Sung-A Jang’s work unfolds in the seams between human, machine, and nature—where control meets emergence, precision meets play, and body meets code—to explore new ways of thinking, making, and connecting. Past and future slip into each other across speculative terrains: the future reads as record, and the past reawakens in altered forms, the familiar taking on an unfamiliar register. Her inquiries resist closure, leaving emergent forms provisional. They open spaces where memories fold into history and shape new possibilities, inviting viewers to linger and let their minds wander beyond what is known. 

Her collaborative works have been supported by the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science & Creativity (KOFAC) and the Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture, and are permanently displayed in public spaces such as the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) and the Gwangju National Science Museum. Formerly a researcher at the Human–Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) at Carnegie Mellon University, she investigated the challenges and opportunities of designing transdisciplinary digital tools for dynamic sensemaking of conversational data. Prior to HCII, she developed interactive prototypes for government R&D projects at the Korean Culture Technology Institute (KCT), focusing on physical–digital systems for expressive content creation, exploratory learning, and storytelling.

Current Interests

  • Speculative design, ecologies, and sustainability

  • Translating scientific research into experiential artifacts

  • Reimagining urban redevelopment and neglected spaces

  • Scaffolding difficult conversations and bridging divides

Research Interests

  • Immersive data visualization and data physicalization

  • 3D UI/UX, embodied interaction, and mixed reality environments

  • Augmented creativity and generative design

  • Motion computing and kinetic systems

sunga.j [at] gmail [dot] com
full name: Sung-A Jang [suhng-ah-jahng] 
CV available upon request

 
 

EDUCATION

Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.
Ph.D. studies in visualization and interaction design for multimodal tools

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea
M.S. in Culture Technology, Focus: Interactive Media & Space

Brown University, Providence, RI, U.S.
B.A. in Visual Art, History of Art & Architecture (Double Major)
Recipient of Roberta Joslin Award of Excellence in Art 

 

COMPUTING

· Interactive Systems Design & Development: Unity3D, C, C++, C#, Typescript, Javascript, Lua, OpenCV
· Data Analysis & Visualization: R, Processing, openFrameworks
· 3D Modeling & Simulation: Solidworks, AutoCAD
· Graphic Design: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, After Effects, Quark

 

EXHIBITIONS

2025 “Nostalgia,” Incheon Art Show 2025, Incheon, Korea
2025 “Verdant Echoes: Martian Gardener Project”, CICA Museum, Gimpo, Korea
2017  “Sound of Light,” Sci-Art Zone, Permanent Exhibition in Gwangju Science Museum, Korea
2017  GIST: Research Innovation & Pioneer Exhibition, Ohryong Pavilion, Gwangju, Korea
2017  “Buddha in the Heart” Special Exhibition, Gwangju National Museum, Korea
2016  Designing Interactive Systems Exhibition, Brisbane, Australia
2015  GIST Research Achievement Exhibition, Ohryong Pavilion, Gwangju, Korea
2015  “Muru in Wonderland,” Glocal Content Fair Exhibition, KINTEX, Ilsan, Korea
2014  “Soribyeol,” Permanent Installation, Design Playground, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Seoul, Korea
2014  “Flying Imagination” Exhibition (HCIK 2014), High1 Resort Convention Center, Kangwon-do, Korea
2012  “Living Photography” Exhibition, HSS Euljiro, Seoul, Korea
2012  Art+Technology Exhibition, Science & Creativity Conference, Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Seoul, Korea
2012  “Digital for Real Life” Exhibit, Smart Cloud Show 2012, COEX, Seoul, Korea
2012  “Wearable Summer Nights,” Boehringer-Ingelheim Outdoor Garden Party, Shilla Jeju Hotel, Korea
2012  Art & Science Exhibition, Korean Donation for Education Fair 2012, KINTEX, Ilsan, Korea
2011  Art+Technology Exhibition, Science & Creativity Conference, Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Seoul, Korea
2011  Biomimetic Kinetic Orchestra, Platoon Kunsthalle, Seoul, Korea
2007  “Portals,” Solo Exhibition, List Art Center lobby, Providence, RI
2007  Juried Student Exhibition, David Winton Bell Gallery, Providence, RI
2005  “Writing Block,” Interactive Video Installation, Graduate Center, Brown University, RI
2005  “Relapse,” Video Art Installation, List Art Center, Providence, RI

 

PUBLICATIONS

International
S.Jang and B. L’Huillier. “Rediscovering Korea's Ancient Skies: An Immersive, Interactive 3D Map of Traditional Korean Constellations in the Milky Way,” In Proceedings of the 25th International Symposium on Electronic Arts, pp. 616-617, Jun. 2019. [pdf] [Project]

S. Jang, G. Wakefield, and S. Lee. "Incorporating Kinesthetic Creativity and Gestural Play into Immersive Modeling," In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Movement Computing, Jun. 2017. [pdf} [Project]

S. Jang, K. Baik, and K. Ko. "Muru in Wonderland: An Immersive Video Tour with Gameful Character Interaction for Children." In Proceedings of the 2016 ACM Conference Companion Publication on Designing Interactive Systems, pp. 173-176, Jun. 2016. [pdf} [Project]

S. Jang, H. Kim, W. Woo, and G. Wakefield, "AiRSculpt: A Wearable Augmented Reality 3D Sculpting System," In International Conference on Distributed, Ambient, and Pervasive Interactions (DAPI 2014), Lectures on Computer Science (LNCS), Vol. 8530, pp. 130-141, Jun. 2014. [pdf} [Project]

D. A. Min, Y. Kim, S. Jang, K. Y. Kim, S. E. Jung, and J. H. Lee, "Pretty Pelvis: A Virtual Pet Application That Breaks Sedentary Time by Promoting Gestural Interaction," Proc. of ACM Conference Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) Extended Abstracts, pp. 1259-1264, Apr. 2015. [pdf] [Project]

Domestic
H. Hahn, S. Jang, N. Park, J. Chae, J. Kim, S. Oh, W. Yoo, S. Jung, T. Ha, J. Kim, Arts Policy Research: Revitalizing the Performing Arts via Digital Space, Vol. 2, Arts Council Korea, Dec. 2016. [pdf] [Project]

S. Oh, H. Hahn, S. Jang, W. Heo, K. Baik, H. Baek, J. Kim, Demand Diffusion of Immersive Media Quality Evaluation and Regional Linkage Plans, Jeonnam Information & Culture Industry Promotion Agency, Apr. 2016.