Justin Childress

Clinical Assistant Professor
Design & Innovation

Email

jschildress@smu.edu

Connect

Justin Childress is a graphic designer, writer, and design educator. He is a Creative Director and partner at Switch, a friendly branding and interactive design studio in Dallas, where he works with a wide variety of clients ranging from individuals and non-profits to startups and national brands. He received his BFA in Communication Design from Texas Christian University and his MFA in Visual Communication from Texas A&M University-Commerce, where his thesis work explored how interactive tools can influence hazard projection and route planning by cyclists who depend on bike-specific roadways. His design work has been recognized by AIGA, Print Magazine, and DSVC among others, and he is a regular speaker on the future of curiosity-driven design in a disillusioned visual culture.

Education

MFA in Visual Communication from Texas A&M University - Commerce

BFA in Graphic Design from Texas Christian University

Research

  • Human-Centered Design: methods, ethics, and social impact
  • User experience and interface design
  • Urban movement and micro-transportation
  • Community-audited public spaces
  • Art and technology symbiotics
  • Design/build pedagogy

Publications

  • (Upcoming 10/23) ReVIEWING: International Conference on Black Mountain College Presentation: “Beyond Two Cultures: Exploring the Legacy of Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.) and its Influence on Cross-Disciplinary Learning”
  • Future of Design in Higher Education: 2023 Convening Workshop: “DreamUp: A Game of Creative Collaboration”
  • ҽSummit: Digital Interactions, Interfaces and Experiences Presentation, with Jessica Burnham: “Human-Centered Design for Digital Interfaces”
  • The City of Dallas Office of Innovation Workshop: “ReForm: Designing Usable and Accessible Forms That Enable Community Impact”
  • American Planning Association: Annual Texas State Planning Conference Presentation/panel: “Community-Audited Public Spaces”

Honors and Awards

  • National Endowment for the Arts
  • AVDD Artist Competition Grant, in cooperation with bcWorkshop
  • City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs
  • Cultural Plan Micro-Residency Award, in collaboration with Gray Garmon
  • Princeton Architectural Press
  • Published works, Posters for Change
A headshot of Justin Childress, a member of the Lyle School of Engineering Faculty.