Univ.-Prof. Dr. Julia von Thienen

Head of the Research Group:

Design Thinking Research and Neurodesign

She is an innovation researcher with an academic background that spans psychology, neuroscience, computer science, research methodology and philosophy of science. For the majority of her career, she has taught innovation and research methodology at engineering faculties, with teaching engagements at the University of Potsdam, the Free University of Berlin, and the University of Chicago, before joining the German University of Digital Science. From 2008 to 2022, she held projects within the Stanford-HPI Innovation Research Program on Design Thinking, and from 2023 to 2024, she has worked in the MIT-HPI Designing for Sustainability Program. Her research has focused primarily on the design thinking approach to creativity, collaboration and innovation, while she has also contributed to establishing the emerging academic field of neurodesign.