First Canada Research Chairs
In November 2014, Associate Professors Amber Frid-Jimenez and Dr. Garnet Hertz were appointed to Canada Research Chairs. This historic milestone marks the first Canada Research Chair appointments for Emily Carr University of Art + Design recognizing the university’s capacity, faculty and contributions-to-date in the fields of art, media and design research.
This autumn, the Honourable Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology) announced the appointment of 137 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs at 34 postsecondary institutions across the country. The esteemed group will receive an investment of more than $118 million in education and research funding to promote innovation and the advancement of the country’s knowledge economy by supporting top-tier talent at Canadian post-secondary institutions.
“We are honoured that our University and the work of Dr. Garnet Hertz and Amber Frid-Jimenez are being recognized by the Government of Canada,” said David Bogen, Vice President Academic + Provost, Emily Carr University of Art + Design. “The appointment of our first Canada Research Chairs is significant at every level – for our institution’s culture of research, for our academic programs, and for our students who will work directly with some of today’s greatest artists, designers, and scholars in their prospective fields.” The allocation of Chairs to individual universities is an integral part of the Canada Research Chairs program. Firstly, the allocation process ensures a dynamic program that responds to shifting research success at Canada’s academic institutions. Secondly, the process works to attract and retain individuals who are recognized as the world’s most accomplished and promising researchers.
Associate Professor Amber Frid-Jimenez is an awarding-winning interaction and print designer who has taught design studios and seminars at the Rhode Island School of Design, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Visual Arts Program, the National Arts Academy (KHiB) in Bergen, Norway, and most recently at Emily Carr University of Art + Design. She holds a Masters in Media Arts and Sciences from the MIT Media Lab where she studied with John Maeda.
Associate Professor Dr. Garnet Hertz’s work explores themes of DIY culture and interdisciplinary art/design practices. His work has been shown at several notable international venues including SIGGRAPH, Arts Electronica, and DEAF, and he was awarded the 2008 Oscar Signorini Award in robotic art. He is the founder and director of Dorkbot SoCal, a monthly Los Angeles-based lecture series, has taught at the Art Center College of Design, the University of California, Irvine, and is now Associate Professor at Emily Carr University of Art + Design.
