Robert plays a leadership role in the design community through his teaching, work and research. He is currently chair of the Department of Art and Design, coordinator of the design studies program and assistant professor at MacEwan University with a teaching focus in user experience design (UXD). Previous to his appointment at MacEwan, Robert taught part-time as a sessional instructor for 12 years at the University of Alberta teaching a range of courses such as design fundamentals, design research, design issues and interaction design. During this time, Robert worked for the federal government as a user experience designer until 2006 and since then has run his own digital design company, Big Pixel Creative creating websites and apps for government organizations and non-profits. Most recently, Robert was elected to the board of Digital Alberta, an industry association focused on making digital a top-three driver of Alberta’s GDP. Additionally, Robert was co-chair organizing UX Edmonton’s annual conference, UX Camp. Robert’s Masters and current research is about the philosophy of design, specifically, how design bridges the gap between engineering, social science and the arts and the role design theory plays in providing a strong foundation for design education and practice.
