Department of Art and Design News
Professor Li Zhang Chosen as a Graphic Design Master
January 28th, 2025
Congratulations to Li Zhang for being chosen as a Graphic Design Master! She will be featured in Graphis's Master Portfolios alongside such names as Paul Rand (1914-1996), Issey Miyake (1938-2022), Paula Scher (b.1948), and Saul Bass (1920-1996).
Li Zhang is a professor at Purdue University, a director at the China Europe International Design Culture Association, and an internationally recognized designer, speaker, curator, and juror. Professor Zhang has been designated as a Fellow Expert of the China Foreign Experts Bureau, an Honorary Professor at five universities, and an Olympic research fellow and consultant at the Art Research Centre for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Zhang has been invited to be on outstanding international jury panels in Italy, China, Korea, Poland, Germany, and the USA. Prof. Zhang's design profession, marked by over two decades of groundbreaking work in graphic design, has significantly advanced the discipline academically and in the broader societal context. Her work has been extensively exposed worldwide, with hundreds of exhibitions/publications in more than forty countries across five continents. We are truly honored to have her as a professor, and wish her even more success in the future. Congratulations, Professor Zhang!
Industrial Design Students Hunter Raddatz and Ale Mustad Become Finalists in Model Young Packaging Design Competition
January 22nd, 2025
Congratulations to Hunter Raddatz and Ale Mustad, Industrial Design students, for becoming finalists in the Model Packaging Design Competition.
This year, the Model Young Package's 'Sweets in the Box' theme reimagines chocolates, fruit gums, candies, cookies, and all things sweet. These students had to create a packaging solution for retail, transport, and e-commerce, prioritize a design that enhances the overall presentation and handling of the product, ensure adaptability by seamlessly fitting any distribution channel, consider an all-in-one or modular multi-part solution, and explore the use of multiple parts for added versitility. The students will be sending a prototype to Germany for in-person judging in Feburary, and we wish them luck for this next step of the competition!
Interior Design Student Jesse Smith Wins Honorable Mention in Steelcase NEXT Competition
January 24th, 2025
Congratulations to Jesse Smith, an Interior Desing student, for winning 'Honorable Mention' in for their project in the Steelcase NEXT competion.
Jesse's project is honored in the top 10 entrants from 89 different programs, with 129 professors, and just under 1,600 students who participated in the competition. Congratulations, Jesse!
Senior Industrial Design Student Maria Bernstein Wins 'Best of the Year' Award from Interior Design Magazine
March 18th, 2024
Congratulations to Maria Bernstein, an Industrial Design senior, for winning 'Best of the Year' award from Interior Design Magazine.
Interior Design’s 18th annual Best of Year Awards recognize standout projects and products across the design industry, with winners revealed by Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen in a lively ceremony in Manhattan December 7. Interior Design's Best of Year is the design industry's premiere design awards program, honoring the most significant work of the year as well as recognizing designers, architects, and manufacturers from around the globe. Congratulations, Maria!
Senior Industrial Design Student Will Huth Wins 2nd Place at International Housewares Competition
January 26th, 2024
Congratulations to William Huth, an Industrial Design senior, for winning 2nd place in the International Housewares Competition. He will recieve a cash prize of $2500 dollars plus exposure at the Inspired Home Show.
This year, there was a record-breaking 358 entries from 30 different schools. The International Houseware's Competition is the industry’s preeminent student design contest which celebrates decades of innovation for the house and home. His product will be exhibited at the The Inspired Home Show 2024, March 17-19 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Complex. Congratulations, Will!
Purdue Interior Design Students Recognized as Top 2% of Participants in Steelcase Next Competition
January 26th, 2024
Taylor Johnson and Megan Herren, two Interior Design Students, were recognized in the top 2% of the National Steelcase NEXT Competion. Only two submissions were allowed per independant studio session. Their two student projects were recognized out of 81 programs, 116 instructors, and approximately 1,200 students. Congratulations Taylor Johnson and Megan Herren!
