2024 SEGD Exhibition + Experience Design

Event Details

Transformational Impact of Exhibition and Experience Design

This biannual 2024 SEGD event in Washington DC, themed "Transformational Impact of Exhibition and Experience Design," is set to explore the pivotal role of design in addressing today's complex global challenges. Focusing on issues like climate crisis, societal polarization, and technological ethics, it positions exhibition designers as change agents. The event offers a mix of keynote speeches, case studies, interactive workshops, and networking, aiming to foster conversations on controversial topics, engage diverse audiences, and showcase design's transformative power. Attendees can expect immersive experiences, behind-the-scenes insights, and opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.

The two-day event will begin on Thursday, June 20, with an inspiring day at the innovative venue, Planet Word, featuring a series of keynote speeches and case studies delivered by eminent leaders from the design community. These sessions have been carefully crafted to demonstrate the significant role of exhibition and experience designers as agents of societal change.

On Friday, June 21, participants will have the unique opportunity to dive deeper into these themes through a series of interactive workshops designed to stimulate rapid ideation, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving.

Key takeaways:

Advance critical thinking, rapid ideation, and creativity through interactive workshops.
Learn to take action and be inspired by case studies and examples that tackle today's complex global challenges.
Understand the pivotal role design plays to turn a project vision into a built reality.
Contribute to a future book and associated projects that will document the transformational power of exhibition and experience design.

Please Note: SEGD does not have an official room block rate for this event, but we recommend Eaton DC or Moxy, both conveniently located near Planet Word. It is DC so you may already have your favorite place to stay or there are several other hotel options in the area as well!

Agenda

June 20, 2024
June 21, 2024

June 20, 2024

Main Schedule

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration + Networking Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Introduction and Welcome

Timothy McNeil (Professor of Design at University of California Davis)

9:15 AM - 9:30 AM

Transformative Power of Exhibition Design

Tricia Austin (PhD Supervisor at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London)

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Transdisciplinary and Pluriversality in Design

Lesley-Ann Noel, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University

Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel (Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University)

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Q&A

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

Networking Break

10:45 AM - 11:15 AM

Building Stories

Traci Sym and Kathy Frankel

11:15 AM - 11:45 AM

Museography as a Catalyst for Social Change

Ricardo Rubiales

11:45 AM - 12:00 PM

Q&A + Morning Wrap-Up

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Amplifying Activism in Design

Waqas Jawaid, Partner, Isometric Studio
Andy Chen, Partner, Isometric Studio

Waqas Jawaid (Partner at Isometric Studio)

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Communicating Contested Histories Through Graphics

Jona Piel

2:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Social Polarization and Climate Change

3:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Q&A

Elaine Gurian

3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Networking Break

3:45 PM - 4:05 PM

Recall & Response

Coleman Jordan and students from Morgan State University

Coleman Jordan (Assistant Professor at Morgan State University)

4:05 PM - 4:45 PM

Change Management Through Design

Wendy Manning, Tony Bynum, Tricia Austin

4:45 PM - 5:00 PM

Day 1 Closing

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Opening Night Party

Speakers

Tricia Austin

PhD Supervisor at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London

Timothy McNeil

Professor of Design at University of California Davis

Cybelle Jones

CEO of SEGD

Andy Chen

Partner at Isometric Studio

Waqas Jawaid

Partner at Isometric Studio

Coleman Jordan

Assistant Professor at Morgan State University

Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel

Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University

Ricardo Rubiales

Museum Designer and Researcher

Traci Sym

Founding Principal at plus & greater than

Tricia Austin is an author, design researcher and PhD Supervisor at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London where she founded MA Narrative Environments in 2003 and ran till 2021. She has lectured in Europe, China, Japan and Latin America and directed a number of collaborative projects with universities, businesses and governmental organizations across the world. She was the UK lead on EU-PA, a European project to develop culture-led city regeneration methodologies, involving multiple stakeholders and producing exemplar case studies.

Tricia co-developed and co-convened the international conferences ‘Chaos at the Museum: the participatory turn in exhibition design’, London 2014; ‘Chaos at the Museum: infiltrating the urban fabric’, Buenos Aires 2016; and ‘Transdisciplinary design of narrative environments for a better world’, Hangzhou 2022.

Her most recent book is "Narrative Environments and Experience Design, Space as a Medium of Communication," which was published by Routledge New York in 2020. She is currently on the editorial board for the new Routledge book series "Museum Making."

Timothy McNeil is a Professor of Design at the University of California Davis and Director/Chief Curator of the UC Davis Design Museum. He has spent 30 years as a practicing exhibition designer working for major museums, researching exhibition design history and methods, and teaching the next generations of exhibition design thinkers and practitioners.

His recent publication “The Exhibition and Experience Design Handbook” pulls from his extensive experience as an educator, designer, and contributor to building three major museums: the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center and Getty Villa, and the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art.

He has been recognized for design excellence by the Society for Experiential Graphic Design, the University and College Designers Association, the American Alliance of Museums, and the International Museum Design and Communication Association. Tim is a frequent speaker and writer on museum and design issues. His award-winning design work is archived at the Getty Research Institute and has been featured in multiple publications.

Infusing over two decades of design excellence into her role as CEO of SEGD, Cybelle Jones is not just a leader but a passionate advocate for the transformative power of experience design. Firmly grounded in the conviction that design has the capability to engender positive change, Cybelle drives her multidisciplinary community to create experiences that intimately connect people with places.

