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Sarah Edmands Martin is an associate professor whose work explores the intersections of visual communication design, digital storytelling, and media aesthetics, adopting a speculative design approach that asks, 'what if?' to reimagine design as a form of sociocultural inquiry. Her research extends beyond commercially driven motivations of the twentieth century, defamiliarizing the world of design through material tinkering and examining its capacity to challenge the status quo. Martin employs a diverse range of analog techniques, including typesetting, illustration, and installation, alongside digital processes such as programming and augmented reality, to create social fictions that engage with the entwined nature of power and aesthetics in the digital realm. This work has been enriched by her previous academic roles, including at the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University, and through her upcoming U.S. Fulbright project in Norway aimed at exploring digital computation and memory. Martin's research has culminated in significant publications addressing the socio-cultural impacts of media and design, with her current book project, 'Beautiful Bureaucracy: Design Brief Civic Life,' questioning the aesthetic dimensions of bureaucracy. Additionally, her design work has been exhibited at various prestigious venues and recognized in notable design publications.
University of Chicago • Chicago, IL
Teaching and conducting research in the Department of Cinema and Media Studies.
University of Notre Dame • Notre Dame, IN
Led the Graphic Design program, focusing on integrating design education with theory and practice.
Indiana University • Bloomington, IN
Contributed to the curriculum and developed courses in media arts and design.
Department of Philosophy