design systems that nurture curiosity, empathy, and critical imagination—tools that help people not only see the world differently, but also act within it more consciously.