As the helm of SEGD, a non-profit member organization, Cybelle champions education, innovation, and design excellence. She works tirelessly to inspire the design of more equitable, sustainable, and user-centric environments, reflecting her belief in the pivotal role design plays in shaping our world.

Before taking the reins at SEGD, Cybelle etched a notable career as Principal of G&A. Her 25+ year tenure saw her lead several acclaimed design projects, including the National WWII Museum, the International Spy Museum, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum. These high-profile undertakings not only attest to her design prowess but also her ability to infuse creativity with strategic insights.

Cybelle’s influence extends beyond SEGD. As a thought leader, she has addressed audiences at prestigious forums like AAM, the V&A, FIT, AIGA, and MuseumNext. Her active involvement on various boards sees her push the boundaries of experience design, contributing to the evolution of the profession.

Driven by passion, guided by experience, and committed to innovation, Cybelle Jones is a beacon in the realm of design, illuminating the path to a more user-centric, equitable, and sustainable future.

Andy studied sociology at Princeton University, where he was awarded the Pyne Honor Prize, the university’s highest general undergraduate distinction. He then studied graphic design at RISD, where he received his MFA as a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow. Andy started his career at Pentagram, where he worked on the rebranding of Bausch + Lomb with partner Paula Scher. As a Fulbright Scholar at the Royal College of Art, Andy conducted ethnographic research on aging, sexuality, and social stigma. He is a contributor to Design Observer, Design Taxi, and Open Manifesto.

Andy has spoken at international conferences including the London Design Festival, Design Indaba, RGD DesignThinkers, and Kyoorius Designyatra. He has served on the faculty of the Maryland Institute College of Art and the School of Visual Arts.

Waqas received his undergraduate degree with highest honors from Princeton University and a Masters in Architecture with distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. At Princeton, he was awarded the Frederick White Prize for his thesis on architectural apartheid in the Paris banlieus. Waqas previously worked at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, SANAA, Harvard Art Museums, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. He is a founding organizer of Climate Collective, a NYC-based organization that sparks civic discourse about climate change through design and storytelling.

Waqas has lectured at venues including Harvard University, the Center for Architecture, and Princeton University Art Museum. He has served on the faculty of the Maryland Institute College of Art and the School of Visual Arts.

coleman a. jordan [ebo] is an assistant professor at Morgan State University's School of Architecture & Urban Planning in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the principal of studio caj.e and also serves on the boards of the US Africa Collaborative in Washington D.C., and We Want Green Too in Detroit, Michigan. Jordan specializes in researching the spaces of the Black Atlantic, and Pan-African influences on design. In 2004, he curated the landmark exhibit, "HARLEM SPEAK: street signs and soapboxes," at the Studio Museum in Harlem. In 2021, he curated "We the 7" at the Venice Architecture Biennial and will exhibit "ReCall and Response" at the 2024 Venice Art Biennial, in Venice, Italy. Jordan's designs are inspired by Bebop, the political raps of Public Enemy, and George Clinton's P-Funk sounds. He blends these contexts within his designs with the historio-graphics of the Black Atlantic. Jordan hails from Cleveland, Ohio, where DJ Cochise was celebrated during his era of Hip Hop, while Bone Thugs-n-Harmony expanded their lyrics from the region, and Kid Cudi continues to represent the city's talent today.

Lesley-Ann Noel is a designer, researcher, and educator, the author of Design Social Change, and a co-editor of The Black Experience in Design. She has a bachelor’s in Industrial Design from Universidade Federal do Paraná in Brazil, a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, and a PhD in Design from North Carolina State University. She was awarded honorary doctorates for service to the field of design by the University of the Arts London and the Pacific Northwest College of Art. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Media Arts, Design, and Technology at North Carolina State University. She will join Ontario College of Art and Design as the Dean of Design in July 2024.

Over the years, Ricardo Rubiales has worked as the head of the educational areas at museums like the National Museum of Art MUNAL, the Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts and Papalote Cuernavaca. Additionally, he was a key contributor to the development of eight new museums in Latin America, including Materia the Science Museum, The Museum of the City of Panama, the University Museum of Contemporary Art MUAC among others. He has been an advisor to MuCI, the first science museum in Paraguay. He is currently leading the Light Museum, an initiative of the
National Autonomous University of Mexico UNAM in Mérida, Yucatán. An award-winning museum designer and researcher, is a member of diverse academic committees. Teacher and lecturer, he has designed national conferences, educational research seminars, and updating workshops for museum professionals at a national and international level.

Traci Sym President of the 2024 SEGD Board and has served on the board since 2019.

Traci Sym is a founding principal at +&>. An award-winning experience designer and Creative Director, she began her academic and professional career in the performing arts, where her theater experience shaped the foundation of her design practice. Traci’s approach centers on exploring the emotion and intent of design- examining the perspectives, experiences, arcs, and interactions of audiences to enable designed environments and systems that feel both familiar, yet provocative.

Prior to founding +&>, she lead the experience design and media practice at Skylab Architecture and served as the Experience Design Director at Second Story Interactive Studios. She has directed the development of significant permanent exhibitions at major institutions in North America including the Natural History Museum at LA County and the Denver Botanic Garden. She has designed large-scale interactive projects for various global brands and institutions and spent more than five years designing exhibitions and installations at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.

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