Impact Talk on Elegantly Designing the Future of Computing, Communication and Education  

The Office of the Provost invites you to a special in-person gathering for our speaker series Impact Talks. This exciting session offers a creative, unique and groundbreaking look at the areas of design, communication, technology and education and will highlight how these areas intersect and offer exciting opportunities for exploration.

This segment of Impact Talks features three prominent scholars Luca Iandoli, Mark Juszczak, and Edrex Fontanilla, who are experts in the fields of technology, design, media, learning and the fusion of these and other areas. They will offer their collective insights and keen perspective on the correlation and impact of interdisciplinary thinking on how these fields converge in very new and exciting ways.

Attendees will be treated to a panel presentation by Luca Iandoli highlighting, key concepts from his book, Elegant Design, that focuses on visual information and visual data. Mark Juszczak and Edrex Fontanilla will offer further discussion on the future of education, communication and design. There will be time for a book signing and then small group breakout discussions in technology, education, and communications.

The event will take place on Wednesday, April 27 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Bethany Hall.

• 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Book presentation and panel discussion
• 12 p.m.: Lunch/Reception & Book signing and break out group formation
• 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.: Guests break into small group topical discussions on the future of Computing, Communication, Design with speakers and TLTC colleagues.

Click here to register »

About Luca Iandoli

Luca Iandoli is Associate Dean for Global Programs and Research and a professor in the Department of Computer Science at St. John's University. Luca was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence and served as visiting research professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, USA. He has published more than 150 papers and books on collective intelligence, discursive and participatory design, and organizational learning.

More about his co-authored book: Elegant Design investigates how "we are constantly immersed in a flow of visual data that reshapes our social and inner world. Companies and individuals are competing to conquer the public's scarce attention by inventing distinctive visual formats to stand out from the crowd. How can designers, inventors, and product managers create designs that are quick to process as well as be meaningful, unique and memorable in an age characterized by constant information overload?

The answer is to think aesthetically. Research insights at the intersection between cognitive science and art studies demonstrate that our minds can effectively process visual complexity by using aesthetic pleasure and judgement as a guide. Analyzing the work of great artists and designers from the perspective of how our mind appreciates beauty, Elegant Design identifies actionable aesthetic strategies that will help you to design products and user experiences that are useful, beautiful and meaningful."

About Mark Juszczak

Professor Juszczak is an assistant professor in international communication at St. John's University in New York. His primary area of research interest has been the interdisciplinary study of media and innovation. He is also an expert advisor on human rights and technology for the Vatican Mission to the United Nations. His general research topics include: R&D management, inventions and problem solving, information sourcing, problem analysis, knowledge creation processes, fuzzy metrics in innovation management and the sociology of media and applied epistemology. Professor Juszczak holds a doctorate from Columbia University in Education, with a cross-specialization in organizational innovation and cognition. He has extensive multi-platform experience in fuzzy metrics development, KM training, TRIZ, LMS & CMS platforms, Fuzzy medical data analytics, Plone, C5, CMM, CMMI derivatives. He is a GLG and Mentors Guild Member. He is a published author, has been quoted in the NY Times, Forbes and has worked with Fortune 100 directors and principals in consulting. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at universities: MIT Portugal Annual Entrepreneurship Conference, Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research, National Defense Academy–Poland, Gulf University of Science & Technology in Kuwait, Academy of Special Pedagogy, etc...Dr. Juszczak has worked with clients all over the world including: the US, the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, China, Poland, Portugal, Russia, the Ukraine, Spain, Bulgaria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, India and South Korea.

About Edrex Fontanilla

Fontanilla is an experimental filmmaker and new media artist whose creative practice fuses sculptural and computational methods to explore perception, materiality, and temporality. He researches how the study of human psychology and cognition can inform approaches in experimental media. With an orientation towards socially responsible expression, Fontanilla is committed to a reflective teaching practice that enables young minds to develop their voice.

Fontanilla joined the Division of Mass Communication at St. John's University in 2018 to spearhead the creation of a new academic program, "Game Development and Emerging Media," with the support of a $110,000 research grant.

The Impact Talks Speaker Series

The Impact Talks Speaker Series focuses on understanding the human impact of specific trends, disciplines or industries within communities and societies. "The focus is on humans, humanity, or, following the Latin word 'humanitas,' human nature and kindness," said Provost and Executive Vice President Katia Passerini. "This series is consistent with the University's emphasis on the humanities and liberal arts—educating the heart, mind and spirit, across any profession—and it is the essence of our Catholic and value-based tradition."

Mauro Porcini, SVP and chief design officer at PepsiCo, was the inaugural speaker in June 2021. In December 2021, the series featured a screening of the Emmy-Award winning documentary It Will be Chaos, followed by a panel discussion including film directors Filippo Piscopo and Lorena Luciano, and Associate Dean and Professor Jeff Togman, College of Arts and Sciences.

Categories: Arts and Culture, Business, Nation and World