Academic Teaching & Collaboration

Graphic Design / Interactive Design / Research Team Based Project
Role: Assistant to Tenured Professor, Director of MS, Principle Investigator and Founder of a Creative XR LAB

Click image to see Senior Capstone Portfolio site 2023

With over 20 years of experience in higher education, I have dedicated an immense amount of time and effort to teaching, directing, research, and mentorship. Throughout my career, I’ve served in various academic roles, ranging from teaching assistant to tenure-track professor, across institutions such as Maryland College of Art, Philadelphia University, Texas A&M, and Sam Houston State University. I’ve specialized in Interactive Design and taught a broad range of courses focused on Branding/Identity, Web development, visual communication, motion design, experience design (XD), and immersive media. Throughout this period, my focus has always been on merging critical thinking, creativity, technology integration, and hands-on problem-solving skills while helping upper-level students build professional portfolios and preparing them for success in the dynamic and evolving design industry.

My teaching philosophy is rooted in fostering creativity with professional practice through experiential learning, encouraging students to collaborate with outside businesses while engaging critically and adaptively with evolving topics and technologies. I prioritize hands-on projects that connect theory to design and industry practices, challenging students to apply their skills in real-world contexts and interdisciplinary collaborations. While this is underway I contributed my expertise in coding and web development to help the seniors to design and develop their Capstone Class portfolio sites for 2022, 2023 and 2024. This page has examples of these sites so feel free to click on each large image to see this work live.

Click image to see Senior Capstone Portfolio site 2022

Beyond the classroom while contributing my coding skills, I founded and directed a Creative XR Research Lab, where we developed immersive VR tools for health and humanities (See XR Research: Development in Virtual Reality Experiences ), bridging academic insights with community impact. This experience has allowed me to rediscover my curiosity for innovation, and social engagement helping to renew my own personal interest in going back working in the industry.

Click image to see Senior Capstone Portfolio site 2023

Throughout this period I’ve developed innovative curricula, help lead research initiatives, while serving my academic community. My aim was cultivate open-minded, resourceful artists and designers who were prepared to contribute meaningfully to their design fields. As I transition into the public domain, I am now focusing on expanding my impact through collaborative projects, interdisciplinary research, and community-based initiatives that explore the intersection of art, design, and technology for social change.

To see more projects done in past classes make sure to check out the – TEACHING – Section!!

Acknowledgments :
Shout out to several super-talented students Quan Chung, Regan Troung, Sara Saenz, Eliot Castanon, Cris Mcknight, Liz Haze, Courtney Gruller, and Niko Langley featured in this webpage.