We had the good fortune of connecting with Rui Sun and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rui, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?

Good design can not only bring convenience to the lives of ordinary people but also significantly improve the quality of life for disabled individuals or the elderly, elevating their dignity at a spiritual level. For me, designing for socially disadvantaged groups is a deeply meaningful pursuit, and I have dedicated my career planning to this direction.

If you’ve seen the award-winning works I’ve produced over the past two years, you’ll notice that the target audience for my designs has been primarily the elderly. Take my stroke-rehabilitation wearable as an example. The concept emerged from my volunteer experience at public nursing homes in San Francisco, where I observed numerous elderly individuals facing mobility challenges struggling to achieve optimal rehabilitation outcomes.

I noticed a recurring issue of ‘Over Care,’ where caregivers, unable to intuitively assess the remaining mobility of elderly stroke patients, often provided excessive assistance. This overprotectiveness could prematurely induce dependency on wheelchairs among the elderly, leading to a permanent loss of mobility.

Since then, I’ve been exploring ways to use design to assist caregivers and the elderly in better discerning the mobility capabilities of stroke patients. The ultimate goal is to prevent overprotectiveness while preserving the elderly’s self-esteem.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

As a UI/UX designer, my greatest competitive advantage stems from my diverse project experience spanning both domestic and international teams. I possess a keen sense of design trends and thrive on taking on challenges to drive innovation. I am committed to exploring new UI/UX-related fields and constantly striving for excellence.

In 2017, while still an undergrad, I recognized the growing importance of user interface applications in both software and hardware. Since then, I have consistently pushed myself to create product designs that seamlessly integrate software and hardware elements, making my projects stand out in the field of industrial design. Upon graduating, I had the opportunity to join a blockchain company in Silicon Valley as a product designer, deepening my understanding of web3 theory and gaining valuable project experience in the web3 space.

Upon returning to China, I worked with three top internet companies, contributing to various B2B and B2C projects. Additionally, I ventured into the social sector of web3 with friends, where I took full responsibility for designing all related projects. In 2022, I joined the private banking department of Citibank in Shanghai to further elevate my competitiveness as a UI/UX designer. During my time there, I independently designed a foreign exchange trading platform and collaborated with Citibank’s international team to launch new projects.

My bilingual communication skills and extensive project experience facilitated smooth collaboration at Citibank. By 2024, two of the UI/UX projects I led independently had successfully launched, generating steady revenue for the company. Reflecting on my career journey, I am proud of the progress I have made over the past few years, and I remain committed to continuous growth and advancement.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Our journey will start from Sacramento. I will suggest that he come to Sacramento during the city’s famous bicycle race. On the first day, we will sit on the large lawn in front of City Hall and watch the broadcast of the bicycle race together with everyone else. Then, I will take him around the city to see the charm of the capital of California and visit City Hall.

On the second day, I will take my friend to experience the musical charm of the birthplace of Hip Hop in Oakland. We will go to the campus of Berkeley to feed squirrels and enjoy the famous Sichuan cuisine at the entrance of Berkeley. In the evening, we will take a walk near Grand Lake and watch people dancing in the square.

On the third and fourth days, I will take my friend to visit Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and experience the diversity and inclusiveness of the city. In the afternoon of the fourth day, I will drive my friend along Highway 1 towards Los Angeles. We will stay overnight in Irvine to enjoy its tranquility.

In LA, we will spend two full days visiting the attractions of Los Angeles. During this time, I will take my friend to Koreatown to enjoy a famous seafood barbecue, ginseng chicken soup, and Korean barbecue buffet.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I am most grateful to my undergraduate school, the California College of the Arts (CCA). During my four years at CCA, I encountered numerous talented classmates and knowledgeable teachers. The curriculum at the school is very diverse, covering various artistic presentations from different cultures. Additionally, our classrooms were semi-open, and students from various majors were welcome to attend design reviews of other disciplines. As a product design major, I often found inspiration from the works of my classmates in painting, ceramics, and graphic design.

Moreover, I am most grateful to my mentors during my student years. He taught me that meaningful design not only brings convenience to people’s lives but also soothes their souls. Outside of class, my mentor involved me in many charitable activities, provided guidance for my career planning, and encouraged me with their own experiences during the low points of my career. My success today is inseparable from the help of this mentor.

Website: https://rsun67.wixsite.com/mysite

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raysundesign/

Image Credits
All credits to myself.

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