Fall 2021 Guest Lecture with Helen Armstrong / Author of Big Data. Big Design.

Join us October 1, 2021, for a special lecture by Helen Armstrong
5:00-6:00 pm // Zoom (link is forthcoming)
Time and location are subject to change as we navigate COVID limitations.

Helen Armstrong is an associate professor of graphic design at North Carolina State University. She has an MA in English Literature from The University of Mississippi, an MA in Publication Design from the University of Baltimore and an MFA in Graphic Design from The Maryland Institute College of Art. Her work has been recognized by Print and HOW Magazine, and included in numerous publications in the U.S. and the UK.

At NC State she is a founding member of the Immersive Experience Lab. She was named a University Faculty Scholar in 2018.  From 2013–2015 she served as co-chair of the AIGA Design Educators Community Steering Committee, striving to build up AIGA communities of students and educators. Currently, she serves on the National Board of Directors of AIGA.

Armstrong authored Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field (Princeton Architectural Press, 2009) and co-authored Participate: Designing with User-Generated Content (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011) with Zvezdana Stojmirovic. Her new book Digital Design Theory: Readings from the Field explores works by both designers and programmers, examining the two threads of discourse—design and computation—that have rapidly merged to define contemporary graphic design.

Currently, Armstrong is combining her knowledge of participatory practice with computational thinking to explore the potential of intelligent interfaces (i.e. machine learning) to address the needs of individuals with disabilities. Her new book, Big Data. Big Design. Why Designers Should Care About Machine Learning releases October 19, 2021, and we are excited to host her for the launch of this new work! You can pre-order your copy at Amazon now.

Ms. Armstrong is our kick-off speaker for Aligned, 40+ years of Graphic Design at BGSU, which runs October 1 – November 7, 2021, in the Willard Wankelman Gallery in the Fine Arts Center. Although not a BGSU alum, we are excited to share her timely perspective about Design + AI with our BGSU community.