VCFA MFA in Graphic Design alumnx Tristen Click will be presenting at the Design Educator Symposium at the AIGA National Design Conference! She’ll be giving a presentation based on her thesis work titled “[Dis]embodied Senses: Interaction Beyond the Screen”.

Connection—here defined as experience, learning, socializing—is one of the primary drivers of human social behavior; over the past decade, we have experienced a major paradigm shift in how we connect. One main driver behind this change is advancing technology—primarily our reliance on smartphones and the internet. We have replaced physical connection with virtual connection, and while this has provided some societal advances and benefits, research shows this also has led to negative impacts on mental and physical well-being.

Designers communicate and build connections through their work. Immersive experiences can build connections by having no (or low) barriers to entry, creating layers of meaning, and engaging all of the senses. In this presentation, the author will showcase her extensive research and body of work titled “[Dis]embodied Senses” which seeks to address some of these questions. Additionally, she will showcase simple methods and tools that can be used for prototyping sensory experiences both in the classroom and in one’s design practice.

Learn more about Tristen’s thesis here: https://www.tristenclick.com/thesisspy offers | Nike Running