Curriculum Vitae
January 2025

Nikki Juen is an academic leader and relational designer with a proven record of innovative program development, faculty leadership, and strategic academic initiatives. Extensive experience in low-residency and interdisciplinary arts education, with a focus on student success, diversity in faculty representation, and the evolution of arts curricula to meet contemporary challenges. Committed to fostering equity, creativity, and collaboration in academic environments.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS + AWARDS

Relational Design Fellow, The Center for Women and Gender, 2021
Office of the Provost, Roger Williams University

Committee Chair, Graphic Design Faculty Search Committee, 2020 to 2021
Department of Media + Design + Communication
Roger Williams University

Hybrid Teaching Hero Award, 2020
Student Senate Academic Affairs Committee
Roger Williams University

Intelligent.com, Best Low-Residency MFA in Graphic Design, 2021
Faculty Co-Chair, MFA in Graphic Design
Vermont College of Fine Arts

John D. Frazier Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2019
Rhode Island School of Design

Educator to Watch, 2018
Graphic Design USA Magazine

EDUCATION

Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art, 2016
Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier, Vermont

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, 1990
Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island

Bachelor of Arts, 1990
Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island

TEACHING PRACTICE

Assistant Professor, Roger Williams University, 2019 to 2023
Department of Media + Design + Communication
Feinstein School of Humanities, Arts and Education

Faculty Co-Chair, Vermont College of Fine Arts, 2017 to 2022
Master of Fine Art in Graphic Design, Vermont College of Fine Arts

Assistant Professor-in-Residence, Rhode Island School of Design, 2018 to 2019
Division of Experimental and Foundation Studies: Design

Critic + Lecturer, Rhode Island School of Design, 2014 to 2018
Division of Experimental and Foundation Studies: Design

Founding and Core Faculty, Vermont College of Fine Arts, 2011 to 2022
Master of Fine Art in Graphic Design, Vermont College of Fine Arts

Critic + Lecturer, Rhode Island School of Design, 2006 to 2011
Division of Experimental and Foundation Studies: Design
Graphic Design Department: Form and Communication + Advanced Typography

Design Instructor, Community College of Rhode Island, 2004 to 2006
Art Department: Graphic Design 1

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Co-Director + Relational Designer, Brick x Brick, 2016 to present

Co-Founder, Velvet Sledge Collective, 2018 to 2022

Co-Founder, Public Displays of Affection Collective, 2017 to 2024

Co-Founder + Vice President, happymatter.com, 2001 to 2024

Senior Designer, RISD Design Marketing Collaborative, 2002 to 2004

Founder, Nicole Juen Studio, 1991 to 2001

Designer + Office Manager, Plus Design Incorporated, 1989 to 1991

SCHOLARSHIP ACTIVITIES

Visiting Critic for Senior Degree Projects, 2019 to present
Rhode Island School of Design, Graphic Design Department

Relational Design Fellow, The Center for Women and Gender, 2021
Office of the Provost, Roger Williams University

Chair, Graphic Design Faculty Search Committee, 2020
Roger Williams University, Graphic Design Program
Department of Media + Design + Communication

Academic Advisor to 27 undergraduate students, 2020 to 2023
Roger Williams University, Graphic Design Program
Department of Media + Design + Communication

SECCM Adaptive Reuse Design Team, 2019 to 2023
Roger Williams University, The Design Lab

Internship Mentoring, Center for Career and Professional Development
Roger Williams University, Graphic Design Program

Graphic Design Curriculum Committee Chair, 2017 to 2022
Vermont College of Fine Arts, MFA in Graphic Design

Faculty Advisory Committee, 2011 to 2022
Vermont College of Fine Arts, MFA in Graphic Design

Academic Council, 2017 to 2022
Vermont College of Fine Arts

Graphic Design Faculty Search Committee, 2019 to 2020
Roger Williams University, Graphic Design Program
Department of Media + Design + Communication

Academic Advisor to 9 undergraduate students, 2018 to 2019
Roger Williams University, Graphic Design Program
Department of Media + Design + Communication

New Faculty Learning Community, 2019 to 2020
Roger Williams University

Internship Mentoring, Center for Career and Professional Development
Roger Williams University

Design + Diversity Conference, Chicago, IL, August 2019
Keynote Lecture and Workshop titled, Designing for Dissent

Academic Advisor to 21 undergraduate students, 2018 to 2019
Rhode Island School of Design
Division of Experimental and Foundation Studies: Design

Ad-Hoc Committee on Institutional Learning Outcomes, 2018 to 2019
Rhode Island School of Design

Project Thrive Mentor, 2018 to 2019
Rhode Island School of Design

Visiting Critic, December 2017
Design School in the Visual Communication Department, Arizona State University

Visiting Critic, December 2017
Design Department, College of Visual and Performing Arts
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

