The awards ceremony for the inaugural 2025 Stellar Design Award (STELLAR DESIGN AWARD 2025) was recently held. DENG Haowen, a student from the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Harbin Engineering University (HEU), guided by instructor ZHUANG Yan, won the Silver Award in the Product Design category with his work Modular Children’s STEM Educational Toys — Fun Cube Lab. Instructor ZHUANG Yan also received the “Outstanding Instructor Award.”

The international Stellar Design Award is a global professional competition initiated by the N45° Innovation Design and Education Alliance (NLD&E45). This year’s edition, centered on the theme “Numerous·Nexus·Novus,” aimed to inspire young designers worldwide to respond creatively to contemporary challenges.

Scene from the Stellar Design Award Ceremony

Presentation of the Silver Award trophy

Presentation of the Outstanding Instructor Award (ZHUANG Yan, sixth from left)

In the Product Design category, DENG Haowen’s entry, Modular Children’s STEM Educational Toys — Fun Cube Lab, garnered high praise from the judges for its distinct educational value and innovative design.

Exhibition area at the Stellar Design Award

Winning Work: Modular Children’s STEM Educational Toys-Fun Cube Lab

This achievement marks a significant outcome of the ongoing reform in cultivating “New Engineering” talents within the Industrial Design program of the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, strengthening its practice-oriented educational system that “promotes learning and teaching through competitions.” The School will continue to support student participation in high-level academic competitions, guiding young scholars to engage with societal needs and address global issues, and nurturing a new generation of innovative design talents with both a sense of national responsibility and an international perspective.