Bonnie Zhou is a cross-disciplinary designer based in Boston, originally from Nanjing, China. Her work spans education, technology, architecture, and communication design—driven by a deep interest in how people think, learn, and interact across contexts.
She received her Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she focused on applying cognitive science, neuroscience, and learning theories to practice, as well as on learning technology, promoting curiosity, integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL), cultivating thinking dispositions, and conducting formative evaluations for educational products.
She received her MFA in Communications Design from Pratt Institute, where her thesis research explored "Rediscovering the Role of Touch in Design." She also holds a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from The University of Melbourne in Australia.
Bonnie previously worked as a Design Consultant at the Tianjin Juilliard School and as a Senior Designer at GHD Partners. Prior to this, she served as an Exhibition Curator and Designer at the Red Dot Design Museum in Xiamen, and worked as an architectural designer at various design firms in China. During her time at Harvard, she worked as a Research Assistant at Project Zero. While pursuing her MFA at Pratt Institute, she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Graphic Designer for the School of Design.
Bonnie's work has been featured in UCLA's FLAT Journal and exhibited at the Beijing World Art Museum and Red Dot Design Museum Xiamen.
As a designer and researcher, Bonnie is committed to creating human-centered, socially responsible, and inclusive learning experiences. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue bridging design, learning science, and technology to foster environments where curiosity, creativity, and growth can thrive.
Bonnie’s current research focuses on multisensory design and its impact on learning. Feel free to reach out and chat about mutual interests.