Carnegie Mellon University, School of Design

CMU's impact is undeniable on Pittsburgh's cultural identity. Learn more about CMU's creative contributions to the city with examples from Design alumnus Burton Morris and School of Design Professor Kristin Hughes.

Carnegie Mellon Artists Contribute to Pittsburgh’s Cultural Identity Carnegie Mellon University serves as a vital anchor for the regional arts ecosystem. Through hands-on opportunities and mentorship from celebrated alumni — including this weekend's visiting Tony-Award nominees — CMU cultivates emerging talent that actively shapes and elevates Pittsburgh’s cult...

Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design has appointed Jonathan Chapman as its new Head of School, effective June 1, 2026. An internationally recognized design theorist and educator, Chapman has been a member of the faculty since 2017, most recently serving as Director of Doctoral Studies, where he led the School’s pioneering PhD in Transition Design, a program training designers to confront the most complex social and ecological challenges of our time.

https://www.design.cmu.edu/news/carnegie-mellon-school-design-names-jonathan-chapman-new-head-school

It's summer! Are you walking around campus looking for something to do? There is an incredible amount of art all over CMU to enjoy! Like this work, "Reliefs II" in the Tepper Building Quad by Design's Mark Baskinger and Jim Daniels, a former Professor in CMU's School of English.

"Reliefs II," fabricated by Dee Briggs, is an extension and interpretation of Robert Lepper's "Relief." The installation is comprised of five thematic panels: ethics, synergy, empathy, discovery, and perseverance.

https://www.cmu.edu/public-art

Congratulations to our outstanding students who made the College of Fine Arts Dean’s List for Spring 2026. The criteria for the dean's list is the top one-third of QPAs in each school within CFA.

Dean's List for Spring 2026 Announced | CMU School of Design Congratulations to our outstanding students who made the College of Fine Arts Dean’s List for Spring 2026. The criteria for the dean's list is the top one-third of QPAs in each school within CFA.

The School of Design's Dylan Vitone is a featured photographer as part of MFA Boston's current exhibit "Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography."

“Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography” explores the evolving techniques photographers have used to record the human experience as it has played out in populous urban spaces—from Harlem and Los Angeles to Tokyo and Istanbul—over five decades.

"Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography" runs until July 13, 2026.

https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/faces-in-the-crowd-street-photography

The School of Design, in partnership with CMU Portugal and the Interactive Technologies Institute, is proud to launch the IASDR 2027 Conference, “Designing Futures: Sustaining Humanity in the Age of AI”. Assist us in shaping the conversations for the conference to be held in Lisbon, Portugal in October 2027. Your input and ideas are invaluable as we continue our conference planning and we look forward to your contributions.

IASDR 2027 Call for Input Your voice matters. CMU's School of Design is proud to launch the IASDR 2027 Conference in partnership with CMU Portugal and the Interactive Technologies Institute. Assist us in shaping the future of the International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR 2027) conference “Designing F...

Rising junior Danny Linitz has been awarded the 2026 Pangaro Cybernetics Prize for Outstanding Design Proposal, recognized for his proposal rethinking the design of at-home oral HIV testing systems through the lens of cybernetics and systems thinking.

Danny Linitz Wins the 2026 Pangaro Cybernetics Prize | CMU School of Design Rising junior Danny Linitz has been awarded the 2026 Pangaro Cybernetics Prize for Outstanding Design Proposal, recognized for his proposal rethinking the design of at-home oral HIV testing systems through the lens of cybernetics and systems thinking.

After almost 50 years, countless classes, and having taught legion of thankful students, our own Steve Stadelmeier is retiring from the School of Design. Summing up Steve's legacy is an impossible task, so we all got together for a party, laid out a mere sampling of some of Steve's treasures/curiosities and brought our bicycles for one of the most well-deserved victory laps CMU's campus has ever seen.

Congratulations, Steve!

It's our first official day without the Class of 2026 and it goes without saying that we miss them dearly. What an incredible bunch of Designers and we can't wait to see what they do from here.

Congratulations Class of 2026!