Purdue Interior Design Alumni Madison Green's Team Wins 2nd Place in IIDA Student Design Charette Competition
January 26th, 2024
Congratulations to Madison Green, an Interior Design student who graduated last spring, for her performance in the International Interior Design Association's Student Design Charette held in Chicago. Her team, Team 4, won 2nd place with their project titled 'Interwoven'.
The annual IIDA Student Charette at NeoCon, brings together students for a day of collaboration, design, and recognition and offers students all across the nation a day where their creativity, leadership and design skills are at the forefront of the conversation. Congratulations again to Madison!
Art Historian is Honored in Journal of Mosaic Research for His Work in Roman Mosaics of North African, Asia Minor, and Bulgaria
September 12, 2023
Congratulations to David Parrish, professor of art history in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, for his dedication in a recent volume of the Journal of Mosaic Research (vol. 15, 2022), a leading international journal in the field.
In her dedication, Patricia Witts notes, “His own significant work on the mosaics of Turkey and his encouragement of others is celebrated by the dedication of this volume in his honour.”
Genell Ebbini Receives Fulbright Specialist Award to Jordan at Royal Scientific Society
September 7, 2023
The U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board are pleased to announce that Genell Ebbini of Purdue University (Assistant Professor in Interior Design) has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award. Ebbini will complete a project at Royal Scientific Society in Jordan that aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities both in the U.S. and overseas through a variety of educational and training activities within Urban Planning.
Ebbini is one of over 400 U.S. citizens who share expertise with host institutions abroad through the Fulbright Specialist Program each year. Recipients of Fulbright Specialist awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad.
Industrial Design Professor wins VA System Design Award from the IEEE VAST Challenge.
August 24, 2023
Congratulations to Professor Zhen Yu (Cheryl) Qian and graduate student, Na Zhuo, for winning a VA system design award from the IEEE VAST challenge! The theme for this year's challenge was the detection of anomalies in illegal fishing. FishEye International is a nonpartisan organization charged with understanding the social, political, and economic forces that drive the illegal fish trade. For the VAST Challenge this year they made several of their datasets available to the public and asked the Visual Analytics community to make recommendations for how to proceed in helping them to form a more comprehensive picture of an ever evolving threat. Professor Zhen Yu (Cheryl) Qian and Interaction Design graduate student, Na Zhuo, as part of a collaborative CGT team, competed in this challenge using visual analytics as a central component of their solution, as well as non traditional and creative interactions with ChatGPT to augment their analysis process. The Award: "Application of LLMs (Large Language Model) to Support VA Process." This marks the 17th VAST award in Professor Qian's career!
Illustration by José L. Soto/The Washington Post; iStock
Industrial Design Professor Explains Why New Furniture Quality Doesn't Last
September 5, 2023
HOW FURNITURE GOT SO BAD
CoCo Ree Lemery, a furniture designer and visiting professor of Industrial Design at Purdue University, along with designer Michael Brotman, comment on the decline in the quality of furniture in a piece for the Style Section of the Washington Post, by Rachel Kurzius. To understand the dilemma you have to consider the materials used, the "constant grind of the design process for major retailers," profit margins, labor costs, transportation, and the relentless drive of the "online micro-aesthetic of the moment." The move away from furniture as an investment in quality is challenging and distressing for designers as customers have become conditioned to see it as a largely expendable item.
Industrial Design Students win top awards from Aluminum Extruders Council Competition
May 17, 2023
Three Purdue University students in;Graduate Teaching Assistant, Abolfazl Ghaderi's program won awards in the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) 2023 Aluminum Extrusion Design Competition. This competition is open to high school and college students from around the world who compete for an opportunity to win cash scholarships.
Congratulations to the winners!
