Heather Snyder Quinn

About Heather Snyder Quinn

I am an Associate Professor of Design and Civics Institute Teacher-Scholar at DePaul University. In 2024, I was named a “Researcher to Know” by the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, and I serve on the board of directors for DePaul’s Institute for Business and Professional Ethics. In 2022, I was an Op-Ed Public Voice Fellow and received both the Wicklander Fellowship in Ethics and the Excellence in Teaching Award.My work explores the intersection of design fiction, technology, and civic engagement—helping communities imagine possible futures and critically engage with emerging technologies. My projects have been recognized by the World Economic Forum, MIT Press, Yale Law School, The Washington Post, Letterform Archive, Draw Down Books, and Hyperallergic.Dedicated to improving society through design, I serve as Chair and Director of Design Futures for Design Incubation, an organization that elevates research in design. Previously, I co-chaired AIGA Chicago’s Women Lead. I live in Chicago with my husband, Joe, and our two daughters.

Experience

1. Creative Director, Experience Design

   Parallel Futures Design Lab

   Jan 2019 — Present

   A digital transformation organization integrating design fiction, futures, and foresight to imagine the ethical implications of design and technology on society. Our clients include Dentsu, Neste, NASA, 3Cloud, The Letterform Archive, and The World Economic Forum. We have received significant recognition from The Washington Post, Hyperallergic, AIGA, and The Society of Typographic Arts.

Education

• Rhode Island School of Design

  BFA, Graphic Design

  1993 — 1996

• Vermont College of Fine Arts

  MFA, Graphic Design

  2016 — 2018

• University of Michigan

  Studied design and liberal arts

  1992 — 1993