Design

Read more about my design projects

I believe it is through creative practice where my domain knowledge originates and then returns, cycling through application and research, feeding back into the classroom. When I practice, as a designer or consultant, I reflect-in-action (via the design process) on the specific design problem, but I also reflect on the process itself, which informs my design research as well my teaching.

Client-based consulting: I am a practicing and exhibiting graphic designer with over 20 years of experi¬ence in a variety of organizations including small firms, in-house communications, and a product design manufacturer. I operate a freelance design practice which specializes in graphic design (both print and digital), branding and marketing strategy for education, corporate and sole proprietor clients.

Artist and writer collaborations: My most recent published project is the book design for These Are Love(d) Letters, by my colleague and frequent collaborator, Ames Hawkins. The design for this book investigates the rhetorical form of the love letter through visual and textual exploration. The book was published by Wayne State University Press in 2019, and my cover and book design was recognized by the Association of University Presses Book, Jacket, and Journal Show 2020.

Critical visualizations: Part of my dissertation research involved a series of what I call “critical visual-izations”, a research-through-design (RtD) approach in which I create complex diagrams that explore conceptual problem space of biased technologies. I recently presented this work at conferences and received positive feedback. In the future, I plan to document my process more thoroughly and dissem¬inate through publication as well as popular media outlets, as I believe it will be of interest to profes¬sional designers. I also plan to continue to develop this method through further scholarly inquiries and participatory workshops with designers.

Personal projects: My current personal project is “White Space”, a project that stemmed from the DEI-focused work that I have been doing in my research and teaching. This project includes both personal writing and graphic design to explore the ways in which my identity and experiences as a white, queer woman have led me to focus on equity and justice in design. I plan to submit the project for exhibitions and awards, with the ultimate goal of transforming it into a book proposal to submit to publishers.