BA Art/Design Studies, San Jose State University 2017 Minor: Mexican American Studies
Adriana Arriaga’s current research focuses on designing for vulnerable communities using interactive design. Her goal is to connect with different people to start a dialogue on social issues that affect marginalized communities. Arriaga refers to herself as a social impact designer; to her this means she designs by integrating the consideration of race, class, gender and other marginalized groups. In her previous experience, Arriaga has applied her design and artistic skills to help bring awareness to social issues in communities.
Towson University, B.F.A. Digital Art and Design, 2017
Alexa Ann Bonomo studied Digital Arts and Film at Towson University and moved to the Bay Area in 2017. While continuing her practice at Kala Art Institute, she joined a cohort of artists at Gray Area Foundation for the Arts to work in the medium of code and algorithmic design and had shown at various places in the Bay Area including Kala Art Institute, The Grand Theater, and the Exploratorium. Currently, she is working towards an MFA in Design, at the University of California, Davis to research data visualization and the use of data in the rise of empathetic media.
Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, BA Digital Media Arts 2018
First Wenjie prefers being called Austin:) He studied at Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunication, majoring digital media, from 2014 to 2018. His current research areas are UI/UX and front-end development, especially Web design and App Design. Austin enjoys life and believes that design comes from life and serves life, so he hopes to draw inspiration from life. He also wants to try different forms of interaction design and collaborate with different people in UC Davis.
California State University, Long Beach, BFA Interior Design, 2015
Tracy is a designer who is interested in re-imagining exhibitions to encourage a greater connection with nature. She is focusing on addressing environmental and ecological issues through education to implement necessary changes and increase interest. By exploring the possibilities of exhibitions, she hopes to lessen the gap between urban living and the natural world to encourage more sustainable living practices, greater care and sense of urgency for pressing environmental concerns.
Tara Halsted is interested in swimwear and clothing designed for swimmers’ bodies. Tara has been swimming since the age of five, and loves to incorporate her passion for the sport into her artistic and academic work. As an undergraduate, she majored in Art Practice at Stanford University, and now she hopes to use skills developed through her art practice in her designs. Tara enjoys many methods of creating, including drawing, painting, photography, ceramics, crocheting, sewing, and cooking.
UC Irvine, BA Film Studies, 1989Lesley University, MS Environmental Education, 1997
Harold Linde designs and curates Immersive Tea Experiences (I.T.E.) to inspire greater presence, connection and awe for diverse participants.
He has created and facilitated immersive tea experiences at TEDxUCLA, TEDxVeniceBeach, BlueMind Malibu, Summit LA17 and Summit LA18. He completed construction on the dedicated tea space TEA STUDIO #202 on the UC Davis campus in January 2019.
B.S. in Architecture, Shiraz Azad University of Art and Architecture
Persia started her education at Shiraz Azad University of Art and Architecture where she received her B.S. in Architecture. She has always had a strong passion for arts, music and design. She continues to explore different painting techniques and combines them with cultural elements through her work. She started working as an architect on multiple residential projects upon graduation in Iran, and her journey brought her to the United States to continue her education, where she found her desired major at UC Davis.
Syracuse University, BA Religious Studies, 2004College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture Program (The Krenov School) 2011
The last 8 years I have been designing and making furniture. I studied at the renowned Krenov School (formerly, the College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture program) for two years and moved to Santa Cruz to start working professionally and independently. It was great fun and I was able to explore my creativity and make a lot of fantastic pieces. That said, I felt like my impact was negligible on communities greater than the few consumers of my goods. Inspired to make a bigger impact with my skills and passions, I have come to UC Davis looking to expand on my background
University of Lapland, B.A. Interior and Textile Design, 2017
Jenna’s professional practice combines traditional methods with new technologies, aiming to develop innovative designs that are purposeful, visually intriguing and sustainable. Her MFA research focuses on ornamental design, its different traditions, principles and the background of ornamental design practice.
San Francisco State University, BS Apparel Design and Merchandising, 2018
Aurie is dedicated to sustainable fashion design, both in study and in practice. She is concerned about the environmental impacts, socioeconomic exploitation and structural corruption caused by fast-fashion production. She started sewing in kindergarten and has been inspired by historical costume and cultural influences from around the world all her life.
BA Design, University of California, Davis, 2011MFA Design, University of California, Davis, 2019
Adam Taylor’s research catalogs the history of design for American politics and places it into conversation with the design of countercultures and political protest, aiming to further understand the interwoven nature of politics and design practices. Taylor’s current exhibition and graphic design professional work continues his previous projects with arts organizations, cities, museums, non-profits, and universities.
BA Design, University of California, Davis 2016 Minor: Textiles and ClothingMFA Textiles and Fashion Design, University of California, Davis 2019
Dee Dee Yang’s research explores the material culture of Hmong batik and its significance to the cultural identity of Hmong women. Her passion for Hmong textiles stems from her desire to understand her own Hmong-American identities, which has continued to inspire her work in textile craft and apparel design.
Iris received her B.E. in Landscape Architecture in Beijing Forestry University. Now she is studying here to explore the field of UI/UX design and wearable product design. She is also continuing her study in coding here. She is eager to explore how modern technology can be utilized by designers to improve the human-being’s life quality in the dense and crowded modern cities.(like cities in China) She loves music, painting and gardening. She always has a great passion to design, art and life.
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