Umi HsuView profile
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Umi Hsu (pronouns: they/them) is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Media Design Practices at ArtCenter College of Design and teaches digital analytics strategy at USC Marshall School of Business. They also serve as a digital strategist and senior project coordinator at the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, leading design strategy and digital initiatives that bridge arts, technology, and civic engagement. Hsu holds a PhD in Critical and Comparative Studies in Music from the University of Virginia, with an ethnographic dissertation examining identity articulation and community formation among Asian American musicians in indie rock music scenes. Their academic journey includes a Mellon Digital Scholarship Postdoctoral Fellowship at Occidental College's Center of Digital Learning + Research and an ACLS Public Fellowship, establishing their foundation in public humanities and digital scholarship. As a strategic designer and public humanist, Hsu's research spans digital ethnography, sound-based community practices, public humanities, and open access publishing. Their work explores the intersection of technology, arts, and civic life with a focus on equity and inclusion. Notable projects include the civic sound data initiative LA Listens, which examines sensory, social, and ecological aspects of Los Angeles streets, and Movable Karaoke, a Metro-funded project exploring collective mobility experiences in LA. Hsu has also produced the queer history podcast Periodically Queer for One Institute and developed the Days of Rage Web Exhibit, which received an Awwwards honorable mention. Hsu's academic contributions reflect a consistent engagement with digital methodologies and community-centered approaches, with publications spanning gender studies, urban sound cultures, and digital public humanities. Their work demonstrates how digital tools can enhance community engagement and cultural preservation while addressing issues of accessibility and representation. ACLS Public Fellowship National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Shuttleworth Foundation Fellowship GovTech Award LA Metro Funding Awwwards Honorable Mention for Days of Rage Web Exhibit Government Technology Outstanding IT Award for Neighborhood Arts Profile IDC SmartCities North America Award Finalist As an educator, Hsu has taught undergraduate courses in music, gender studies, and media practice since 2007 at institutions including University of Virginia and Occidental College. At ArtCenter, they lead graduate workshops on design research and advise MFA students in Media Design Practices. Hsu founded Lab at DCA, a digital literacy incubator for city staff, demonstrating their commitment to building digital capacity within municipal government. Their leadership extends to advising organizations including Arts for LA, LA Counts, Cultural Research Network, Center for Cultural Innovation, and Society of Ethnomusicology.
