Industrial design faculty recognized for their contributions to academia

11 Oct 2024

Martha Sullivan and Isobel Prochner — Associate Professor of Practice and Chair of Industrial Design Martha Sullivan (at left) and Assistant Professor Isabel Prochner were recognized for their achievements at the Industrial Designers Society of America International Design Conference. Photo by Ella Hiley for Virginia Tech.

Associate Professor of Practice and Chair of Industrial Design Martha Sullivan and Assistant Professor Isabel Prochner, both of the School of Design in the College of Architecture, Arts, Design, were recognized for their achievements at the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) International Design Conference. Sullivan received the Career Educator Award and Prochner accepted the Young Educator Award on Sept. 13, 2024.

Sullivan, who received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Architecture degrees from Virginia Tech, has been a member of the university’s faculty since 2007. Her interest areas include ceramics, product design, wellness, service learning, and community development. She has been a visiting scholar at Telemark University College in Notodden, Norway, and at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts in Shanghai, China. The latter resulted in a large-scale collaborative ceramic tile installation at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai. Sullivan has also been honored with the Outreach Award for what was then the School of Architecture + Design, as well as the Virginia Tech Excellence in Teaching Award.

Prochner received a Bachelor of Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and a Master of Applied Science and Ph.D. from the University of Montreal. She is a teacher, researcher, and industrial designer focused on socially and community-engaged design. Her explorations of sex and gender equity in design culminated in the 2023 publication of her second book, “Designing for Sex and Gender Equity.” Throughout her career, Prochner has taught design at five universities: Virginia Tech, Syracuse University, the University of Montreal, Laval University in Quebec City, Canada, and Concordia University in Montreal.

Founded in 1965, IDSA is a nationally recognized association for industrial design professionals. The IDSA Career Educator Award recognizes significant and long-term contributions of individuals to the field of industrial design academia. The IDSA Young Educator Award recognizes junior faculty and non-tenured educators who have made a positive impact on industrial design education within the early years of their careers.

This story was written by Ashley Falat, a junior communications major.