Kate Parsons

Kate Parsons is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Digital Art at Seaver College, Pepperdine University, jointly affiliated with the departments of Fine Art and Communication Studies. She is an active video artist and educator whose work examines human connections to ecological systems and expressions of grief through digital media.

Education

• MFA in Media Arts, UCLA (2015)
• MA in Digital Art and Video, CSU-Northridge (2013)
• BFA, Montana State University (2005)

Research Focus

Her interdisciplinary research merges emerging technologies with existential themes. Primary domains include VR/AR environments, spatial computing, digital glitch aesthetics, and the intersection of art with ecological awareness. Recent projects like the Fireline Series use Unreal Engine to visualize environmental fragility through simulated wildfires.

Professional Practice

Beyond academia, she co-directs FLOAT—a VR/AR studio featured at Sundance and SFMOMA—and founded Femmebit, a festival platform for women in new media. Her residencies at Stanford and the Media Archaeology Lab reflect sustained engagement with experimental media infrastructures.

Teaching

At Pepperdine, she develops curriculum around digital creation, including courses in VR animation, video art production, and interdisciplinary media design.