Juliette Wang |

User Experience Designer

Google

“I’m Juliette Wang, a strategic and interaction designer with a global perspective. Born in Taiwan and raised in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I developed a passion for art, design, and exploring cultures. I earned my BFA in Graphic Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2019 and later completed my Master’s at Parsons in 2022.

My career has taken me from design agencies such as Instrument—where I worked with clients including Google, YouTube, and Niantic—to my current role at Google, creating the next generation of shopping experiences on Search. I thrive on shaping intuitive, human-centered products in collaboration with cross-functional partners, connecting people to the information they need, and simplifying everyday shopping decisions.

Beyond my day-to-day work, I co-founded Here*, a passion project that blends my interests in design, entrepreneurship, community, and travel. Our mission is to inspire people to discover and share their favorite places around the world. ”

What three things do you feel make the MS SDM program special?

The Community — The relationships I built with both classmates and professors were the absolute highlight of my MS SDM experience. Because I began during the pandemic, our first year was entirely online, and Slack became our lifeline for connecting and sharing resources. Our cohort was full of driven, supportive individuals, which helped us form a strong structure for collaboration and learning. By the second year, that sense of community had grown even stronger. We knew each other so well that we felt comfortable sharing our ideas, encouraging one another, and challenging ourselves to grow. Many of us were also juggling full-time jobs, which was incredibly motivating and reminded me of how dedicated and passionate everyone was about our collective success.

The Curriculum — Although I may not recall every single detail from every class, the most profound impact has been on how I think and approach problems. The curriculum exposed me to theories, methods, and frameworks that I might never have encountered otherwise. The professors played a key role: they pushed me to hone my beliefs, present ideas more confidently, and truly find my own voice. This intellectual growth—more than any single piece of content—has stayed with me and continues to influence my work.

Flexibility and Real-World Application — The program’s flexibility allowed me to tailor my studies to the research and projects that drew me to MS SDM in the first place. One of the most memorable experiences was working with a real client in our Integrative Studio, where we essentially ran our own student-led consultancy. With minimal guidance from professors, we had to figure out how to collaborate effectively, resolve conflicts, and deliver tangible solutions to our client. It was a unique challenge that not only enhanced my practical skills but also taught me how to navigate the complexities of team dynamics and real-world problem-solving.

What advice would you give to current students?

Leverage Your Community and Resources: Make the most of the incredible network around you—professors, peers, and the broader Parsons community. It’s rare to have such easy access to people who are eager to help you learn, grow, and bring your ideas to life. From student groups to on-campus resources, there’s a wealth of support available. I often wish I had asked more questions, met more people, and taken even greater advantage of everything Parsons and New York City had to offer.

Align Assignments with Your Passions: Whenever possible, shape your coursework around the topics and projects that excite you most. If an assignment doesn’t fully allow you to explore what you’re passionate about, don’t be afraid to ask if you can adapt it—often, professors are open to new approaches. Rather than just checking off a requirement, use each assignment to delve deeper into the problems you want to solve. Try to truly absorb the readings and reflect on how they can be applied in real life. You’ll always look back and wish you had dedicated more time to certain things, so invest in what matters to you. After all, you get out of a Master’s program what you put into it—so make the most of every opportunity.

Tell us about a time when an MS SDM Professor inspired you.

One professor who truly inspired me was Koray Caliskan, who taught the class, Management in New Economies. He introduced me to an entirely new world of economics and cryptocurrencies, materials I was not previously aware of. His teaching style and depth of knowledge were both motivating and challenging, pushing me to absorb a wide range of information in a short time. The structured assignments fundamentally reshaped my thinking and approach to problem-solving, while his feedback on my presentations and essays made me more intentional in how I organized and delivered my work. Overall, Professor Caliskan’s class was a pivotal experience that broadened my perspective on emerging economic trends and refined my ability to communicate ideas effectively.