UCDA 2026 Design Education Summit: Horizon

Expanding boundaries, exploring new possibilities.

The horizon represents both a limit and a possibility—a boundary that invites us to imagine what lies beyond. “Horizon” serves as a metaphor for exploring the future of design education, envisioning the possibilities that await us, and preparing for tomorrow’s challenges.

In design research and pedagogy, looking toward the horizon means embracing a forward-thinking approach. It encourages us to investigate emerging trends, speculate on the future of technology and society, and equip the next generation of designers with the tools and mindsets to navigate an ever-evolving world. Whether it’s addressing the implications of artificial intelligence, envisioning sustainable futures, or fostering global collaboration, the horizon reminds us to stay curious and proactive.

Las Vegas, with its reputation as a city of innovation and reinvention, provides a fitting backdrop for this exploration. Hosting the UCDA Design Education Summit at UNLV offers participants the chance to engage in forward-looking discussions and activities that challenge conventional ideas and expand the boundaries of design education. Through thought-provoking presentations, hands-on workshops, and inspiring dialogues, we aim to ignite conversations that shape the trajectory of our discipline.

Join us in Las Vegas as we gaze toward the horizon, discovering new perspectives and opportunities to redefine design education and research for the future.

Event Registration

*If you are a student but not a UCDA member, we recommend that you join UCDA at the Student Rate of $25 before registering for the event to receive the best rate and the benefits of a 12-month UCDA membership. 

NOT A UCDA MEMBER? JOIN NOW FOR DISCOUNTED REGISTRATION!

Registration Cancellations
See UCDA Cancellation Policies

Event Location

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is a doctoral degree-granting institution with more than 30,000 students and nearly 4,000 faculty and staff, and has earned the nation’s highest recognition for both research and community engagement from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. UNLV offers a broad range of respected academic programs and is committed to recruiting and retaining top students and faculty, educating the region’s diverse population and workforce, driving economic activity, and delivering high-quality healthcare to Southern Nevadans. 

Located in the heart of Las Vegas, UNLV’s campus is blocks away from the neon lights of the Vegas strip and a short drive from the breathtaking scenic views of Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead, and the Hoover Dam. 

Learn more at unlv.edu.

Travel & Lodging

Lodging

Hyatt Place Las Vegas is ideally located near the UNLV campus, the Thomas & Mack Center, and the Las Vegas Strip. Enjoy a wide array of activities and attractions, including the High Roller observation wheel and Downtown Container Park shopping mall, on the doorstep.

Conveniently located just minutes from Harry Reid International Airport, arrivals and departures are quick and easy for your Vegas stay. (Please note: The hotel does not offer airport shuttle service.)

Your stay includes:

• Complimentary Breakfast served buffet-style: Mon.-Fri., 6:30–9 a.m.;  Sat.-Sun., 7–10:00 a.m.  
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Access to pool and fitness center 
• $20 Daily Parking

Book with our UCDA discounted hotel rate! $126/night, May 18-21
Rooms are also available for Sun., May 17, and Fri., May 22, at a rate of $189/night.

Standard rates apply outside of these dates. To receive the discount and ensure a room, your reservations must be received by the hotel before Friday, Apr. 17, 2026, and booked directly with the Hyatt Place Las Vegas using the booking link below. 

UCDA Hyatt Place Las Vegas booking portal

Your hotel stay is not included in the conference registration fee. Attendees are responsible for making their own reservations.

Insider tip: Book your room and flight early!

Room blocks may fill before the hotel deadline and have sold out in recent years, so please make your reservation immediately to ensure availability and the discounted rate.

Air Travel

The nearest airport to UNLV is Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), located just 2 miles from campus. The airport offers extensive domestic and international flights, making it a convenient option for travelers. From the airport, UNLV is accessible by taxi, rideshare, shuttle, or a short drive.

By Car

UNLV is easily accessible by car via major highways, including Interstate 15 and Interstate 215. The university is located near the Las Vegas Strip, with clear signage leading to campus. 

ABSTRACTS - CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The Call for Abstracts is NOW CLOSED

There are five (5) formats: Presentation, Panel, Poster, Workshop, and Graduate Student Presentations

Call for Abstracts Information & Specifications

Call for Abstracts Entry Form

The call for proposals will open on Dec. 19, 2025, and close on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 (Extended to  Friday, Feb. 20, 2026). Presenters will be notified in March 2026. The event schedule and featured speakers will be announced in late April 2026. 

Student Poster Competitions Call for Entries - NOW OPEN!

EVENT SCHEDULE (Tentative)

Preliminary Schedule. Subject to change. Attendees will receive a final schedule via Event Micro-Website and Event Program. 

