Mehrdad Sedaghat-Baghbani

Mehrdad Sedaghat-Baghbani, assistant professor of Graphic Design in the Department of Visual Arts and Art History, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters joined the faculty in 2019. An Iranian-born artist, designer, and educator his research and projects focus on hybrid visual culture and its relationship to global politics in the Middle East and the United States. "At FAU I hope to prepare students not only for careers as professional graphic designers but also with a heightened understanding of design as a social practice," said Professor Sedaghat-Baghbani.

Professor Sedaghat-Baghbani explains that the mission of a progressive design educational program is to aid students to prepare for their role in society, with particular concern for the issues of participatory culture, sustainability, systems design, interdisciplinary teamwork, and research. "Furthermore, I believe that a dynamic education system should train students to understand the social signals, trends, and technological advances in contemporary societies. They can not only design for today's needs but also set agendas for exploring our preferred world in the future. By defining projects and providing study opportunities in the heart of the assignments, I try to put them in a position to seek their place as citizen designers in the communities they live in and with a problem-solving approach to identify and solve problems," he said.

In terms of his arrival on campus two years ago, Professor Sedaghat-Baghbani said he was very lucky to begin his journey as a faculty member in FAU’s diverse environment. "Working with diverse groups of students and colleagues has always been my unique experience at FAU, which not only exposes the multiple voices within the community but helps students better understand their own identity, primarily related to a more significant identity as a human being," he said. "As the Iranian poet Saadi Shirazi wrote: Human beings are members of a whole/In creation of one essence and soul."

Sedaghat-Baghbani’s research and projects focus on hybrid visual culture and its relationship to global politics in the Middle East and the United States. Born out of his life experience spanning two cultures, Sedaghat-Baghbani work critically and creatively focuses on human interactions. "In doing so I hopes to enlighten individuals beyond what is commonly available in mainstream media, create opportunities for discourse and ultimately bring people together where politics has failed," he said.

Mehrdad’s work has been presented in solo and group exhibitions, internationally and nationally at numerous venues, including the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, East Lansing; MI, Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, MI; Radin Art Gallery, Mashhad, Iran; and Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran. He is also the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships, including the Summer College Research Abroad Monies Award and the Selma & Stanley Hollander Fellowship while at MSU.

Sedaghat-Baghbani, who moved to the U.S. in 2016 to pursue his MFA degree at Michigan State University, now makes his home in Margate. "During my free time, I like to spend time with family and friends. We play volleyball every Saturday. In addition, I listen to podcasts while working or driving," he said.

Sedaghat-Baghbani’s work can be viewed online via http://www.mehrdadsedaghat.com/.