First Place: Drew Klopfenstein, Industrial Design
Drew was awarded first place for his design of a modular traffic light made from extruded aluminum components. His design of the TRIadd traffic light uses extruded aluminum for several reasons. “This product is a unique and practical use of aluminum extrusion,” noted Klopfenstein. “It uses sliding functionality of extruded parts to allow for easy traffic light repair. Each light module slides off from the main light base plate.” Aluminum was specified for the design due to its durability, weather resistance, light weight and it will not shatter on impact if it falls during a storm, he commented. He created the modular design to improve on existing traffic light designs that are constructed as one complete piece to make it easier, faster, convenient, and practical for repairs.
Second Place: Brady Hawks, Industrial Design
Second place was awarded to Brady Hawks for his design of ATLAS, an electric motorcycle made of extruded aluminum. Brady chose AA6061 aluminum for his design due to its light weight, strength, corrosion resistance, workability, and cost-effectiveness. “Using 6061 will overall improve the performance, handling and efficiency of the motorcycle,” the student explained. “The custom frame build from extruded aluminum makes the ATLAS special. Rails are built into the design of the frame, allowing for easy installation and removal of various accessories, making the ATLAS incredibly modular and customizable,” Hawks continued.
The motorcycle is designed to be used in urban environments, and the design was born out of an examination of existing electric motorcycles that “lack the fusion of functionality and agility in their designs.” He created this design to adapt to the user’s needs with a modular design that “maximizes functionality without compromising on agility.”
Honorable Mention: Tiffney Ancil, Industrial Design
Sophomore, Tiffney Ancil's design of a ceiling storage system made of aluminum extrusions for garages and sheds won an Honorable Mention in the competition. The system provides for bin storage by sliding the bins into place between two extruded aluminum profiles.The multifunctional framing pieces also allow for hooks to slide onto the base as inserts to hang items from the framing system, like bikes, garden tools, etc.
Although similar products exist on the market now, the judges appreciated her attention to detail, making the product easier to fabricate and more user friendly by adding hooks for extra storage. The simple “standard size” extrusion is used, saving money, time and manpower, according to Tiffney.
“I would buy this today,” said Craig Werner, competition judge and President and CEO of Werner Extrusion Solutions. “It’s so handy, and the hooks are a great addition!
Source: https://aec.org/2023-student-aluminum-extrusion-design-competition-winning-entries-announced
Dr. Shannon McMullen (Associate Professor, Art & Design/Integrated Studio Arts, Studio Arts and Technology, Electronic and Time-Based Art and Director of Purdue's American Studies Program) and Fabian Winkler (Professor, Art & Design/Integrated Studio Arts, Studio Arts and Technology, Electronic and Time-Based Art ) are exhibiting two of their works,The Video Field Guide to Algorithmic Gardening Entanglements/Garden of ______________, in the Xeno Paisajes exhibition at his year's Festival Internacional de la imagen in Bogotá/Manizales, Colombia, May 29 - June 4, 2023. Visit https://festivaldelaimagen.com/en/invitados-2023/ for more information about the festival.
Purdue jumps to the top 5 of global leaders in US patents received
April 26, 2023
Purdue University researchers tallied 192 US patents on their inventions in 2022
In 2022, Purdue Research Foundation received an impressive 192 patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), placing it fifth internationally. The top-five breakthrough comes on the heels of Purdue’s No. 6 ranking in both 2020 and 2021, when it received 175 and 169 patents, respectively. The newest ranking was released Wednesday (April 26).
Among the 2022 patents is “Furniture and methods of storage” by Tong Jin “TJ” Kim, professor, College of Liberal Arts.
Industrial Design Senior Students Won the PDMA Chicago 2023 Innovation Challenge
The White Space Product Development Challenge is a cross-university competition presented by the Chicago Chapter of the Product Development Management Association in conjunction with the Northwestern University Segal Professional Bridge group promoting white space research that identifies a real-world problem to solve where there is currently no competition or the competition is falling short.
