Kathleen Ryan

Assistant Professor

Research Interests

Visual reasoning skill development and relationship to creativity

Interpretive environments: development of the interior to enable learing through a supportive build environment as it relates to museum, zoo and hands-on learning settings. Investigated through practice.

Teaching Emphasis

Visual reasoning skill development
Integration of hand sketching and digital technology
Service-learning as a means to design exploration

Practice Emphasis

Sustainable practices in the built environment: performance of the built environment in terms of energy and resource efficiency

Universal design: as it relates to design for accessibility and aging in place

Wayfinding design: collaboration among multiple disciplines for development of environmental and interpretive graphics in public spaces

Projects include: zoo and botanical garden exhibit design, grocery, science center, religious, retail, hotel lobby and residential

Educational Background

Master of Arts, Interior Design
Washington State University
Bachelor of Science, Design and Environmental Analysis
Cornell University
Associate of Arts
University of Montana

Awards/Recognition

2009 IDEC Conference, paper voted one of top ten conference papers
2006 Wasmer Fund for Arts and Culture Award for Palouse Discovery Science Center
2004 ASID Design Excellence Award for Arizona South - Showhouse/Model