Design

Assistant Professor of Design Akshita Sivakumar is one of fourteen faculty members from the College of Letters and Science who were selected in June to have their research supported by the college’s Regeneration Research Program — a program which came about as a way to sustain research as funding opportunities have become scarcer. Sivakumar is a designer, architect, and technoscience studies scholar whose work lies at the confluence of governance, social movements, technology, and the built environment.

The UC Davis Design Museum opens its 2026–27 season with Connecting Threads (together): Textile Works by Lynn Setterington which opens on Sept. 29 and runs through Nov. 20.  

Collaboration is at the heart of textile making and this idea is explored in a display of work by UK based artist Setterington. Through textiles the artist challenges contemporary issues in society and how stitch can be used to commemorate people and communities.

The results of the 16th annual Luminaire Design Competition are officially in, featuring a partnership with Maltani Lighting and the work of Professor Jae Yong Suk’s students. After three rounds of deliberation by the jury—comprising the Maltani design team, Neha Sivaprasad of Sol Light Studio, and Karen Park from UC Davis—the winners are Olivia McCutcheon, Mara Alagon, and Gian Ayson. Link to Article

The Maria Manetti Shrem Institute for Sustainable Design, Fashion and Textiles hosted its first speaker in the Industry Seminar Series: Federico Marchetti on Feb. 4.

FORBES magazine has honored UC Davis Design alumna Kausi Raman (B.S., design and economics, ‘20) by naming her one of their “30 under 30” in education for 2026.

FORBES magazine has honored UC Davis Design alumna Kausi Raman (B.S., design and economics, ‘20) by naming her one of their “30 under 30” in education for 2026.

In The Abusable Past’s latest installment of “What We’re Reading,” Associate Professor of Design and American Studies Javier Arbona-Homar has a conversation with Emily Mitchell-Eaton to discuss their recently released books.

Associate Professor of Design and American Studies Javier Arbona-Homar has recently co-authored an article with Julie Sze on “Waterfront/battlefront: Vallejo’s Black landscapes of resistance against police and environmental violence.” The chapter is published in

Associate Professor of Design and American Studies Javier Arbona-Homar has recently co-authored an article with Julie Sze on “Waterfront/battlefront: Vallejo’s Black landscapes of resistance against police and environmental violence.” The chapter is published in

In The Abusable Past’s latest installment of “What We’re Reading,” Associate Professor of Design and American Studies Javier Arbona-Homar has a conversation with Emily Mitchell-Eaton to discuss their recently released books.

On April 16, Associate Professor of Design and American Studies Javier Arbona-Homar discussed his new book Explosivity: Following What Remains (University of Minnesota Press, April 2025) at Shaping San Francisco. His presentation is now accessible online.

SEGD (the Society for Experimental Graphic Design) has honored Professor Timothy McNeil with the association’s Educator Award for his influential contributions as an educator, researcher, designer and advocate for exhibition and experience design.

Summer Abroad Internships “Fashion And Design Practice”

Florence, Italy (June 16 to July 24, 2026)

Tokyo, Japan (June 17 to August 16, 2026)

Fashion and Design Practice internships in two innovative and influential fashion capitals, Florence and Tokyo, during the summer of 2026. Gain hands-on experience in areas like fashion and accessory making, sustainable design, business branding, digital marketing, styling for fashion shows and/or other commercial events, and more. 

Associate Professor of Design and American Studies Javier Arbona-Homar has a new book, Explosivity: Following What Remains, which closely studies violent episodes — many of which are actual explosions — that occurred in the Bay Area from 1866 to 2011. Framed within landscape studies and urban geography, Arbona-Homar proposes a novel approach for how such episodes should be treated in the public’s memory.

Two members of the Department of Design were recently recognized for their teaching and research and honored with College of Letters and Science Awards.

Senior Continuing Lecturer Adele Zhang, Jo Ann C. Stabb Design Collection Curator and Manager, was honored with the L&S Teaching Award. Associate Professor of Design Jae Yong Suk, Faculty Co-Director, California Lighting Technology Center, received the Research Innovation Award.