GREETINGS

Whether researching, organizing, teaching, or designing, I seize groundbreaking opportunities and design for the sweet spot of change.

People, communities, and systems fascinate me. I love uncovering mindsets that guide perceptions and behaviors, and then design services that foster long-lasting change. I develop strategies that not only guide transformation, but also serve greater social outcomes. To date, my work spans healthcare, sustainability, education, collaboration, and community development.

By embracing flux, I've come to love adaptation, flexibility, and openness. I have a knack for making connections among disperate things and identifying patterns in complexity. I learn quickly and enjoy constructing frameworks that make it easier for others to do the same.

If I'm not helping others or collaborating on projects, you can find me metabolizing literature (I love reading!) or playing with new technology... or trekking through some remote part of the world. Through clarity, warmth, and openness, I aim to thrive and foster growth in everything I do.
Research Approaches
Inductive and Deductive Processes
Qualitative and Quantitative
Mixed Methods
Experimental Design
Participatory Action Research
User Experience Research
Remote (online and mobile) Research
Grounded Theory
Case Study
Research Skills
Literature Review
Competitive Analysis
Conversion Proposals
Question Development
Instrument Design and Development
Managing Participants
Facilitate Workshops and Activities
Statistical Data Analysis
Coding and Axes Data Analysis
Data Synthesis, Visualization, & Modeling
Technical Writing
Reporting and Presentations
Proposal/Grant Writing
Design Approaches
Service and Experience Design
Human- and Community-Centered
Purpose-Driven
Systems-Oriented
Multi-Disciplinary Partnerships
Collaboration
Design Skills
Mapping and Diagramming
Context-Assessment
Personas
Sketching and Illustration
Storytelling and Storyboarding
Scenarios and Animation
Photography and Videography
Info. Arch. and Interface Design
Modeling and Prototyping
Production (print, motion, interactive)
Topics I Love
Preventive Healthcare
Sustainability
Food Systems
Collaboration

Worldviews and Biases
Emotion and Attention
Emotive Learning
Behavior change
Decision Making
Embodiment

Design Education
Remote Real-time Research
Dynamic Information Visualization

Multi-platform Systems
Network Technology
Mobile Experiences
Crowdsourcing
Cloud computing
Tangible Interfaces
Ubiquitous Computing
Systems Theory

RESEARCHING

rigorous curiosity

Visualizing Individual Actions to Improve Sustainability

Date: Aug 21, 2011
Conversations: 0
I am currently a senior investigator for a National Science Foundation Grant — Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES). I am working with a team of computer scientists, ecologists,
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Feedforward: A Mobile Design Strategy that Supports Emotive Learning for Preventive Health Practices and Enduring Lifestyle Change

Date: May 18, 2011
Conversations: 0
Doctoral Dissertation North Carolina State University College of Design, PhD in Design May 18, 2011   Committee Meredith Davis, Professor of Graphic Design, Committee Chair Perver Baran, Ph.D., Associ
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Measuring Design Thinking in K–12 Education

Date: Jan 21, 2011
Conversations: 0
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for the United States Department of Education Design Researcher and Strategist: Conceptualizing, Planning, Scripting, Storyboarding, Scenarios, and Protot
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WRITING

sharing insights

UX Bootcamp

Date: Apr 19, 2012
Conversations: 0
Last month I had the pleasure of attending the UX Bootcamp put on by Cooper U. I wrote a little article about the experience, and Cooper posted it to their blog.   Fitting a sixteen-week user experien
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Designing for the Anticipation of Stress

Date: May 01, 2009
Conversations: 0
An interaction design proposal that addresses the anticipation of stress by influencing emotional biases and perceived agency within demanding situations based on the embodied model of behavior.   At
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Wellness Programs and Stress-Induced Obesity

Date: Apr 25, 2009
Conversations: 0
Based on our tendency to relapse back to unhealthy habits after completing wellness programs, targeting the anticipation of stress (body, mind, and social interactions) addresses the emotional aspects of b
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ORGANIZING

planned serendipity

2012 Raleigh Innovation Summit

Date: Feb 20, 2012
Conversations: 0
In collaboration with New Kind, I helped structure and guide facilitators, plan visualization strategy and coach visual notetakers, and create the final report for the summit (including visual transcripts)
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2011 Proposium

Date: Nov 18, 2011
Conversations: 0
Lead Organizer: Conceptualizing, Organizing, Coordinating, and Advising The Graphic Design Department at NC State University, College of Design, dedicates part of the graduate studio to hosting a biannual
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AIGA New Contexts / New Practices Educator’s Conference

Date: Oct 08, 2010
Conversations: 0
The goal of the New Contexts / New Practices conference was to generate and publish ideas about how design education will address the defining trends of contemporary practice and culture. Rather than a
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SPEAKING

inviting conversation

Developing a Digital Rubric

Date: Mar 22, 2011
Conversations: 0
In the spring of 2011, I facilitated a workshop titled “Developing a Digital Rubric” within the Certificate for Accomplished Teaching program. The objectives of the workshop were multi-fold:   &nb
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Design For Mobile Experiences

Date: Oct 08, 2010
Conversations: 0
At the 2010 New Contexts / New Practices Educator’s Conference, I presented “Design for Mobile Experiences,” a case study of the process I used to teach mobile interaction design at North
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Feedforward Poster Presentation

