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Phil Choo

Professor of Graphic Design
Headshot of Penn State Department Head and Professor of Graphic Design Phil Choo
Contact
pchoo@psu.edu
21A Borland

Phil Choo is a professor in the Department of Graphic Design at the Stuckeman School. He served as the department head from 2019 to 2022, overseeing the formal transition of graphic design from a program to a department. During his tenure, Choo played a key role in crafting a new undergraduate design curriculum and inaugurated the Penn State Graphic Design Affiliate Program Group for alumni.

His current research interests encompass the evolution of 21st-century design curricula, with a focus on preparing the next generation of designers to adapt to the dynamic design landscape. Additionally, he is actively engaged in the exploration and teaching of system/service design, seeking to advance the understanding and practice of designing complex, user-centric service systems.

Choo, recognized nationally and internationally, specializes in branding and user experience design. In 2017, he was honored as the Oklahoma State Riata Center for Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellow of the Year. His expertise extends to the realms of virtual reality and mixed reality through his involvement with the Oklahoma State Mixed Reality Lab. Choo is also a founding member of the Oklahoma State University App Center, fostering app development within the university community.

As a freelance designer and consultant, Choo has made significant contributions to various print and UX/UI design projects for a diverse clientele. During his sabbatical, he collaborated with S.S.T. Software, a renowned company in precision agriculture software, where he established a UX/UI design department and facilitated scholarships and internships for graphic design students at Oklahoma State.

Choo’s achievements have garnered recognition through esteemed awards, including accolades from the University and College Designers Association (UCDA), Graphis, International Visual Identity Awards, the American Advertising Awards, and Indigo Design Awards, among others.

Choo earned his M.F.A. from Iowa State University, with an emphasis on visual communication and human interaction design. Prior to his current role, he contributed to the field of graphic design and academia through teaching at Oklahoma State University, the University of the Pacific, the University of Minnesota, and Iowa State University.

  • Education
    • M.F.A. from Iowa State University
      Emphasis: Visual Communication and Human Interaction Design
      Thesis: Graphic User Interface Design for Wireless Application Protocol

    PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

    • Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g) UX Certificate, UXC#1010222
      Usability Week Training Course, NN/g, New York, NY
      Emphasis: UX Basic Training, User Interface Principles, User Research Methods, Wireframing and Prototyping, and Human Mind and Usability
    • Summer Workshops, Basel School of Art and Design, Certificate, Basel, Switzerland
      Emphasis: Inquiry by Design and Poster Design
    • Human-Center Service Design (Certificate # 14425-2839816), IDEO U Online
    • Executive School “This is Service Design Doing” (Certificate), DesignThinker Academy, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Courses Taught
    • GD 203: Advanced Typography
    • GD 301: Experience Design Process + Methods
    • GD 303: Applied Experience Design
    • ART 570: Graduate Studio I in Graphic Design
    • ART 571: Graduate Studio II in Graphic Design
  • Honors + Awards
    • 2023 Indigo Design Award, Design for Social Change. Gold Award in Renewable Energy Art and Design. Designers: Phil Choo, Mihyun Kang, and Padmakumar Renuka. Engineers: Bruce Logan and Paulo Soares
    • 2017 Oklahoma State University Riata Center for Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellow of the Year
  • Exhibitions + Productions

    2023

    • APPEAR: A Juried Exhibition hosted by AIGA, Philadelphia, PA. Choo, P., Kang, M., Logan, B., Padmakumar Renuka, A., & Soares, P. Renewable Energy Art and Design, (Juried/Regional)

    2022

    • Renewable Energy Art and Design Exhibition, Woskob Family Gallery, State College, PA. Kang, M., Choo, P., Logan, B., Padmakumar Renuka, A., and Soares, P. Renewable Energy Art and Design, (Solo/Invitational/Regional)
    • Renewable Energy Art and Design, Graphic Design Faculty Exhibition, Rouse Gallery, State College, PA. Kang, M., Choo, P., Logan, B., Padmakumar Renuka, A., and Soares, P. (Group/Invitational/Regional)
  • Publications + Presentations

    2023

    • Choo, P. (2023). “Cross-Discipline Service Design Project with An Entomological Museum,” 5th International Conference on Pollinator Biology Health & Policy, Penn State, University Park, PA.

    2022

    • Kang, M., Choo, P., Logan, B., Padmakumar Renuka, A.,  and Soares, P. (2022). Mountain Laurel: Renewable Energy Art and Design. Interior Design Educators Council East Regional Conference, New York, NY.
    • Kang, M., Choo, P., Logan, B., Padmakumar Renuka, A.,  and Soares, P. (2022). “Partner with Nature: Renewable Energy Art and Design.” European Conference on Renewable Energy System, Istanbul, Turkey. [online]
    • Kang, M. & Choo, P. (2022). “Renewable Energy Art and Design: A Framework for Solar Energy Education.” European Conference on Renewable Energy System, Istanbul, Turkey. [online]
  • Service + Affiliations
    • Member, America Institute of Graphic Arts
    • Member, University & College Designers Association
  • Expertise
    • Curriculum Design for 21st Century Design Education
    • Service/System Design
    • Branding Design
    • Typography

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