My Research
My research explores the intersection of visual communication design, space, and technology. I emphasize how advancements in these areas reshape our world, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and engage audiences to promote understanding and connection. My background in Interior Design has sharpened my ability to design thoughtful, functional 3D spaces, ensuring balance, proportion, and a strong sense of human-centered interaction. Graphic Design equips me to create visually appealing and clear communication that connects ideas with audiences effectively. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) extends my skills into crafting intuitive interfaces, seamlessly blending technology with user experience in both 2D and 3D spaces. Together, these disciplines enable me to design in ways that bridge spatial awareness, visual communication, and user-centered technology, creating impactful, interdisciplinary solutions.
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, students need to be equipped with a diverse set of skills that prepare them for industry work. As an educator, my goal is to empower students to collaborate across disciplines and gain the skills necessary to thrive in an interconnected, technology-driven world.
My Previous Research
VR learning platforms help students understand abstract concepts in an interactive way. My skills in interior design, graphic design, and human-computer interaction (HCI) allow me to create effective and engaging experiences for these platforms. Interior Design taught me to understand space, proportions, and how people interact with 3D environments. Graphic Design helps me create clear, visually appealing, and easy-to-read interfaces. Morover, HCI allows me to design user-friendly 3D interfaces that are simple to navigate and intuitive to use.
My research focuses on enhancing education by helping students develop a common visual language and 3D skills to bridge the gap between industry needs and curricula. My research is divided into three parts.
The first part analyzed design textbooks used by educators from graphic, interior design and architecture programs to assess if they share a common visual language and whether 3D skills are adequately addressed. Traditional graphic design education mainly prepares students to think in 2D, focusing on areas like printing, advertising, and branding. However, with the rise of technologies connecting design to physical spaces, designers must now integrate 3D skills to create immersive, “phygital” experiences. This shift highlights the need for 3D design in curricula and a shared interdisciplinary vocabulary to better prepare students for contemporary challenges.
The second part of my research compares educators’ and industry professionals’ perspectives to identify essential design skills, focusing on fundamental elements and principles. It explores how well students and entry-level graphic designers understand these foundations in both 2D and 3D, along with the influence of technology on design fundamentals. Ultimately, the goal is to align educational programs with industry demands.
Building on insights from parts one and two, my final part demonstrates how designers can utilize 2D and 3D skills to create a branded environment as an educational learning platform. By integrating virtual reality (VR), educators can teach students abstract concepts while fostering a shared visual language. VR enhances accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability by reducing material waste associated with traditional prototyping methods. It also immerses students in virtual spaces, allowing them to explore complex relationships, such as light and color, that are often difficult to comprehend through conventional methods. This research is currently being prepared for journal submission. I aim to take this work further by applying for grants to transform the prototype into an active platform for educating students. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) would enhance its capabilities through adaptive learning algorithms, personalized content, and real-time feedback.
In my future work, I am eager to explore the potential of virtual reality (VR) as an educational tool and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing immersive technologies through adaptive learning algorithms, personalized content, and real-time feedback. These innovations have the potential to transform the learning experience and equip designers for the industry’s evolving demands
Using Adobe Illustrator to design a branded environment for the learning platform, fully aligned with Iowa State University’s branded identity
Using Cinema 4D to create the 3D model
Using Unity, along with visual scripting and coding, to create and enhance the VR platform experience
My Current Research
As technology evolves, integrating emerging tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become essential in the design process. However, the rise of AI introduces several challenges, including risks of bias, copyright issues, and ethical concerns. AI systems can perpetuate biases through flawed or biased data, leading to unfair outcomes. Additionally, AI may unintentionally infringe on intellectual property rights, raising concerns about copyright theft. To navigate these challenges, designers must understand the limitations of AI, ensure the use of diverse and inclusive data sources, and comply with copyright laws.
I am currently collaborating with graphic design educators at the University of North Dakota to explore and develop better solutions to these challenges posed by emerging AI tools. Our focus is on equipping students with the skills to use AI responsibly as a tool while making them aware of its pros and cons. We aim to empower students not only to effectively apply AI in their design work but also to critically evaluate the output generated by AI and understand the influence of the input they provide to these systems.