Higher Education
Educators help others grow and see them become leaders in Industrial Design.
Betsy’s and her students. Provided by Betsy Barnhart, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Betsy Barnhart, Designer, Researcher, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas based in Lawrence, Kansas
A little about Betsy Barnhart, Industrial Designer, Educator, and Design + women in design Advocate based in Lawrence
Betsy Barnhart, IDSA is an Assistant Professor and Program Director of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas. She is also a leader of IDSA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (DEIC). Betsy was the recipient of the Industrial Designers Society of America’s (IDSA) Young Educator of the Year Award in 2020. Betsy received her Bachelor of Fine Art, BFA in Fine & Studio Arts from Alfred University in 2002; and was awarded her Masters of Fine Arts, MFA in Industrial Design from Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Design in 2007.
Betsy's research focuses on addressing inequities in industrial design: specifically, the under representation of women in practice, design leadership, and in education. She is gathering core data to better assess the status of women and minorities in Industrial Design practice and conducting skills assessments internationally to show disparities in learning outcomes for women and minorities in Industrial Design education. She is also an accomplished sporting goods designer with over 15 years of Industrial Design experience and continues her professional practice designing Lacrosse and Field Hockey equipment for Nike and STX lacrosse, having received several patents for her design work.
Betsy's educational practice is based on her extensive experience as an industrial design practitioner, bringing into the classroom real-world experiences, focusing on innovation and market disruption in consumer products and sporting goods through industry partnerships with companies like Stanley Black and Decker, Orvis, Zebco, and United Sports Brands. She also serves as the faculty advisor to the University of Kansas IDSA Student Chapter.
Betsy’s practice as a design educator, researcher, and practicing Industrial Designer within academia.
An academic Industrial Design position can take several forms, including being a Professor who teaches and conducts research, a full-time lecturer who teaches and does not conduct research, or a part-time adjunct faculty member.
As the Program Director and an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas, I have many responsibilities. As the Program Director, I must understand the needs and trends in our field. What will the future of Industrial Design be in the next 5-10 years? What are the current needs in the industry? I work with our faculty to schedule courses, recruit students, review portfolios, and admit applicants to our program. As a professor, I am responsible for both teaching and conducting research with the goal of growing the field and being a driver of change.
“I create a plan to meet those needs and create a strategy for short and long term academic goals for our department.”
The Nike Lunar Elite 3, stylishly documented. Designed by Betsy Barnhart, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS
A career in Academia is incredibly rewarding,
—it is multi-faceted and stimulating. I am able to choose my research path and have been able to continue my work as a sporting goods product designer, designing Lacrosse equipment for STX and Nike Lacrosse. I love working with athletes to create products that enable them to perform at a higher level.
As an ACADEMIC, I have been able to publish and present papers internationally talking about the need for diversity in ID and how we can all make a difference.
As a TEACHER, I bring industry into the classroom, my students work with design teams from DeWalt, Kelty, Orvis, and other brands. Nothing is as rewarding as seeing my students proudly present their work to professionals.
“Another aspect of my academic research has been to speak about and be an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion for women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and LGTBQ Industrial Designers.”
Reagan Key, Betsy Barnhart, and Katya Jones. Betsy presented at the Women In Design Summit, October 2018 Chicago, Illinois. Image provided by Besty Barnhart, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Screenshot of Betsy’s students provided by Betsy Barnhart, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Matthew Berkshire and Aaron Angeles testing out their tent mock-up for their Kelty project. Provided by Betsy Barnhart, Program Director and Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
This year my sophomore studio was able to work on tent designs with the Kelty design team. This included following the exact design process as the Kelty team, with the same deliverables as would be done in their studio.
“Seeing my sophomores produce high quality models, design innovative outcomes, and create documents that would be sent to manufacturers was fantastic.”
Final thoughts from Betsy, for those of you wanting to pursue a career as an educator in academia, impact the lives of the next generation of design students under a university umbrella & college atmosphere.
An unexpected aspect of being a Professor is my relationships are with my former students. Watching them grow as professionals and seeing them become leaders in Industrial Design is a source of pride and makes all of the hard work worthwhile. This is a fabulous career for Women in Industrial Design. As an educator, you chart your own path, have flexibility, and have a long-lasting impact on the field itself.
THANK YOU, Betsy, FOR GIVING US A GLIMPSE INTO YOUR CAREER & WORK AS AN INSPIRING WOMAN IN DESIGN.
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