Hyena Nam
Assistant Professor
School of Design
Hyena Nam is an award-winning graphic designer, design researcher, and educator whose work has received national and international recognition. She was named one of the Top 100 Most Creative Designers in the World by the World Brand Design Society for two consecutive years, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
Originally from South Korea and now based in the United States, Nam has worked across both the Korean and U.S. design industries.
She specializes in art direction and visual communication across print and digital media. Her creative practice explores how research-driven visual communication can influence audience perception and behavior.
Nam’s scholarly interests center on using visual communication to address real-world challenges, particularly those related to sustainability and marginalized communities.
Her current research examines how design can improve public understanding of proper recycling practices.
Through her research and creative practice, she seeks to demonstrate the social impact and everyday value of design.
Contact
Education
MFA, Visual Communication, Kent State University
BA, Graphic Design, Cleveland State University
Teaching Areas
Graphic Design and Visual Communication
Research Areas
Designing for Marginalized Communities
Designing for Sustainability
Exhibitions
Jeonbuk Industrial Designers Association International Invitational Exhibition, International Design Invitational Exhibition
Iksan Arts Center Exhibition Hall, Iksan, South Korea, 2025
Whimsy and Wonder, Juried National Exhibition
Overt Space Gallery, Stoughton, WI, 2025
Future Frames: AI Graphic and Video Art Exhibition, Juried International Exhibition
Herman Maril Gallery, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 2025
Korea Smart Media Society, International Design Invitational Exhibition
Gallery ITDA, Museum of Kunsan National University, South Korea, 2025
Messages To Humanity, 12th United Designs Biennial, International Juried Poster Exhibition
[Virtual], China, 2025
67th Annual Art Directors Association of Iowa Design Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition
Curate Event Center, IA, USA, 2025
KWVD International Invitational Design Exhibition , Group Exhibition
Kim Hee Soo Art Center, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
2024 Busan International Design Week Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition
Bexco (Busan Exhibition & Convention Center), Busan, South Korea, 2024
KWVD International Invitational Design Exhibition, Group Exhibition
Kim Hee Soo Art Center, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
Textures Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition
Overt Space Gallery, WI, USA, 2024
66th Annual Art Directors Association of Iowa Design Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition
Curate Event Center, IA, USA, 2024
Run What You Brung Faculty Exhibition, Group Exhibition
Grand View University Prairie Meadows Gallery, IA, USA, 2023
Messages To Humanity, Poster Design Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition
[Virtual], Texas, USA 2023
65th Annual Art Directors Association of Iowa Design Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition
Decades Event Center, IA, USA, 2023
Visual Voice Poster Design Exhibition, Juried Group Exhibition
Roy C.Moore Gallery, GA, USA, 2023
Kent State University MFA Exhibition,Group Exhibition
Taylor Hall Gallery, OH, USA, 2018
Honors & Awards
Selected as Finalist, Future Frames Exhibition 2025, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA, 2025
Selected for Permanent Design Collection, United Designs Alliance, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
International Design Award: Honorable Mention, Graphis International Design Awards 2026, New York, USA, 2025
Selected for Times Square Billboard Showcase, Visual Art Journal, New York City, USA, 2025
Selected and Featured in International Art Magazine, Visual Art Journal, Tbilisi, Georgia 2025
International Design Award: Silver Award, Graphis Poster Awards 2026, New York, USA, 2025
International Design Award: Bronze Award, UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
International Design Award: Bronze Award, UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
International Design Award: Silver Award, UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
International Design Award: Silver Award, UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
International Design Award: Bronze Award, UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
Excellence Award, Design for Social Impact CategoryArt Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2025
International Design Award: Gold Award in Mobile App, Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
International Design Award: Gold Award in Promotional Materials, Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
International Design Award: Silver Award in Branding, Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
International Design Award: Silver Award in Integrated Graphic Design, Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
International Design Award: Silver Award in Logos for Graphic Design, Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2025
International Design Award: Shortlist, Professional / Illustrate (Graphic) Category, London International Creative Competition, UK, 2025
Listed and Featured as 2024/2025 Year’s Best Creative Design, World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2025
Listed and Featured as 2024/2025 Year’s Global Creative Design, World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2025
International Design Awards: Silver Award, IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2025
International Design Awards: Honorable Mention, IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2025
International Design Award: Honorable Mention, IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2025
International Design Award: Bronze Award, World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2024/2025
International Design Award: Commended Award, World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2024/2025
International Design Award: Grand Award (1st place), UDA Idea Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
International Design Award: Gold Award, International Visual Identity Awards, London, UK, 2024
International Design Award: IBDA Idea Award, International Busan Design Award (IBDA), Busan, South Korea, 2024
International Design Award: Gold Award, UDA International Design Competition, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
International Design Award: Bronze Award, UDA Signs, Systems, and Letterform Marks, Seoul, South Korea, 2024
International Design Award: Bronze Award, Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2024
Selected as Judge’s Choice, 66th ADAI Design Exhibition, Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
Selected as Best of Category, Integrated Brand System, Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
Excellence Award, Integrated Brand System, Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
Excellence Award, Identity System Category, Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2024
International Design Award: Bronze Award, IDA (International Design Awards), CA, USA, 2024
Selected as One of the 2024 Winners and the Best Media Inspiration, Favourite Design Worldwide Designers Awards, Violès, France, 2024
Selected and Featured by BrandsAwesome, Media/News Company Brooklyn, New York, USA, 2024
Listed and Featured as 2023/2024 Year’s Best Creative Design, World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2024
Listed and Featured as 2023/2024 Year’s Global Creative Design, World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2025
International Design Award: Shortlist, Professional / Illustrate (Graphic) Category, London International Creative Competition, UK, 2023
International Design Award: Bronze Award, World Brand Design Society, London, UK, 2023
Selected for Permanent Design Collection, United Designs Alliance, Seoul, South Korea, 2025
International Design Award: Silver Award, Indigo International Design Award, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2023
Excellence Award, Poster Design Category, Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2023
Excellence Award, Integrated Brand System Category, Art Director’s Association of Iowa, IA, USA, 2023
Selected as One of the Top 3 Poster Designs, Visual Voice National Graphic Design Competition, GA, USA, 2022