šŸ‘‹šŸ¼ Iā€™m Charlie (he/him).

Iā€™m a designer, artist, facilitator, and educator based in the US/midwest.

Currently, Iā€™m the Director of Experiential Learning at the Center for Socially Engaged Design (C-SED) at the University of Michigan where I consult with university faculty to integrate socially engaged design tools into their classrooms, lead an inclusive makerspace, and facilitate design experiences like a Learning Lab in Mumbai with NGO and education leaders. I lead a team of graduate students who run design workshops across our multidisciplinary campus.

I design and teach courses and partner to create fieldwork opportunities that engage communities around the globe in places like India, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Ghana.

As an artist/designer, I have built collaborative public installations like a billboard for viewing the stars in in Detroit and a sensory garden designed with youth in Ypsilanti, MI for an aging population.

Iā€™m also a Curator of one of the largest exhibitions of art by incarcerated artists in the U.S. with the Prison Creative Arts Project.

This site is a work in progress. More soon.

Illustration: Sam Bertin

Experience:

Center for Socially Engaged Design, University of Michigan

Director of Experiential Learning & Lecturer ā€¢ 2021 - present

Associate Director of Experiential Learning
2018 - 2021

Assistant Director, Student & Faculty Engagement
2016 - 2018

Socially Engaged Design is human(ity) centered ā€“ not just user centered.   We consider broad contexts through an equity-centered lens that impact the practice of engineering, including social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental factors that can completely change the design of solutions.  Further, we push designers to analyze how their own identities and cultural context shape their approach.

The Center for Socially Engaged Design uses evidence-based pedagogical methods in an adaptable, curated, customizable curriculum that integrates learning and practice experiences to meet each designer where they are on their design journey.

 

Prison Creative Arts Project

Curator ā€¢ 2012 - present

The Prison Creative Arts Project brings those impacted by the justice system together with the University of Michigan community for artistic collaboration, mutual learning, and growth. The Prison Creative Arts Projectā€™s Annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners is one of the largest exhibitions of artwork by incarcerated artists in the country.

 

Stamps School of Art & Design, University of Michigan

Engagement Coordinator
2014 - 2016

Detroit Connections Coordinator
2011 - 2014

Through courses like Detroit ConĀ­necĀ­tions and Change by Design as well as iniĀ­tiaĀ­tives like the BrightĀ­moor Maker Space, Stamps stuĀ­dents learn how to build meanĀ­ingĀ­ful engaged creĀ­ative pracĀ­tice with external communities into their creative practice.