Main Content Region

Rob Ray

Rob Ray

Associate Professor

Contact

Associate Professor
Art and Design
Office Phone(909) 537-3812
Office LocationVA-214

Bio

Rob Ray is an artist, Associate Professor of Design at California State University, San Bernardino, and a senior technical experience designer at Electronic Arts. As a user experience (UX) and user interfaces (UI) designer focused on extended realities (XR) and creative technologies, Rob has spent the past 18 years developing digital strategies, leading development teams, and prototyping interactive electronics for a broad range of clients and collaborators.

From 2017 to 2020, Rob was a senior lead designer for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. At NASA JPL, he led the human-centered design practice for ProtoSpace, the Lab’s flagship collaborative augmented reality (AR) platform for scientists and engineers. He also served as the user interfacing lead for VITAL, two FDA-approved emergency-use low-cost ventilators developed as part of NASA’s national response to COVID-19. 

Rob has also served in technology leadership roles at Leo Burnett, Arc Worldwide, Element 79 Partners, and Blitz Agency. Rob’s non-profit, civic, and educational clients include the LA Phil, Arts for L.A., UCLA REMAP, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Chicago Artists Coalition. His brand work includes Apple, Alexia Foods, Bayer, Celebrity Cruises, Gatorade, Kellogg’s, Kraft Foods, Nordic Naturals and Pepsi. Rob has served on the advisory boards of VII, a premier photojournalism agency, the Array Project, and Radius experimental radio.

From 1999 to 2008, Rob was the founding curator of the DEADTECH electronic arts center in Chicago, IL. DEADTECH’s unique curatorial vision, residency facilities, workshop facilities, and exhibition space were custom created for the specific needs of technology-centered artists and performers. DEADTECH exhibited artists from across the globe, including the Beige Programming Ensemble, Silvia Ruzanka, Institute for Applied Autonomy, Sabine Gruffat, Norman White, Myfanwy Ashmore, The Seemen, Huong Ngo, and Kazuyuki K. Null.

Education

2010 Master of Fine Arts in Electronic Arts 
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York

2006 Bachelor of Arts – Magna Cum Laude
Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois

 

Courses/Teaching

  • MFA & MA in Studio Art: Graduate Studio Critique (ART 6620)
  • Independent Study (ART 5953)
  • Design Internship (DES 5590)
  • Virtual Reality (DES 4610)
  • User Interface and User Experience Design (DES 3715)
  • Web and Application Design (DES 3205)
  • Junior Portfolio Review (DES 3100)
  • Digital 3D and Time-Based Media (DES 2600) 
  • Design Thinking (DES 1125)