Faculty
Each year approximately 180 full-time and 400 adjunct faculty members help students further their own development as thinkers and makers. As accomplished artists, designers, architects, scholars and educators, they create and continually stimulate RISD’s culture of research and discovery, while showing exceptional dedication to teaching and mentoring students. Beyond the studio and classroom RISD’s faculty are leaders in their respective fields, pursuing a fascinating array of projects and producing an amazing range work.
Faculty news
Designing with Living Systems
New Assistant Professor Katia Zolotovsky shares her passion for biodesign with RISD students.
New Professorship in Sustainability
A generous gift helps RISD bring art and design to bear on the future of the planet.
Decolonizing Pedagogies at RISD
Faculty, curators and librarians come together for a semester-long seminar on decolonization that builds on the institution’s commitment to advancing social equity and inclusion.
Academic advising
Full-time faculty work with individual students to not only ensure that basic course requirements are met but also to offer broader developmental guidance. With support from Academic Affairs and the Registrar’s Office, academic advisors help individual students select courses that advance their academic goals while ensuring a balance in each semester’s workload. Advisors also talk about opportunities such as courses at Brown, study abroad, internships and potential careers.
Undergraduate students are assigned three different faculty advisors at various stages of their experience at RISD: a first-year advisor from Experimental and Foundation Studies, a faculty advisor from a student’s major department and in the sophomore year, a faculty advisor from the Liberal Arts division. These advisors work cooperatively to facilitate each student’s academic progress at RISD.
Graduate students turn to the Graduate Program Director (GPD) in their major department for academic advising. For contact information refer to the GPD directory at graduatestudy.risd.edu, RISD's dedicated graduate study website.
Resources for faculty enrichment
As part of the RISD's Center for Social Equity and Inclusion, the Teaching and Learning Lab supports faculty in building innovative and inclusive pedagogical practices. Workshops and other professional development opportunities bring faculty together to share knowledge and discuss emerging ideas related to art and design education, and to foster a culture of expert teachers who are sensitive to the diverse needs and experiences of RISD students.
Among the many ways it supports faculty development, the lab offers guidance in course design, frameworks for inclusive studio critiques and guidance on how to engage a diverse range of learning styles. Faculty also take advantage of several resources for enhancing scholarship and pursuing research opportunities.