TUESDAY, MAY 19

8:00 a.m.
Onsite Registration
UNLV Student Union

8:00-9:00 a.m.
Coffee and Morning Snacks
UNLV Ballroom

9:15-9:45 a.m.
Summit Kick-Off
UNLV Ballroom

9:45-10:45 a.m. 
Keynote: Sheharazad Fleming, Executive Creative Director/California Dreamer
UNLV Ballroom

11:15-11:45 a.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 1
UNLV Student Union

[1.1] Non-Western Graphic Design
Ron Alabanza, Bridgewater College
Tess Dean, Bridgewater College
Amir Suboh, Bridgewater College
Kiya Whitaker, Bridgewater College

[1.2] Primarium: A Collaborative Research Platform for Handwriting, Typography, and Educational Practice
José Scaglione, TypeTogether

[1.3] A Pilot Study: Look into LLM-augmented User Research in UX Design Education
Nan Hu, Central Connecticut State University

12:00-1:45 p.m.
Lunch Roundtables
UNLV Ballroom

2:00-2:30 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 2
UNLV Student Union

[2.1] Designing Place-Based Environmental Stories with AR
Riva Nayaju, Auburn University
Courtney Windham, Auburn University

[2.2] The Process is the Project: Teaching A Participatory Approach
Rachel Herring, Rochester Institute of Technology

[2.3] Neurodiversity By Design: Incorporating Accessible Practices in to Design Education
Ana Farnham, George Mason University

[2.4] Preparing Designers for a Successful Career in a World with AI
Aaron Neeley, Truman State University

2:45-3:45 p.m.
Panel and Workshops - Group 3
UNLV Student Union

[3.1] PANEL: Designing for Care: Teaching Health with Responsibility
Bree McMahon, University of Arkansas
Dr. Rachael Paine, Virginia Tech
Yvette Shen, The Ohio State University
Kimberly Mitchell, University of Tennessee Knoxville

[3.2] WORKSHOP: From Empathize to Examine: INTEGRATING IDENTITY AND BIAS INTO DESIGN THINKING PEDAGOGY
Andrea Hempstead, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

[3.3] WORKSHOP: High-Tech & Low-Tech Symbols
Jenny Kowalski, Lehigh University

4:00-4:30 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 4
UNLV Student Union

[4.1] Toward the Horizon: Design as Mediative Intelligence Between Complexity and Coherence
Jinsook  Kim, Georgian Court University

[4.2] Mickey’s Ten Commandments: Leveraging Disney Imagineering Thinking in the Classroom
Dave Gottwald, University of Idaho

[4.3] Serious Play: Teaching Strategy Through Game Design
Abby Guido, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University

[4.4] Slow Concepting Meets Rapid Prototyping: A Framework for Speculative Ideation
Isabel Bo-Linn, Portland State University

4:45-5:15 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 5
UNLV Student Union

[5.1] Augmented Reality as a Tool for Community-Driven Historical Storytelling: Expanding the Horizon of Design Education
Marjan Khatibi, San Jose State University
Samira Shiridevich, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

[5.2] Four Dimensions of Trace: A Methodology of Process and Time
Tracey Ullom, Portland Community College and Portland State University

[5.3] Making Beyond the Prompt: AI and Student-Authored Design
Brandon Olsen, Iowa State University

[5.4] Design Education at the Intersection of Campus and Community: How Investing In Community-Centered Student Work Creates Lasting Town-Gown Returns
Matthew Leech, James Madison University
Amanda Leech, President and CEO - United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley

5:30-7:30 p.m.
Poster Presentations and Opening Reception
UNLV Student Union

[P.1] Beyond the Horizon: Augmented Reality as a Bridge Between Legacy and the Future of Design Education
Samira Shiridevich, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

[P.2] Designing Tactile Communication
Jenny Kowalski, Lehigh University

[P.3] Interpretive Wandering: Disciplinary Drift in Emergent Design
Allen Sayegh, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Ben Kazer, Harvard Graduate School of Design
Eric Rannestad, Harvard Graduate School of Design

[P.4] Redesigning Contested Symbols: Historical Awareness in Visual Communication Education
Do Gyun Kim, Purdue University

[P.5] Command+g Design Lab: A Student-Led Design Studio Expanding the Boundaries of Design Education
Keli DiRisio, Rochester Institute of Technology

[P.6] Convenience and Criticality in Design Education: A.I.
Gaby Hernández, University of Arkansas

[P.7] Applying Graphic Design and Landscape Architecture Methodologies to Visualize Water Usage and Flow
Eugene Park, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

[P.8] Scanning the Horizon: Observations from visiting design programs
Lorrie Frear, Rochester Institute of Technology