Congratulations to Purdue Industrial Design student team, Nile Mylin, Pearce Landfear, Chantal Martinez, and Maria Ruiz Machado, who won first place, a $2500 cash prize! The team competed against six teams from five different schools.
Caps is a pair of earmuffs disguised as headphones designed for the treatment of hyperacusis with sensory needs of ASD in mind. Caps blends in with current fashion trends for wearable technology, allowing the user to receive the help they need without drawing unwanted attention and judgement. Caps is the first pair of earmuffs designed for the physical and social needs of its target demographic, the neurodivergent population.
Congratulations Indigo Design Award Winner, Do Gyun Kim (2023 Gold Winner in Mix Media/Moving Image for Social Change)
April 14, 2023
The Unfinished Story Project
The Unfinished Story project features the activism of Kim Bok Dong, who came forward in 1992 to testify about her experience as a wartime sex slave and who spent the remainder of her life fighting for victims’ rights on behalf of the “Comfort Women.” The narration, given by a Korean-American in her Korean tongue, expresses Koreans' feelings about the pain and suffering of the “Comfort Women.” In this “Unfinished Story” project, I arranged historical documents, photographs, and videos to provide a visual narrative of the lives and history of the “Comfort Women.” The timeline visually captures Comfort Women’s history. Against the imagery of collages and a photo-montage of images and videos, the Korean song “Ye Mac A-Ra-Ri” begins the project, and a sad piano supports the history of the “Comfort Women’s” life. As each new scene starts, moving images of pictures, collages, and videos appear within a red circle to capture the experience of the “Comfort Women” and to provide a link to women’s rights issues.
Congratulations Indigo Design Award Winner, Isabelle Urashima (2023 Gold Winner in Apps)
April 14, 2023
Beet
Beet is a mobile app where Midwest farmers can sell seasonal and freshly harvested products directly to local customers - without worrying about sales logistics and distribution - to increase revenue and productivity and reduce risks (i.e. covid, weather) while strengthening the local communit.
Congratulations to three Fit Sport Design Award Winners!
March 2023
Purdue University Industrial Design student, Abolfazl Ghaderi, wins Emerging Sport Gear Designer of the Year!Abolfazl's design, Bichack, is a powered wheelchair with two built-in magnetic resistance flywheels. These flywheels are connected to two adjustable and changeable levers which enable the user to exercise different muscle groups with them, moving the levers also triggers the propeller. The resistance amount is adjusted through a panel on the wheelchair. Users can switch between fully powered assisted mode, manual mode, and Bichack mode (Exercise mode). With that, they adjust the amount of force needed to propel the wheelchair in different positions.
Innovation
The incorporation of magnetic resistance inside a power wheelchair helps users to adjust the force that they will make towards the wheelchair, this force will be through different designs that will target different muscle groups of the user and the wheelchair will act as a small weight training set as it moves. the magnetic resistance mechanism is already used in smart home gyms and exercise bicycles. Read more here.
Golf Guide acts as a friendly guide to assist with your golfing experience. The current market targets primarily highly experienced golfers rather than beginners. As a kid, you are sent out on the course with a group of players and left to figure it out on your own. This solution never worked well nor encouraged a long-term commitment to learning golf. With Golf Guide, there’s convenience and clarity for amateur players that are still new to golf and desire to learn discreetly. Seeing that golf clubs are the top expense for beginners, Golf Guide makes sure all beginners understand how to use golf clubs.
Innovation
One of the main problems new golfers have is knowing which clubs are used and when. The idea of Golf Guide is to assist beginner golfers by recommending clubs throughout their in-progress play; a portable caddie if you will. The Golf Guide uses a combination of an application and a device to work with the user. This duo ensures a more enjoyable beginner-player experience and decreases the chances of injuries using the wrong equipment. Golf is known to injure your back by the excessive force of the swings, so knowing how best to use the equipment will minimize this and enhance your overall golfing experience. Read more here.
