NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS IN DESIGN Smithsonian Folklife Festival Exhibit Heads to State Fair
Iowa State faculty, staff and students return from Washington, D.C., this week after a highly successful run for the university’s “Transforming Communities: Design in Action” exhibit at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The festival was closed one day to assess and repair damage to tents and other structures caused by the intense “derecho” thunderstorm complex that hit the area June 29. Fortunately, our exhibit weathered the storm remarkably well, and will next appear at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines Aug. 9-19 and the Farm Progress Show near Boone Aug. 28-30. [View festival photos by Kanji Takeno] [View festival photos by industrial design Department Chair David Ringholz]
Student, Alumni Work Featured at Des Moines Arts Festival
College of Design student and alumni artists withstood soaring temperatures, blazing sun and soaking rain (in other words, a typical summer weekend in Iowa!) during the three-day Des Moines Arts Festival. Sales were strong for many, and our folks enjoyed interacting with visitors, who included Janet Leath, spouse of President Steven Leath, and Ana Gomez Fernandez, spouse of Dean Luis Rico-Gutierrez—shown here with Emerging Iowa Artist Elizabeth Mason (BFA 2010 Integrated Studio Arts). [Read Ames Tribune story] [Read Ames 247 story]
College Appoints Permanent, Interim Department Chairs
Following approval of the College of Design’s reorganization plan by the state Board of Regents in April and subsequent approval of a revised internal governance document by the college faculty in May, the College of Design now encompasses seven academic departments: architecture, community and regional planning, graphic design, industrial design, integrated studio arts, interior design and landscape architecture. Effective July 1, faculty members who served as interim directors of these programs for the past two years are continuing as department chairs—some with permanent appointments, some in interim positions until searches and selection processes can be completed.
Design Dean Co-Chairs Engineering Dean Search Committee
College of Design Dean Luis Rico-Gutierrez and David Holger, associate provost for academic programs and dean of the Graduate College, are co-chairs of the 20-member committee tasked with finding a successor to Engineering Dean Jonathan Wickert, who becomes senior vice president and provost on July 30.