[P.9] Designing Beyond the Degree: A Life-Integrated Framework for Design Education
Christina Carrasquilla, Arizona State University

[P.10] What’s Next on the Horizon?!
Carol Fillip, Rochester Institute of Technology

[P.11] Persona.exe: Analyzing Decision‑Making Through Interactive Story Pathways
Hang Yuan, University of Southern Indiana

[P.12] Typography for Sustainability: The Daily Drop Cap Project as a Tool for SDG Engagement
Samira Shiridevich, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20

8:00 a.m.
Onsite Registration
UNLV Student Union

8:00-9:00 a.m.
Coffee and Morning Snacks
UNLV Ballroom

9:00-9:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks
UNLV Ballroom

9:15-10:00 a.m.
Keynote: Debra Satterfield, Design Researcher/Educator
UNLV Ballroom

10:15-10:45 a.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 6
UNLV Student Union

[6.1] Tactile Horizons: 3D Printing in Graphic Design Education
Hairi Han, Benedictine University

[6.2] A Global Approach to Typography: Introducing Multilingual Scripts in Beginning Design Courses
Anna Jordan, Rochester Institute of Technology
Aisha AlNoun, Rochester Institute of Technology
Unika Dhakhwa, Rochester Institute of Technology
Jatin Joshi, Rochester Institute of Technology

[6.3] Welcome to the DISCO: Spaceships as a Gateway to Inclusive Design
Lynn Priestley, University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Jessica FitzPatrick, University of Pittsburgh

[6.4] Reimagining Design Critique as an Inclusive Learning Practice
Sang Eun Lee, Drake University

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Workshops  - Group 7
UNLV Student Union

[7.1] STUDENT WORKSHOP: Resume Writing
benjie wilhem, Arizona State University

[7.2] WORKSHOP: Who Owns the Algorithm
Kevin Ward, The Ohio State University
Saša Crkvenjaš, WPP Media

[7.3] WORKSHOP: SOUND IN FORM ::: INQUIRY · INTUITION · PURPOSEFUL PLAY
Mario F. Bocanegra Martinez, Auburn University
Riva Nayaju, Auburn University

[7.4] WORKSHOP: Let’s Play (-Doh!): A Model for Analog Practice in Design Education
Ariel Romero, University of Arkansas - Fayetteville

12:15-1:45 p.m.
Lunch Roundtables
UNLV Ballroom

2:00-2:30 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 8
UNLV Student Union

[8.1] Bridging Graphic and Industrial Design Perspectives in UX Education: Extending Student Thinking to Product and Spatial Experiences
Sang-Duck Seo, University of Nevada Las Vegas
Yeongwook Shin, Auburn University

[8.2] Teaching at the Threshold: m(other)ing and the Pedagogy of In-Between States
Bree McMahon, University of Arkansas
Meaghan Dee, Virginia Tech

[8.3] Typo/Graphic Pattern Workshop: Teaching Typographic Form through Surface Pattern Design
Anna Jordan, Rochester Institute of Technology

[8.4] Reclaiming Narratives for the Futures We Build: Technology Empowered Storytelling as a Pedagogical Framework
Nadia Issa, University of Arkansas

2:45-3:45 p.m.
Panel and Workshops - Group 9
UNLV Student Union

[9.1] PANEL: Permission to Play: RECLAIMING EXPERIMENTATION ON THE DESIGN HORIZON
Andrea Hempstead, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Grace Hamilton, Assistant Professor of Graphic Communications, CUNY Baruch College
Meghan Kelly, Associate Professor of Textile Design, Thomas Jefferson University
Mallory Kimmel, Visiting Assistant Professor of Foundations, Lehigh University
Ting Zhou, Assistant Professor of Digital Media & Design, University of Connecticut

[9.2] WORKSHOP: Neurodiversity By Design: Incorporating Accessible Practices in to Design Education
Ana Farnham, George Mason University

[9.3]WORKSHOP: Futures Literacy: Speculating Beyond the Now
Helen Maria Nugent, California College of the Arts

[9.4]WORKSHOP: Life-Integrated Learning: Designing for the 60-Year Creative Career
Christina Carrasquilla, Arizona State University

4:00-4:30 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 10
UNLV Student Union

[10.1] Toward Supportive Care: Designing an AI-Driven UX Platform for Anxiety Management in Women Undergoing Thyroid Cancer Treatment
Sousan Samanifar, University of Arkansas

[10.2] Hidden in Plain Sight: Designing Wearable Safety for Queer Communities
Lilly White, University of Arkansas