At the start of a ride, the users begin by placing the posture sensor on the the back collar of their clothing. This will allow the sensor to detect changes in the user's posture if they lean forwards or backwards. The sensor will detect changes in posture using a vibrating structure gyroscope, which is a similar technology that smartphones use to detect when the phone is being rotated. This information can then be sent to the app via Bluetooth. The app's main function is to aid young riders by tracking their improvements over time and offering advice on how to ride more safely and effectively. The app will also provide users with reminders to make sure they are using the proper equipment and are checking the weather for proper riding conditions. The app will also come with important safety features such as an emergency SOS signal that will allow the users to alert their instructors if their horse ever wanders off the trail.
Innovation
The SaddlUp app and sensor kit is an innovative yet practical way to make horseback riding more accessible to young riders, helping riders to improve their posture and balance while riding. Horseback riding provides many benefits to children, helping them improve their mood, their balance, and their self-esteem all while bonding with an animal. The problem is that horseback riding requires good posture or else there is a risk of the rider damaging their spine. Existing products may help new riders learn how to sit on the horse, but only SaddlUp provides real-time feedback to help users improve their posture as they ride. Simply attach the sensor to the collar of a shirt using the magnetic clip and then connect the sensor to the app via Bluetooth. Hit 'Start Ride' on the app, and then start riding! The sensor will track the rider's posture and provide simple haptic feedback via vibrations to alert the user when they need to change their posture. The app will track the rider's posture throughout the ride and provide them with a full report at the end so users can track their progress over time. Read more here.
Congratulations to Barbara Young, Assistant Professor of Interior Design, who has been named as a Fulbright Specialist.
February, 2023
Purdue University Assistant Professor of Interior Design, Barbara Young, has been named a Fulbright Specialist by the Peer Review Panel for placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster. Barbara is a Fulbright Specialist for a tenure of three years.
The Fulbright Specialist program pairs highly qualified U.S. academics with host institutions abroad to share their expertise, strengthen institutional linkages, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures while building capacity at their overseas host institutions.
Specialists are competitively selected to join the Fulbright Specialist Roster based on their knowledge, skill sets, and ability to make a significant contribution to projects overseas. Those individuals that have been approved to join the Fulbright Specialist Roster are then eligible to be matched with approved projects designed by foreign host institutions from over 150 countries. Specialists partner with their host institution to conduct project activities in support of the host institution’s priorities and goals.
The Fulbright Specialist Program aims to provide a short-term, on-demand resource to international host institutions, giving them greater flexibility in how they participate with Fulbright.
Excerpt source: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/the-fulbright-specialist-program
February, 2023
Genell Ebbini, Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Purdue University has been approved as a Fulbright Specialist. Genell was recommended by the Peer Review Panel for placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster for a tenure of three years, starting on February 10, 2023 and ending on February 10, 2026.
The Fulbright Specialist program pairs highly qualified U.S. academics with host institutions abroad to share their expertise, strengthen institutional linkages, hone their skills, gain international experience, and learn about other cultures while building capacity at their overseas host institutions.
Specialists are competitively selected to join the Fulbright Specialist Roster based on their knowledge, skill sets, and ability to make a significant contribution to projects overseas. Those individuals that have been approved to join the Fulbright Specialist Roster are then eligible to be matched with approved projects designed by foreign host institutions from over 150 countries. Specialists partner with their host institution to conduct project activities in support of the host institution’s priorities and goals.
The Fulbright Specialist Program aims to provide a short-term, on-demand resource to international host institutions, giving them greater flexibility in how they participate with Fulbright.
