Stories

wide angle shot of Ride the Synthwave event sponsored by Nelda Studios featuring projection mapping on Winship building at UT Austin
Featured Story
SDCT's Top 10: Year in Review

Look back on the show-stopping events, national recognition, and milestones we're celebrating from the 2022-2023 academic year.

A person wearing a futuristic, geometric bat mask with a smartphone attached to the front, acting as a digital visor. The mask is white with angular facets, covering the entire head. The person, dressed in a striking red outfit, holds two white rods extending from the mask. Their mouth is open in an expressive pose. The background is blurred with an outdoor setting and a crowd of people, suggesting a live event or performance.

AET Faculty Member Jiabao Li Brings XR Bat Experience to SXSW

March 20, 2025

AET faculty Jiabao Li’s EchoVision at SXSW used XR to let pedestrians experience echolocation firsthand, featuring live bats with Austin Bat Refuge.

A wall installation of 25 mixed-media artworks arranged in a grid pattern. Each piece features surreal and expressive portraits of figures with Day of the Dead-inspired makeup, abstract backgrounds, and handwritten text elements. The collection incorporates bold colors, intricate patterns, and symbolic imagery, exploring themes of identity, transformation, and cultural heritage.

“Un/Broken” Stitches Together Art and Trauma

March 7, 2025

Artist and SDCT faculty member Yuliya Lanina presents her latest multimedia works at Ivester Contemporary.

A speaker stands behind a wooden podium, delivering a presentation to an audience in a dimly lit auditorium. The stage backdrop consists of softly lit curtains in shades of blue and red. The audience is visible in the foreground as silhouettes, while the presenter, dressed in black and wearing glasses, speaks into a microphone.

International Art Collective teamLab Visits UT, Gives Helping Hand to Design Students

February 16, 2025

Takeshi Yamada of teamLab visited UT Austin, sharing insights on their immersive digital art and inspiring design students with a presentation and Q&A session.

A group of people participating in a design thinking workshop. They are gathered around large sheets of paper with grids and sticky notes, posted on glass windows in a bright, modern building. The background shows an outdoor terrace with white tables and chairs, and a view of contemporary architecture.

Design Thinking Sparks Novel Research Among Newly Tenured Faculty

January 8, 2025

How do faculty at one of the world’s leading research universities decide which problems to tackle? How do they shape novel and useful research and make sure it will advance knowledge and improve lives? They learn to think creatively and collaborate.

A group of six individuals, pose smiling in front of a display at GDC 2023. They stand behind a monitor showing a colorful game scene with animated characters, including a figure labeled 'The Mayor.' The group includes team members wearing GDC badges and casual attire. The event setting features vibrant lighting and a partially visible red decoration resembling a clown.

Merge Conflict Studio: From Game Jams to Game Studio

November 25, 2024

From a senior capstone project to launching a game on Nintendo Switch, Merge Conflict Studio’s journey highlights how game jams like Global Game Jam and tools like Unity can transform aspiring developers into industry leaders. With GGJ 2025 around the corner, discover how UT Austin grads Karina Teruya and Melody Geiger turned their passion for game creation into a thriving indie studio.

split screen of two different women

The next big creative boom is already happening in Africa

October 25, 2024

Africa has always been a creative powerhouse. Taiye Selasi and Fri Forjindam explore what it will take to help it flourish.

Doreen Lorenzo on Brave UX

Assistant Dean Doreen Lorenzo on Perfecting the Craft of Design

October 1, 2024

Assistant Dean Doreen Lorenzo discusses the challenges and opportunities in the design industry and shares her insights as a design leader while emphasizing the importance of training and skill development. They also explore her journey from Frog Design to the University of Texas and her passion for education and diversity in design.

H-E-B Digital employees speaking as a part of the Career City Limits Speaker Series

Career City Limits speaker sessions connect students to employers

September 27, 2024

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a UT faculty member sought to bridge the gap between students and future employers. Jamil Hooper founded what is now Career City Limits, a week-long speaker series hosted by UT’s School of Design and Creative Technologies. 

Dr. Julie Schell

AI in Education Is Here

September 13, 2024

Are today’s college students turning in essays generated by ChatGPT? Are professors using AI to grade students? Has artificial intelligence revealed a better way to learn? And is a university education in danger of becoming extraneous?

Dr. Julie Schell on how AI is being used now and why higher education will continue to matter.

headshots of four faculty members receiving the Presidents Award

Four Fine Arts faculty members selected to lead teams in President’s Award for Global Learning in 2025

September 11, 2024

Two of the three teams selected for the 2025 President’s Award for Global Learning will be led or co-led by faculty members in the College of Fine Arts. The President’s Award for Global Learning is a prestigious experiential learning program that advances The University of Texas at Austin’s strategic mission to impact society and change the world. The three selected teams at UT Austin will partner with international universities and nonprofit organizations in India, Japan, Sweden and Denmark.