Humanism and Social Responsibility within Design Education
Mediator: Robert Hower
UDA Vice President of Design Education
Professor of Art and Art History
The University of Texas at Arlington
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021, at 8:00 am CST
Presentation in English
In some countries, the pandemic hit simultaneously with political challenges and philosophical conflict. At this point, we have learned much about life, human nature, and the will to survive.
As we review organizations worldwide’ mantra and ethics standards, it has become apparent that our profession will need to focus on developing new ways to communicate that will aid in eliminating fear or anxiety. As designers, we need to be aware of propaganda that focuses on our differences to create confrontation instead of finding our common ground to enhance neighborhood, city, country, and world society.
Today, our three presenters will provide experiences, thoughts, and possible solutions to help us address “Humanism and Social Responsibility within Design Education.”
Webinar Contents
Introduction
Robert Hower
UDA Vice President of Design Education
Professor of Art and Art History
The University of Texas at Arlington
USA
Presentations
Rethinking diversity and inclusion in teaching curriculum, pedagogy, and climate
Design is by essence humanistic because it has a vision of human welfare at the center. To work toward that vision is to first understand that it looks different to different groups of people. How do we find the quietest voices, listen to them, find the opportunities within them, and design better for them? We need to start in the classroom. In this talk, I will be discussing strategies for rethinking diversity and inclusion through teaching curriculum, pedagogy, and climate.
Linh Dao
Assistant Professor
Art & Design Department
California Polytechnic State University
USA
Change One Thing
“If we were to use design to change something in our city, just one thing, what could the city become? Could it become a stronger community? Could it strengthen the creative spirit, or be used to enhance the vibrancy of the city?” These are the primary questions posed to the seniors in our design and a visual communication capstone course. With these questions serving as the core prompt, teams investigate (using an empathetic lens) the past and the present of place, examine what might be next, and, in turn, develop thoughtful forward-looking design solutions. This portion of the talk will focus on how the design process can be used to shape human-centered solutions.
Robert Grame
Professor of Design
Associate Dean of School of Art
The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
USA
Get Out the Vote: Empowering the Women’s Vote
2020 marked the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting women in the United States the right to vote in 1920. Not until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 were voting rights of ALL women protected and enforced, and intimidation tactics progressively eliminated. This case study will share the historic initiative, which catalyzed 71 women of design in joining forces towards the important civic goal of instigating voter participation.
Kelly Salchow MacArthur
President of United Designs Alliance
President Emerita of AIGA Detroit
Professor of Graphic Design
Michigan State University
USA
Discussion with all attendees
Final Remark by Mediator
About Presenters
Linh Dao
Linh Dao is an Assistant Professor of Graphic and Interaction Design at California Polytechnic State University. Her creative and scholarly research practice recognizes identity discourses as pivotal in theorizing the development and implementation of creative and emerging technology. Her areas of focus include emigration, immigration, and migration, social and economic inequality, minority representation, and accessibility.
Robert Grame
Robert Grame is an educator and designer living and working in Milwaukee. His creative practice balances industry-related activities with experimentation.
Robert has worked on an array of national design projects for a diverse range of clients. Some of these include the Keweenaw Land Trust, National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA), Jentel Artist Residency Program, U.S. National Parks Service, Finlandia University Gallery /Finnish American Heritage Center, Dan Cavanagh’s Jazz Emporium Big Band, and the Prairie Gateway Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
In addition, Robert has shown his work in a number of national and international exhibitions. These include exhibitions at The Smithsonian Institute – Arts & Industries Building; Liechtenstein National Museum, Principality of Liechtenstein; Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, Shenyang, China; Sangmyung University, Anseodung, Chonan City, Chungnam Province, Korea; and the Beecher Center for technology in the Arts – The Butler American Institute of Art.
Robert received a Master of Fine Arts from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, and is currently an Associate Professor of Design and Visual Communication and serves as the Associate Dean of the Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Kelly Salchow MacArthur
Kelly Salchow MacArthur is a Professor of Graphic Design at Michigan State University. She received her MFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design, and BS in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Before joining the faculty at MSU, she was Program Head of Graphic Design and Assistant Professor at Kansas City Art Institute. Her creative research focuses on ecological and social issues, expressed through dimensional forms. Such work has been disseminated through publications, presentations, and exhibitions, and recognized by Graphis, Print, Creative Quarterly, International Institute for Information Design, Emirates International Poster Festival, Type Directors Club, Society of Typographic Arts, and American Alliance of Museums. She is President of United Designs Alliance, UCDA’s Design Educator’s Advisory Committee, and a former member of CAA’s Committee on Intellectual Property. She served as President of the Detroit Chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design, 2009–2011—which followed five years of service as Education Director for the Detroit and Kansas City Chapters. A retired two-time Olympian, she balances her passion for design and education with miles of rowing on the Huron River.
In keeping with the UDA mission of celebrating global awareness and providing both educational and professional opportunities in communication design, UDA offers webinars. These events are one of many activities as we continue to develop our design awareness in society and culture.
