Silhouette of Audrey Bennett cut out of black paper.

Logotype for Baohouse, Professor Audrey G. Bennett's virtual design studio, typeset in a script font.

A virtual design studio directed by Audrey G. Bennett

BAO is a game played in Africa. Here, it is used metaphorically to describe collaborative designing remotely. While other researchers have used the virtual design studio concept to represent computer-supported, cooperative work, these human-computer interactions are typically for professional projects (e.g., architects talking to architects). With Baohouse (pronounced Bauhaus), I aim to engage lay communities locally and remotely. It is an immaterial and motile space where I conduct theoretical and applied research collaboratively.

My interdisciplinary research agenda below comprises over 29 years of studies on how “interactive aesthetics” (Bennett 2021; Bennett 2002) can address complex societal challenges that create barriers to social justice.

Collaborators et al.

Marguerite Botha, University of Pretoria, South Africa (Children’s Health in SA)
Fatima Cassim, University of Pretoria, South Africa (Children’s Health in SA)
Chris Corneal, Michigan State University (I Profess)
Ron Eglash, School of Information + Stamps, University of Michigan (Diversifying STEM; Artisanal Robots; HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention; Humanoid Robots; and Life)
Mukkai Krishnamoorthy Department of Computer Science, Rensselaer (Diversifying STEM)
Michael Lachney, Michigan State University (Diversifying STEM)
Lionel Roberts, School of Information, University of Michigan (Artisanal Robots)
Jennifer A. Vokoun, Walsh University (Critically Mapping Sustainable Food Design)
William Babbitt, Research Associate, Rensselaer (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)
Adream Blair (GLIDE’10-’12)
Gloria Gomez (GLIDE’10-’12)
Muthoni Kimani (GLIDE’12)
Michele Washington (GLIDE’08-’12)
University of Michigan Doctoral Students:
Kwame Robinson, SI (Artisanal Robots)
Caitlin Dyche, C&M, LSA (The Just Museum Experience)

University of Michigan Masters Students:
Megan Freund, Stamps (Diversifying STEM)
Kayla Guillory, Stamps (WSDOM)
Shelbi Lisecki, Stamps (Interactive Aesthetics)
Stephanie Szemetylo, Stamps (WSDOM)
Nicholas Lamarca, Stamps (The Just Museum Experience)

Rensselaer Doctoral Students:
David Banks (Red Card)
Brian Callahan (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)
Michael Lachney (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)
John Licato (Red Card)
Ray Lutzky (Diversifying STEM, DYF)
Marie Rarieya (Act Now)
Dylan Rees (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)

Rensselaer Masters Students:
Sarah Diodato (Act Now)
Angelo Gaetano (Act Now)
Mark Oppenneer (GLIDE)
University of Michigan
Rohan Agrawal (WSDOM)
Katie Bailey (WSDOM)
Tawsif Habib (WSDOM)
Chloe Hooker (Diversifying STEM)
Gautham Jayaraj (WSDOM)
Zahra Makim (WSDOM)
Michael McCallig(WSDOM)
Amirul Miah (Diversifying STEM)
Lara Niemchick (Heritage Algorithms)
Angela Ponce Solano (WSDOM)
Aaron VonBargen (WSDOM)
Daniel Williams (DESIS Lab)
Rensselaer Laura Antoniello (Social Media Marketing)
Zac Autio (Diversifying STEM, DYF)
Melissa Batalin (GLIDE)Joe Brust (Act Now)
Jesse Cline (Diversifying STEM, DYF)
Mackenzie Clippard (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)
Joyce Edwards (Act Now)
Kim Gomboz (GLIDE)
Andy Lao (Social Media Marketing)
Ashlee Lindo (GLIDE)
Rajas Nagpurkar (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)
Natalie Semczuk (Diversifying STEM, DYF)
Laura Sherman (Act Now)
Kelly Singco (GLIDE)
Donna Tytko (Act Now)
Carla Voorhees (Act Now)
Marcel Bennett (Diversifying STEM, DYF)
Moriah Harling (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)
Jamie Park (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)
Jonathan Ward (Diversifying STEM, DYF)
Kimi Wenzel (Diversifying STEM, CS4HS)