Ellen Lupton

Ellen Lupton is the Betty Cooke and William O. Steinmetz Design Chair at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). She is also Senior Curator of Contemporary Design at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, where she has curated major exhibitions such as The Senses: Design Beyond Vision and Beautiful Users. An accomplished author, her books include Thinking with Type, Graphic Design: The New Basics, and Design Is Storytelling.

• Academic Rank: Professor
• Institution: Maryland Institute College of Art
• Curatorial Role: Senior Curator at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Lupton’s research and creative work bridges design theory, typography, and interdisciplinary practices, emphasizing how design shapes communication and user experience. Her collaborations span education, curation, and public engagement.

She has received prestigious honors, including the AIGA Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement and Fellowship in the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.