Audrey Bennett

Audrey Bennett is a University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor and Professor of Art & Design at the University of Michigan. She holds affiliations with the U-M Department of Communication and Media. Her research focuses on cross-cultural design, interactive aesthetics, and the impact of images on global culture. She has conducted NSF-funded studies on HIV prevention in Kenya and Ghana and STEM education diversification through indigenous art curricula. Bennett's work emphasizes democratizing image control via technology-enabled collaboration.

Education:

• MFA in Graphic Design, Yale University
• BA in Studio Art, Dartmouth College

Research Interests: Bennett explores interactive aesthetics to foster social change, including HIV prevention strategies and STEM education reforms. Her Engendering Interaction with Images book argues for user-driven design to enhance cross-cultural communication. She investigates how technology bridges design processes between professionals and lay users, advocating for inclusive, participatory frameworks.

Recent Article Trends: Her recent work addresses AI governance, community-based economies, and anti-racist pedagogy. She merges computational methods with cultural equity, emphasizing ethical AI, decolonial computing, and sustainable food systems.

Awards:

• 2015 Andrew W. Mellon Distinguished Scholar
• 1997 College Art Association Fellow
• Best Poster Paper Award (CoDesign 2000)
• NSF Career Award (2007)

Grants & Advising: Bennett leads NSF- and Google-funded projects. She co-edited the Icograda Design Education Manifesto and serves on editorial boards for journals like Journal of Communication Design. Her lab, Baohouse, focuses on design innovation for social justice.