FACULTY

Liqi Ren

Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative

Senior Lecturer of Design and Innovation

Academic Lead, Future 17 Program

Position:

Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative

Senior Lecturer of Design and Innovation

Academic Lead, Future 17 Program

liqi.ren@dukekunshan.edu.cn

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Educational Background

  • Ph.D. in Design, Arizona State University
  • M.SD. (Master of Science in Design), Arizona State University
  • B.E. in Industrial Design, Taiyuan University of Technology
  • B.M. in Marketing, Taiyuan University of Technology

Professional Experience​

Duke Kunshan University

  • Director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative, 02/2026-Present
  • Associate Director for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 03/2020–02/2026
  • Academic Lead, Future17 Program, 05/2024–Present
  • Program Manager, China Innovation Research and Training Center, 12/2018–03/2020

 

EdgeMakers, Inc.

  • Strategy Consultant, 09/2016–02/2017

Courses Taught​

  • MEDIARTS 202 Creativity and Entrepreneurship
  • SOSC110 Innovation and Creativity

Research Areas​​

  • Design Thinking and Transdisciplinary Innovation
  • Entrepreneurship Education
  • Creative Industries and Rural Development
  • Culture and Innovation in China’s Knowledge Economy

Additional Information​​

  • Leads the DKU Innovation system, supporting student innovation and entrepreneurial projects.
  • Develops campus-wide programs and initiatives to foster innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
  • Works on building interdisciplinary platforms connecting design, technology, and entrepreneurship within DKU’s liberal arts environment.