Alex Lobos - Featured Faculty 2014
Alex Lobos
College of Art and Design
Alex Lobos is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design, Miller Professor for International Education, and extended program faculty at Golisano Institute for Sustainability. His research focuses on sustainable design, emotional attachment and user-centered design. He also works on establishing collaborations between RIT and international institutions, particularly in Latin America and Asia.
Alex’s research projects are often done in collaboration with industry partners. Since 2011 he has worked with CAD software leader Autodesk, exploring ideas around digital fabrication, computer modeling and design process. This collaboration has resulted in several conference presentations, award-winning student projects and involvement of RIT faculty and students in development of next-generation CAD programs. This collaboration has allowed the industrial design department to implement methods of digital fabrication and 3D printing into their curriculum. Another recent collaboration with General Electric focused on home appliances and sustainable behavior. Groups of students developed refrigeration and laundry concepts that improve environmental impact across the life cycle and engage users in more responsible use of their products, reducing energy and water consumption, among other benefits.
In 2014 Alex ran workshops at several universities, including: Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM), in México, and Pontificia Católica Universidad del Perú (PUCP), in Lima. The workshop at UDEM had students integrating eco-strategies with wearable technology in a variety of product categories, while the workshop at PUCP gathered over ninety students in industrial design to produce lines of office products that use emotional attachment to reduce procrastination. Alex also lectured at universities in México, Guatemala and Colombia, including a paper titled “Timelessness in Sustainable Product Design” at the International Conference of Design and Emotion, at Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia.
Alex’s future plans include continuing his work with industry partners as well as establishing a network of design schools in North and Latin America who work together on projects around digital fabrication and social innovation.