Excerpt source: https://fulbrightspecialist.worldlearning.org/the-fulbright-specialist-program
September 6, 2022
Kentucky Educational development corporation's renaissance grant lectures
Heather Vickers, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer for Department of Art and Design in Art Education has been chosen to present four lectures for the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation’s RENAISSANCE Grant sponsored by the U.S Dept of Ed. Innovative Arts Education. The RENAISSANCE Grant focuses on reviving artistic and intellectual activities and enhancing the professional development of teachers throughout Kentucky’s Member School Districts. The first lecture in the series takes place Sept 21, 2022. Other lecturers will be presented in October, November, and December of 2022. The topics include Aesthetics, Criticism, and the History of Art.
September 1, 2022
Dehaan artist of distinction award
Congratulations to Jennifer Scheuer, Assistant Professor of printmaking in the Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, who is a recipient of the Arts Council of Indianapolis DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award. Jennifer's work features themes of history, plants, the body, and healing. This award will allow Jennifer to focus her creative practice in exploration of artist books.
The DeHaan Artist of Distinction Award program supports up to six contemporary visual artists annually with grants of up to $10,000 each for aspiration projects and an exhibition of their work at Gallery 924 at Indy Arts Council. (Cited from @artscouncilindy instagram). (read more)
February 24, 2022
IDA2021 International Design Awards
HyoSun Ko, VCD MFA, 2021, won the Silver Award in Mobile/Web Application Design at IDA2021 International Design Awards held by Farmani Group, Los Angeles, USA. Her graduate project, ”DODO_Do now, do together” was selected as one of the winners in Social Responsibility at C2A_Creative Communication Award 2021, and also won in Green Message from 51st Annual UCDA Design Awards 2021_Print and Digital Competition.
August 18, 2021
McMullen_Winkler Augmented reality artwork included in exhibition
XR Ensemble, curating body for Ars Electronica’s New York City Festival Garden invited Art & Design Professors Dr. Shannon McMullen and Fabian Winkler (https://gardensandmachines.com/) to participate with their AR (Augmented Reality) artwork urban fARming in this year’s inaugural large-scale Ars Electronica Festival Garden exhibition (for a full list of all the participating artists see: https://www.xrensemble.com/ar-sculpture-garden-artists). Visit the event online or in person: September 8-12, 2021 at Culture Lab LIC, 5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101 and https://www.xrensemble.com/.
July 30, 2021
Graduate student receives award for outstanding accomplishment
Studio Arts MFA and Spring 2021 graduate, Amanda Kendrick, received the College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Master's Creative Work Award, for her work titled, "Play Room." The award recognizes individuals whose work reflects distinguished scholarship and research at the master's level. Among the review criteria were substantive contributions to knowledge, methodological soundness, and innovation.
May 21, 2021
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RECOGNIZED FOR EXCEPTIONAL TEACHING
Art Education student and Spring 2021 graduate, Dana Johnson, received the IACTE Outstanding Future Educator Award for her exceptional work as a student teacher during this past spring semester. The award is one of the highest forms of recognition undergraduate students in education in Indiana can receive.
April 9, 2021
VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN IS THE #1 GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAM IN INDIANA
Animation Career Review's 2021 ranking of the top graphic design school programs in Indiana. For an explanation of the ranking criteria, click here.
April 10, 2021
ARCHIVE HOPES TO BRIDGE THE GAP IN NON-URBAN MIDWESTERN COMMUNITIES
Charmaine (Charlie) Renee Griffith, Art and Design 3rd year Graduate Student, will present her MQA project/research on April 10, at the 12th Annual Midwest Graduate Research Symposium. ABSTRACT: For queer people, community is vital for our survival. AIDS disrupted the passing of wisdom, knowledge, and joy to younger generations. In the Midwest, that disruption is furthered by metronormativity. The assertion that queer lives cannot thrive outside of larger cities contributes to a unique isolation in rural areas. To bridge this gap, A Midwestern Queer Archive (MQA) continues the work of many queer folk, to save bits of our stories that are almost forgotten and build an archive of possibilities for queer youth. My social art practice uses non-traditional methods to archive, including recording queer family dinners, community quilting, and compiling surveys about queer midwestern experience. MQA continues to network and collaborate with communities across the midwest to document midwestern queer culture.
