Muenchinger researches and teaches the intersection of materials, manufacturing and design with an emphasis on sustainability tactics and metrics. Her research utilizes Kansei engineering principles to measure how consumers perceive the sustainability of materials. She will integrate her teaching and research at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in the spring of 2016 as a Fulbright scholar. Kiersten was the Industrial Designers Society of America’s (IDSA) Young Educator of the Year in 2011, and one of the Design Intelligence 30 Most Admired Educators for 2015. Before joining UO, Kiersten was a design engineer with IDEO, Fitch, Sottsass Associatti, and Walt Disney Imagineering.