Graduate (Design MFA) students with an emphasis in exhibition and experience design produce a two-year thesis project that integrates rigorous research, theory, writing, and creative practice. Their specialized work adds critical research to the field and furthers the definition of exhibition making and audience engagement as they explore the communication of objects, narratives, information, and ideas across an expanded range of environments.
Light Cube: Designing Virtual Light Art Experiences is a human-based study that investigates the potential of virtual reality (VR) to create a universally accessible alternative for engaging with light art installations in museums. Student: Ladan Johari, 2024
Visualizing Gilman offers interpretive analysis of resilient place-based identity. The complexities of 924 Gilman (Berkeley, CA) are highlighted with archival imagery, site documentation, and participatory prototypes. Student: Justin Marsh, 2023
Design for Social Impact is a set of practices for designing participatory projects to activate public spaces, foster community engagement, and create low-cost, high-impact designs adaptable to different contexts. Student: Niloufar Abdolmaleki, 2023
Hilos de la Agricultura / Threads of Agriculture is an exhibition design project about farm worker clothing. The exhibition is designed as a traveling, modular exhibition to be implemented in various museums in California. Student: Cris Gomez, 2023
Beyond the Museum Walls is a guide for co-creating exhibitions without technical expertise. In-depth analysis of an experimental exhibition design course geared towards student engagement through collaborative, rapid exhibition development. Student: Edward Whelan, 2022
Coloring Perception – How does exhibition wall color affect a viewers’ experience? This study and methodology helps inform the decision-making process relating to color and the display of artworks. Student: Jude Mooney, 2021
Space for You – Visitors to this exhibition at the Aerospace Museum of California picture themselves as part of the future of space exploration and imagine its limitless possibilities. Student: Tracy Corado, 2020
Local Actions, National Outcomes
A portable rapidly deployed exhibit about how piecemeal election design has led US voting into chaos.
Student: Adam Flint Taylor, 2019
LUMENroute
A site specific participatory and interactive installation that expands ideas of public art exhibition, community engagement, and placemaking in the urban landscape.
Student: Jennifer Cadieux, 2018
Interactive Learning System
An interactive physical exercise platform combining rote memorization questions and sensor-based inputs, where students will better retain information more than they would while studying sedentary.
Student: Lauren Kelly, 2018
Delta Drift Follies
Explorations in the use of undefined public space, experimental structures and experiences, and exhibition tools for critical placemaking.
Student: Justin Goldwater, 2018
Making the Invisible Visible
Challenging traditional park and museum exhibits to test the effectiveness of interpretive techniques and apply them to temporary outdoor natural history exhibits in an unexpected setting.
Student: Victoria Baird, 2017
Youth 2 Youth
Social media creates new opportunities for exhibits to optimize youth visitor interaction, creating important, long lasting conversations outside the exhibition space.
Student: Asma AlDabal, 2017
Exhibiting Architecture
Communicating the complexities of building systems to a non-expert audience using augmented reality to enhance the display of architectural innovations in a more interactive, effective, and meaningful way.
Student: Mahan Soltanzadeh, 2015
Expanding the Art Museum
Creating participatory and engaging experiences in the public space beyond the academic art museum.
Student: Delaram Rostami, 2015
Filed Away: The Undocumented Experience
Pop-up exhibition to draw attention to the stories and challenges of being an undocumented student in California.
Student: Emma Thorne-Christy, 2014