Dr. Bruce Tharp

Biography

Bruce M. Tharp is a Professor at the University of Michigan's Stamps School of Art and Design. He holds a PhD and MA in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of Chicago, as well as an MID in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University. His academic and professional journey has seen him engage deeply with themes of material culture, value production, and design theory. Bruce has published works including his dissertation titled "Ascetical Value: Materiality Spirituality Old Order Amish". In collaboration with his wife, Stephanie M. Tharp, he co-founded a creative studio, Materious, which focuses on imbue meaningful narrative in domestic products. Their work has been exhibited globally in design capitals such as Milan and New York and they are co-authoring a book titled "Discursive Design". Prior to his tenure at Stamps, Bruce contributed to the conceptualization and establishment of the Designed Objects graduate program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and served as Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Design. His innovative approaches have earned him various awards and his patented designs are recognized in commercial markets worldwide.

Research Interests