Eric O'Toole

My work as a designer and educator operates within a multi-disciplinary space. I hold degrees in Industrial Design and Interactive Digital Art with a professional practice creating interpretive exhibition design. I have designed exhibitions for clients across the country. I am currently the Assistant Dean for the School of Design as well as a long-time faculty member in the Graduate Communications Design department.

My professional and academic careers are both connected to teaching and learning. The exhibitions I created were for informal learning institutions, including national parks, history museums, nature centers, children’s museums, and science centers. My academic teaching and administrative work are also directly tied to teaching and learning, from my direct engagement in the classroom to my work crafting and guiding curriculum within the School.

As a designer and educator, I am actively engaged in promoting, teaching, and integrating sustainability as a core principle and concern. I am a dedicated collaborator who has, more often than not, worked in multidisciplinary teams and, through these efforts, learned the value of shared creation. Finally, I am a builder. I believe there is no better way to gain a deeper understanding of a material, process, or system than by crafting it yourself. I have created furniture, software, curriculum, interactives, and environments over the last 30+ years.

B.I.D. Industrial Design, Pratt Institute
M.F.A. Interactive Digital Arts, Pratt Institute