Keynote Speaker, March 2017
Women in Design: Leading with Intent and Integrity
American Institute of Graphic Arts, Chicago

Multidisciplinary BFA Curriculum Committee, 2017
Vermont College of Fine Arts

Advisor and Systems Designer, 2017 to 2019
Institute of Queer Ecology, queerecology.org

Workshop Leader and Visiting Lecturer, Making Meaning Workshop, 2013
Rhode Island School of Design, Graphic Design Department

Visiting Critic for Senior Degree Projects, 2008 to 2011
Design Department, College of Visual and Performing Arts
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

MFA Thesis Advisor, 2008 to 2011
Rhode Island School of Design, Graphic Design Department

Visiting Critic, Certificate Program in Graphic Design, 2008 and 2009
Rhode Island School of Design, Continuing Education

Committee Member, Curriculum Planning, 2009
Rhode Island School of Design, Graphic Design Department

Curator, The 500 Show, 2008
Graphic Design Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design

Independent and Collaborative Study Advisor, 2007 to 2019
Graphic Design, Industrial Design and Furniture Design DepartmentsRhode Island School of Design

Host and Producer, Movie Premier, 2007
Director Gary Hustwit’s documentary, Helvetica
Rhode Island School of Design

G R A N T S

Roger Williams University, Foundation to Promote Scholarship and Teaching, 2022
Adjacent Futures: Relational Design for Designers and Design Educators

Roger Williams University, Foundation to Promote Scholarship and Teaching, 2020
The Love Lab: Research for Reparative Pedagogies

Rhode Island School of Design, Professional Development Fund, 2019
The Delta Trilogy: Vol. 2 Preexisting Condition

Rhode Island School of Design, Part-Time Faculty Fund
The Delta Trilogy: Vol. 1 Cyborg Matr, 2016
The Bees Knees, 2009

FELLOWSHIPS + RESIDENCIES

Making and Being Fellowship, Center for Complexity, 2019 to 2020
Rhode Island School of Design

Queer.Archive.Work Risograph Residency, 2020
Roger Williams Design Lab Research

Wandawega Design Residency, Elkhorn, WI, August 2019
Public Displays of Affection Collective: AQUIAQUI

PUBLICATIONS

Urgency Reader, Queer.Archive.Work, 2019
Excerpt from The Cyborg Matr, Graduate Thesis

Haute Topics in Graphic Design, video series, 2019 to 2020

Visual Strategies for the Apocolypse, 2019
Contributing Writer, Published by Wordshape

Here / There, 2017
Contributing Writer for Performing Pedagogy, a publication of the
MFA in Visual Art Program of Vermont College of Fine Arts

The Pussy Party Collective, 2017
Contributing Writer + Artist for Pussy Party Collective Zine to benefit Planned Parenthood

‘In Residence’, 2014
Contributing Writer, Alumni Magazine of Vermont College of Fine Arts

‘Providence Journal Newspaper’, 2013 to 2014
Weekly Yoga Columnist for the Thrive Section

COLLECTIONS

Brick x Brick Jumpsuit, Collection of Letterform Archive, 2022

Misery Wont Touch You Gentle, Collection of Chicago Design Museum, 2018

Abacus, Collection of John Hay Library, Brown University, 1989

EXHIBITIONS

Group Show, 2018
Chicago Design Museum, IL

Two-Person Show, 2018
St. Claude Gallery, The University of New Orleans, LA

Solo Show, 2018
Nonchalant Mom Gallery, RI

Group Exhibition, 2015 + 2017
OneWay Gallery, RI

Faculty Biennial, 2008 + 2015
Rhode Island School of Design, Museum of Art, RI

Annual Juried Exhibition, 2006
Newport Art Museum, RI

Annual Juried Exhibition, 2006
Island Arts Gallery, RI

Open Juried Exhibition, 2006
South County Art Association, RI

DESIGN AWARDS

Bookbuilders of Boston, 1996
New England Book Show for ‘All Things Connected: Native American Creations’

Roger Williams Museum of Natural History and Planetarium
American Association of Museums, 1996

Museum Publication Design for ‘All Things Connected: Native American Creations’
Roger Williams Museum of Natural History and Planetarium

New England Museum Association, 1996
Publications Design Award for ‘All Things Connected: Native American Creations’
Roger Williams Museum of Natural History and Planetarium

Design Annual, 1995
American Institute for Graphic Arts for the Getty Center Fellowship Brochure and
the Alcan Aluminum Lecture Series Poster

Champion Paper Imagination Award, 1995
for ‘Girvin Bicycle Forks Packaging’

Champion Paper Imagination Award, 1992
for ‘The Getty Center Fellowship Poster’

New England Book Show, 1991
Bookbuilders of Boston for the ‘Architectural Design Collaborators Book’

Certificate of Design Excellence, 1990
Print Magazine Regional Design Annual for ‘Philip’s Total Care Salon Business Cards’