Date: Mar 27, 2009
Conversations: 0
NC State University, Graduate School hosts an annual Graduate Research symposium. Two students from each college present posters of their research to a multi-disciplinary panel for review. I presented a po
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TEACHING

preparing others to thrive

Teaching Philosophy

Date: Feb 24, 2012
I believe design is an expansive discipline with uncharted domains and unmeasured influence. As designers, we reinforce worldviews and provide conditions for forging new ones. We propose strategies for inc
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Teaching Experience

Date: Feb 23, 2012
Since 2000, I have taught studio, lab, and seminar courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Over the years, I explored different teaching approaches at private, for-profit, and public colleges. I
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Professional Development

Date: Feb 21, 2012
Certificate for Accomplishment in Teaching (CoAT) The Certificate for Accomplishment in Teaching program at North Carolina State University provides training, evaluation, and recognition of graduate studen
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Feedback From Students

Date: Feb 20, 2012
North Carolina State University issues a standard electronic evaluation form to students at the end of each semester. Below is a collection of written feedback provided anonymously by students: Amber was a
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MENTORING

nurturing future leaders
2012 — Present .:. Raleigh, NC

Mentor: Graduate Independent Study

North Carolina State University, College of Design
I mentored a graduate student in the creation of a taxonomy of design methods used in the undergraduate curriculum at North Carolina State University.
2012 — Present .:. Raleigh, NC

Mentor: Undergraduate Independent Study

North Carolina State University, College of Design
I mentored an undergraduate graphic design student in the creation of a lifestyle- and community-oriented mobile app, which applies gamification to encourage engagement.
2011 — Present .:. Raleigh, NC

Mentor: Certificate for Accomplishment in Teaching Program

North Carolina State University, Graduate School
I mentored a graduate design student practicing to become a design educator by providing guidance in the development of teaching artifacts, assessing lessons delivered by the student and reviewed the teaching portfolio.
2010 — Present .:. Raleigh, NC

Mentor: Swapl (Online Community for swapping skills)

I mentored two post-graduates in the creation of an online sharing platform that matches up people who want to learn skills with people who want to teach them.

ADVISING

guiding future actions
2011 — Present .:. Raleigh, NC

Board Member: Design Inquiry Task Force Advisory Board

North Carolina State University, College of Design
The Design Inquiry Task Force provides guidance and recommendations for the College of Design’s scholarship and research agenda.
2011 — Present .:. Raleigh, NC

Board Member: College of Design Student Publication Advisory Board

North Carolina State University, College of Design
The student publication is a student-run organization that seems to capture the essence of discussions and student work within the college. Students in the organization curate a website and produce a publication each year.
2011 — Present .:. Raleigh, NC

Board Member: Preparing Future Leaders Program Advisory Board

North Carolina State University, Graduate School
The Preparing Future Leaders (PFL) Program helps students develop leadership skills through professional development seminars, workshops, and events.
2004 — 2007 .:. Los Angeles, CA

Board Member: IBIS Research Foundation Advisory Board

IBIS Information Design and Sciences Research Foundation
IBIS brings graduate design and neuroscience students together to share research and collaborate on exploratory research projects.

DESIGNING

quality experiences
Experience, Interactive, Strategy, Concept Design, Branding, Environmental Graphics, Publications

Preparing Future Leaders Program Landing Page

Date: Oct 28, 2011
Conversations: 0
I worked with the program director to reconceptualize the structure and language of the landing page to reflect student’s needs and interests. The Preparing Future Leaders (PFL) Program helps students de
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Amway Center

Date: Oct 10, 2010
Conversations: 0
  I worked with Ripbang Studios, an Architecture and Experience Studio, to design the environmental graphics for the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida — the home arena for the Orlando Magic. I worked
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SCHOOLING

Graduated 2011 .:. Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State University, College of Design

Doctor of Philosophy in Design
Feedforward: A Mobile Design Strategy that Supports Emotive Learning for Preventive Health Practices and Enduring Lifestyle Change.
Certified 2011 .:. Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State University, Graduate School

Certificate of Accomplishment in Teaching
Graduated 2007 .:. Raleigh, NC

North Carolina State University, College of Design

Master of Graphic Design
Anticipatory Design: Interaction for Managing and Understanding Complex Systems.
2003 – 2004 .:. Pasadena, CA

Art Center College of Design

Graduate Program: Industrial and Environmental Design
Graduated 2003 .:. Los Angeles, CA

Otis College of Art and Design

BFA Communication Arts: Graphic Design
Design Entrainment: Synchronizing Affect with Subtle Environmental Graphics.

HONORS, REGOGNITION & AWARDS

2011
Featured in NC State University Graduate School Alumni Stories
2010
Featured in Communication Arts Magazine Typography Annual
Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Environmental Typography
2009
NC State University Provost’s Fellowship
2008
Featured in Step Inside Design Magazine’s "Field Guide to Emerging Talent 2008"
2007
NC State University Book Award
2006 – 2007
Raleigh Hunter Scholarship
2004
Medalist at the AIGA Los Angeles Exhibit: “Merged”
2003
Best of Show Thesis at Otis College of Art and Design
Connect
@amberkhoward
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