Riah Buchanan

Riah Buchanan is an Associate Professor and Director of the MFA Graphic Design program at Otis College of Art and Design. She teaches studio and theory courses to both BFA and MFA Graphic Design students, including the innovative class Making with AI Generators, and contributes expertise in time-based media, branding, and visual identity to the department.

Education:

• PhD candidate at the University of Washington, Center for Digital Art and Experimental Media
• MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art (2D Design)
• Post-Baccalaureate from Minneapolis College of Art and Design
• BA in Psychology from Carleton College

Research and Practice: Buchanan specializes in public sector and nonprofit design work, with clients including the National Park Service, ACLU, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Her practice extends to editorial work as a member of the Media-N: Journal of the New Media Caucus editorial board and publishing the seasonal journal Desert Times from her desert home.