January 15, 2021
Mission Meaning Making (M3) RESEARCH PROJECT TO CREATE MODEL FOR CHANGE AND ADDRESS BARRIERS.
Congratulations to Sherylyn Briller, professor of anthropology, TJ Kim, professor of industrial design, and their Purdue-based team for winning a $295,816 standard grant from the National Science Foundation, for a two year project.. Sherri and TJ are Co-PIs on the project, titled “Transforming Undergraduate Learning to Enhance Innovation for a Changing World.” The project aims to leverage Purdue’s strengths in the College of Liberal Arts, Polytechnic Institute, and Krannert School of Management to provide a pathway for all students to be innovative in their own way.
January 12, 2021
We are awarded the top-ranked Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the U.S
Department of Art and Design #17 - 2021 Best Design & Applied Arts Colleges in the U.S.
Visual Communication Design #7 - Top 20 Best Visual Communications Degree Programs in the nation.
Industrial Design #9 - Top 50 Best Value Bachelor’s in Industrial Design Degrees.
January 29, 2020
competitive scholarship, national-level IIDA, Interior Design
One of our interior design seniors received a competitive scholarship for the national-level IIDA IA Interior Architects Diversity in Design Scholarship http://www.iida.org/content.cfm/interior-architects-diversity-in-design-scholarship-recipients and a group of seniors were awarded for their work submitted to the IIDA Indiana Interior Design Student Competition (3rd place).
McMullen_Winkler exhibit at National Museum in Beijing (China)
October 27, 2019
Algorithmic Gardening, Dr. Shannon McMullen and Fabian Winkler, exhibit at National Museum in Beijing
Associate Professors Dr. Shannon McMullen (Art and Design and American Studies) and Fabian Winkler (Art and Design) exhibit their installation Algorithmic Gardening at the 5th International Art and Science Exhibition in the National Museum in Beijing, China from Nov. 2 -30, 2019. The installation combines plant/robot hybrids and artistic speculation on farm futures driven by AI algorithms and dexterous robots. A video of a previous installation of Algorithmic Gardening can be seen here: https://youtu.be/7YXNkIaDJOM
August 6, 2019
Laura Bittner, David Deal, and students collaborate for national symposium
An upcoming national symposium, “Purdue 2050: Conference of the Future” as part of Purdue University’s 150th anniversary on September 26-27, 2019, will give participants an immersive experience in futuristic technology—as if they were attending a conference in 2050. The Department of Art and Design collaborated on the event with Interior Design senior continuing lecturer Laura Bittner designing the conference room of the future at Honors Hall. Visual Communication Design continuing lecturer David Deal and two of his students,Yansi Wu and Lillian Mitchell, designed the logo, branding, and promotional materials for the symposium. An exhibition of work by Visual Communication Design, Purdue Polytechnic, and Computer Science students will be located in the Honors Hall.
Registration is required; the cost is $40 for Purdue students, $100 for Purdue faculty and staff, and $200 for others. Please register, no later than August 30th. Seating is limited. More information may be found on the flyer and at https://www.purdue.edu/dp/2050.
Senior named IIDA's Student of the Year
May 23, 2019
Sydney Gunty was just named IIDA’s Student of the Year!!!
IIDA (International Interior Design Association) selected her as top interior design student in the nation and we couldn’t be more excited. Gunty is a 2019 graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior design and minors in construction management and building information modeling.
Professor designs to disrupt status quo in neonatal care
April 23, 2019
Steve Visser: furniture to solve problem of functional fit
Born out of research and experience from the Saving Newborn Lives (SNL) program, a now 19-year old newborn health project at Save the Children, and with seed funding from the Save the Children Innovations Council as well as Purdue University’s I2D Lab, a team of experts in health, industrial engineering, and design led by Professors Yuehwern Yih and Steve Visser, is working to create a set of space-saving furniture with accompanying layout design to allow for greater family-centered care and meet the needs of patients, families, and healthcare workers at Ntcheu district hospital in Malawi. The set includes a stacked neonatal crib, lounge chair for mothers and babies to be in skin-to-skin contact together and a mobile nurse’s station.
