Associate Professor of Industrial and Interaction Design, Syracuse University (SU)
With a product design diploma from the Weißensee Academy of Art Berlin, Germany and a M.Des. from the University of Cincinnati (UC), Ralf Schneider, IDSA, combines European and American design values. Previous academic appointments include teaching design at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston and DAAP/UC.
As associate director/senior design researcher at the Live Well Collaborative, he contributed to the unique mission to foster the collaborative, interdisciplinary design process between industry and academia. Schneider’s current research focuses on how virtual, augmented and mixed reality technology impacts design. Ralf has been the IDSA student club advisor at SU for the past eight years and serves as the Vice President for the IDSA Syracuse Chapter.
Statement of Candidacy
Dear IDSA Community,
I would like to introduce myself, explain why I am running for this position and describe what I would like to accomplish as IDSA’s Education Director.
For the last 25 years I have dedicated my career to design. During that time, I have experienced in-house design, consultancy design and thrived in various academic environments. Currently I am a tenured associate professor at Syracuse University. I see myself as a designer, educator, and lifelong learner.
This is the perfect time for me to take on this role and responsibilities within IDSA. The design education of our future colleagues is very important, and I am passionate about all aspects of the learning process. I am certain that I bring the necessary experience to lead the discussion on how IDSA can support design education and vice versa.
These are my five action steps for this position:
If elected, I will bring dedication, strong organizational skills, and a deep commitment in advancing excellence in design education. In contributing in this capacity I vow to actively involve the entire IDSA community and to provide unwavering support to the IDSA Board of Directors.
