
Helen Armstrong is an associate professor of graphic design at North Carolina State University. She has an MA in English Literature from The University of Mississippi, an MA in Publication Design from the University of Baltimore and an MFA in Graphic Design from The Maryland Institute College of Art. Her work has been recognized by Print and HOW Magazine, and included in numerous publications in the U.S. and the UK. At NC State she is a founding member of the Immersive Experience Lab. She was named a University Faculty Scholar in 2018. From 2013–2015 she served as co-chair of the AIGA Design Educators Community Steering Committee, striving to build up AIGA communities of students and educators. Currently she serves on the National Board of Directors of AIGA and the editorial board of Design and Culture. Armstrong authored Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field (Princeton Architectural Press, 2009) and co-authored Participate: Designing with User-Generated Content (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011) with Zvezdana Stojmirovic. Her new book Digital Design Theory: Readings from the Field explores works by both designers and programmers, examining the two threads of discourse—design and computation—that have rapidly merged to define contemporary graphic design. Currently, Armstrong is combining her knowledge of participatory practice with computational thinking to explore the potential of intelligent interfaces (i.e. machine learning) to address the needs of individuals with disabilities. Research Interests: Participatory Design, Design and Computation, AR/VR, Inclusive Design, Machine Learning