Faculty

Profile

Derek Porter is co-owner and Principal Designer of Derek Porter Studio, a multi-disciplinary design and art studio, where he leads philosophical interests, collaborative thinking and detail development for all architectural lighting design, public art and product design projects. As an extension of his lighting design practice, Derek studies light and space through work in photography and sculpture. Derek is involved with public art commissions as well as actively exhibits his work nationally and internationally. Derek's work is held in numerous corporate and private collections. This more personal investigation of light brings opportunity for deeper introspective study and abstract understanding of subtleties found in human perception, atmospheric conditions and cycles in nature. Derek is currently Associate Professor of Lighting Design at Parsons School of Design. From 2005-2014 he was Director of the Master of Fine Arts Lighting Design Program. He has also taught and been guest lecturer at: Cornell University, London School of Economics, University of Limerick, Tyler School of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Louisiana State University, Kansas City Art Institute, University of Kansas, Drury University, California State University Long Beach and Kansas State University. Additionally he has juried and lectured for the American Institute of Architects, the International Association of Lighting Designers, Professional Lighting Designer's Association, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, Light Fair International, the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York and the Museum of Art and Design in New York. 

Professional Affiliation

International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD)

Illumination Engineering Society of North America (MIES)

Research Interests

lighting, spatial design studies, spatial environments, sustainable design,interior design, product design, industrial design, photography, light art, perception, phenomenology,