2023 Education Symposium

The 2023 IDSA Education Symposium is a trans-disciplinary design research and education event focused on the advancement of design. Our theme this year is ‘The Watering Hole’ a gathering place for our community to reflect on the current state of design and to engage in collective dialog to shape the future of design. The idea of design frequently ignites a heated debate: while the methods, knowledge, application, and adoption of design continues to expand, fundamental questions about the nature of design still remain, and the legitimacy of the field and our professional identity are continuously called into question.

What are the most pressing issues in design today? What topics have been overlooked? What principles, practices, or theory distinguishes design from other academic fields? Let’s talk about it!

Whether you’re studying the nature of design theory and paradigms, advancing educational curricula, or contributing innovative design solutions through professional practice, we want to hear from you.

We invite all those interested in design (the study, the practice, the discipline) to submit proposals for leading this important conversation. Well executed research is welcome and encouraged, but we’re also interested in nascent ideas – works in progress that can benefit from real-time discussion, interactive experiences, or hands-on research. Several submission categories are outlined below, but all proposals that provide thought-provoking design relevant experiences will be considered.

Education Symposium Committee:

• Verena Paepcke-Hjeltness, IDSA, Iowa State University, Industrial Design
• Carly Hagins, IDSA, Western Michigan University, Product Design and Innovation
• Louise Manfredi PhD, IDSA, Syracuse University, Industrial and Interaction Design
• James Rudolph, IDSA, University of Notre Dame, Industrial Design
• Owen Foster, IDSA, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Honors College
• Kohar Scott, IDSA, San Jose State University, Industrial Design