Designer awarded silver in Graphis Poster Annual 2020
April 1, 2019
David Deal: Awards and Publication in Graphis Poster Annual 2020
Continuing Lecturer David Deal has been recognized with two silver awards and publication in the Graphis Poster Annual 2020, an international poster design competition sponsored by Graphis, a major publisher in the graphic design industry since 1944. David received the awards for the 2018 Spring Dance Works and the 2018 Winter Dance Works posters for Purdue Contemporary Dance Company. Also receiving recognition is Mark Simons, Senior Photographer with Purdue Marketing and Media, whose imagery is an important aspect of the designs.
Students Place 1st and 2nd in National Design Competition
March, 2019
Seniors design to enable others to live more independently
Interior Design seniors, Amanda Wegener and Cassandra Crawford were awarded 1st place and Laura Blythe and Laine Hertel were awarded 2nd place in IDEC’s 2018-2019 national student design competition. A total of 43 universities submitted 119 entries in the competition. The project objective was to design a vocational school for adults with autism spectrum disorder and like cognitive disabilities so that they may live more independent lives. Specific challenges included understanding how the built environment affects those with sensory processing issues, making the design universally accessible to an array of abilities while preserving dignity, and empowering all those who come to use and learn in this space.
Art, Engineering, and Science merge in “Return to Entry” Exhibition
March 11, 2019
Jennifer Scheuer prints shown in Ringel Gallery
Visiting lecturer Jennifer Scheuer is a featured artist in “Return to Entry,” an exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, in the Ringel Gallery, Purdue University. Scheuer, along with Frances Gallardo, and Michael Oatman were invited to work in response to Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong’s personal library and papers of other astronauts and engineers housed at Purdue University Library’ Archives and Special Collections. The exhibition will open March 25 and runs through May 11. More of Jennifer’s work can be found at www.jenniferscheuer.com.
January 8th, 2019
TJ Kim: Lean/Minimal Chair
TJ Kim has designed what he calls a “minimal chair” that can be shipped in a thin flat box, taking only seconds to assemble without tools, as part of an effort to create furniture design processes that could significantly change lean manufacturing across the world. Tong Kim, an associate professor of industrial design in Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, says his chair reduces waste and is easy to ship. A video demonstration of the chair is available here.
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
November 20th, 2018
Shannon McMullen, Fabian WINkler: Algorithmic Gardening
Dr. Shannon McMullen and Fabian Winkler’s suite of works, titled Algorithmic Gardening wins laurels at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (IDFA) in November 2018. Their installation, featured in the IDFA DocLab Spotlight program, combines Soybots, farm futures and soy-based culinary experiences on custom-made dinnerware.
Design Good Now 2018
November 2nd, 2018
Medical Design Hackathon Sponsored by Dawn or Doom 2018
Design Good Now is a medical design hackathon where Purdue University students from industrial design, biomedical engineering, marketing, and business backgrounds to work collaboratively over a weekend designing assistive/adaptive devices for people with disabilities and contributing to work from 40+ universities worldwide.
Indy Airport Unveils Artistic Journey Across Time, Place
July 16th, 2018
Petrônio Bendito: Global Citizen
The Indianapolis Airport Authority and the Arts Council of Indianapolis have selected John Puffer, Barbara Stahl, Petronio Bendito as featured artists to exhibit their recent work from July 16 through November 11, 2018. Purdue University art professor Petrônio Bendito combines visual experimentation in color and pattern with photographs taken from his worldwide travels, including his native country of Brazil, in an installation that reminds us that we live in a globalized society.