Tuesday Sept 29, 2009

In This Issue

• Student Q&A: IDEA Conference 2009
• Applications Now Open for 2010
• Register for the October Open House
• Fall Lecture Series, Open to the Public
• Graduate Portfolio Days, New York & Chicago
• Faculty in the News
• Fall Events: CreativeMornings

Student Q&A: IDEA Conference 2009

This fall, one MFA Interaction Design student received a FatDUX Scholarship to attend IDEA2009, the conference for social and experience design, which took place on September 15-16. FatDUX co-founder Eric Reiss and director of events and marketing at the Information Architecture Institute Russ Unger welcomed Richie Lau in Toronto, Canada. Upon his return, we sat down with Richie for a quick chat about his observations about the conference.

Photo credit: Richie Lau

SVA: Which speaker was particularly memorable for you?

RL: The most memorable has to go to Maya Kalman from Swank productions. Kalman was less about the technicalities and more focused on her clients' needs and the creative process. For example, she had talked about a wedding she planned. The event was an orchestrated display of lights, candles, music, and food. The setting was sexy and perfect, the guests happy, the bride and groom in a moment of bliss, and just when the night seemed like it couldn’t get any better—it started to snow indoors in the event space. The bride had a special connection to snow from her childhood and she just exploded with joy. It was a memorable event and it's this type of idea that will make future user experiences to come.

SVA: What did you learn that helped you grow as an interaction designer?

RL: I have learned a lot, but what I liked most was how people were inspired for creating new user experiences from many directions, especially outside the context of technology. Life already surrounds us with an abundance of energy through architectural structures and everyday experiences. Now we just have to apply that energy towards the work we do.

Applications Now Open for 2010

We’re pleased to announce that online applications are open for fall 2010.

Prospective students can now apply online through January 15, 2010. Find out more about the application requirements. If you have questions, or want to stop by for a tour or to talk, drop a line to Qing Qing Chen, Assistant to the Chair, at interactiondesign at sva dot edu or 212.592.2703.

Register for the October Open House

You’re warmly invited to join faculty members, students, and staff for an afternoon of informal presentations, questions and answers, and open discussion. An afternoon reception will follow, when you can get to know some of the faculty and students, and prospective students can ask additional questions about applying. Spend the afternoon considering your plans for fall 2010, and meeting some of the leading thinkers and practitioners in the field.

RSVP for the Open House

Details

Saturday, October 24, 2-4PM
MFA Interaction Design Department
132 W 21 Street, 6th Floor
New York City

Fall Lecture Series, Open to the Public

This fall, the MFA Interaction Design Department welcomes visiting lectures in an intimate series to inspire conversation, pursue change, and incite creation. Each evening gives way to discussion with the lecturers and guests. RSVP will be announced via the events page two weeks prior to each event.

Wednesday, October 7: Don Carli

Designing for Carbon Neutral Media & Sustainable Media Supply Chains
What are the carbon footprints of different media types and how many billions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions are associated with them? What are some of the prevailing myths & misconceptions about the environmental benefits & sins of digital & physical media? What possible and preferable changes can be made in the design and production of communication media? How can the principles of system thinking and tools for life cycle analysis be used to design carbon neutral media and to support sustainable media supply chains?

View details for this event

Wednesday, October 14: Dave Gray

Knowledge Games: A Grammar for Creativity and Innovation
We’re moving from an industrial to a knowledge economy, where creativity and innovation will be the keys to value. New rules apply. Yet two hundred years of industrial habits are embedded in our workplaces, our schools and our systems of government. How must we change our work practices to thrive in the 21st Century? Dave Gray will share insights from his upcoming book on the work of creativity and innovation, due to be published in the first quarter of 2010.

Location

MFA Interaction Design Department
132 W 21 Street, 6th Floor
New York City

Next up...

OCTOBER 21

Kevin Slavin
area/code, Managing Director, Co‐Founder

OCTOBER 28

Jason Fried
37Signals, Founder

View all upcoming events

Graduate Portfolio Days, New York & Chicago

The MFA Interaction Design Department will again participate in this year’s Graduate Portfolio Days. Representatives from the department will be available to speak with prospective candidates in New York City this Saturday and Chicago this November. If you’re in the area, you can stop by to get feedback on your portfolio, ask questions about your application, or just find out more about the new graduate program at SVA. For more information, visit: www.gradportfolioday.org