[10.3] Design For Healing: Exploring how the use of interactive media in biophilic design can support human well-being
Gregory Adjei Darteh, University of Arkansas

[10.4] Gatebreaking: Dossier as Design Artifact
Christina Singer, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

4:45-5:15 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 11
UNLV Student Union

[11.1] Service Learning for Enterprise Software: Partnering Interaction Design Students with University Information Technology
Dave Gottwald, University of Idaho

[11.2] Crafting Voice: Artificial Intelligence’s Role in Reshaping Design Writing Practices
Katie Krcmarik, Illinois State University

[11.3] Leadership by Design: Building Layered Leadership Pipelines in Undergraduate Programs
Audra Rygh, Liberty University
Stacy Cannon, Liberty University

[11.4] The Medium is the Menace: Creative Courage Through the Storm of Slop
David Kasparek, Messiah University

THURSDAY, MAY 21

8:00 a.m.
Onsite Registration
UNLV Student Union

8:00-9:00 a.m.
Coffee and Morning Snacks
UNLV Ballroom

9:00-9:45 a.m.
Closing Remarks & 2027 Sneak Peek
UNLV Ballroom

10:00-10:30 a.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 12
UNLV Student Union

[12.1] Design Across Disciplines: Navigating Collaboration, Community, and Complexity in Design Education
Samira Shiridevich, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

[12.2] Beyond the Curriculum: Strategic Event Platforms for the Future of Design Education
Patrick Finley, Iowa State University

[12.3] AI Is Changing UX. Are We Teaching It?
Mira Jung, Kansas State University
Sang Lee, Drake University
Aaron Yang, Iowa State University

10:45-11:15 a.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 13
UNLV Student Union

[13.1] Sense-Making in Design: Immersive Experience Pedagogy
Diana Rubi, University of Arkansas
Mairi Morassut, University of Arkansas

[13.2] From Form to Meaning: A Participatory, AI-Supported Framework for Teaching Composition in Design Education
Narges Sedaghat, East Carolina University

[13.3] Coding Literacy in the Era of AI: What Do Designers Need to Know?
Megan Asbeck, SUNY Brockport

11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 14
UNLV Student Union

[14.1] Subtexting: Teaching Semiotics Through Emoji
Bryan Satalino, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University

[14.2] Understanding UX Design Position Requirements from Job Postings: An AIAssisted, Prompt-Based Approach
Aaron Zhenhua Yang, Iowa State University

[14.4] From Client to User: Design Empathy in the Classroom
Dave Gottwald, University of Idaho

12:15-1:45 p.m.
Lunch Roundtables
UNLV Ballroom

2:00-2:30 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 15
UNLV Student Union

[15.1] Typography as Voice: Teaching Speculative Futures Through Type
Andrea Hardin, University of Arkansas

[15.2] AI as Collaborator, Not Creator: Teaching Strategic AI Integration in Design Education
Marwa Elkashif, Wartburg College

[15.3] Structured Uncertainty: Process, Exploration, and the Formation of Creative Voice in Time-Based Media
Brandon Olsen, Iowa State University

[15.4] Revising a design program: Looking to the Horizon
Neil Ward, Drake University

2:45-3:45 p.m.
Workshops - Group 16
UNLV Student Union

[16.1] Workshop: MERGING OF HORIZONS: HYBRID COLLAGE
Pouya Jahanshahi, Oklahoma State University

[16.2] Workshop: Crossing the Horizon: Building True Vectors, Critiquing Pseudo-Vectors, and Reclaiming AI Designs
Scott Vayakone, Gardner-Webb University

[16.3] Workshop: Civic Reactivation: Joy as Resistance Through Embodied Making
Vicki Meloney, Kutztown University
Doris Palmeros, University of the Incarnate Word

4:00-4:30 p.m.
Paper Presentations - Group 17
UNLV Student Union

[17.1] The Ghost in the Machine: Redefining Human Agency in Automated Design
Eric Jackson, Middle Tennessee State University

[17.2] Canceled Fonts: Teaching Type History Honestly
Dave Gottwald, University of Idaho

[17.3] From Approval to Action: A Road Map for Implementing a UX Design Certificate Program at a Four-Year Comprehensive University
Nan Hu, Central Connecticut State University

4:30-5:00 p.m.
Closing Gathering
UNLV Ballroom

Contact

Design Education Summit Chairs

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Whether you’re Team Adobe, Team Affinity, or Team “Please Stop Changing the Interface,” this one’s for you. We’ll compare features, compatibility, and the shifting landscape of design software on campus. Share your success stories, your pain points, and your tips for working across platforms without losing your mind (or your file formats).

Thursday, May 21, 2026
Noon–1:00 p.m. (CST)