Alumni Spotlight

Sight unseen

Jayden Fortner — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 03:34:03 +0000

Sight unseen Jayden Fortner Sun, 10/04/2026 - 21:34

Jonathan Zong is trying to help designers think about how blind and low-vision people interact with technology—including challenging the idea that access alone is a sufficient goal. Photo by Kimberly Coffin.

Joe Arney

A question guiding technology designers—especially in the age of generative artificial intelligence—is whether their products and services are accessible to all.

Jonathan Zong has a bigger question: Is access enough?

Zong, an assistant professor of information science, has worked with blind and low-vision people to understand how technology can benefit them, as well as the limitations they face in trying to use it. It’s why the work he did as a PhD student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is such a point of pride for him.

“We did all this work to create better, more accessible interfaces for data—but then we asked people why they felt it was important to have access to this data,” he said. “And we heard a lot about agency—people being participatory, as opposed to depending on others to do the analysis for them.”

That was when Zong began to think about how to shift power in ways that invite more people to participate in knowledge creation.

“That project turned into finding ways to not prioritize the visual output—so rather than first designing visualization, then making it accessible, we treated visualization as just one output,” he said.

He experimented with presenting data through text, nonspeech audio and tactile charts, allowing those who are blind or have low vision to interpret data without an intermediary.

Zong is a computer scientist and a visual artist who brings those different perspectives to bear in reimagining sociotechnical systems, such as large technology platforms, which he fears have created small, massively influential groups of people that decide what technologies should be put into society. It’s work he continues as founder of the Data and Design Group at the college.

“We need to be preparing the next generation of engineers and designers to think in these modes of the social and technical.”

Jonathan Zong, assistant professor, information science

“We shouldn’t just be asking how things work, but thinking about their effects on society,” he said. “Are we creating equitable spaces online where everyone is invited to participate equally? Or are we serving the very few at the expense of public interest?”

His focus on including people with disabilities into conversations around data, access and agency started during the COVID-19 pandemic, when elected leaders and health agencies used visualizations to share information about infections, hospitalizations, mortality and vaccinations.

“These graphics were telling really important stories in the public discourse, like flattening the curve,” Zong said. “And there weren’t always good alternatives. Think about describing a chart to someone: You might not capture the important takeaways of how that person might make better decisions.”

A.I. as a game changer

While his work has brought attention to the lack of agency many blind or low-vision people feel on a visual internet, generative A.I. has the potential to change how these users experience information online, such as automatically describing an image when a sighted person isn’t available.

“But they’re also aware of the downsides—that people don’t upload image descriptions, that the A.I. will make mistakes, that A.I. descriptions can be really biased,” Zong said. “And again, there’s that loss of agency, because now they’re reliant on a fallible A.I. to be the interpreter.”

That critical perspective on technology’s potential is why he was excited to arrive at CMDI’s information science department, which is positioned at the intersection of computer science, the humanities and social sciences. Increasingly, design is being recognized as an important discipline for thinking through these problems.

That multidisciplinary viewpoint is crucial to reimagining technology as a force that works for people.

“We need to be preparing the next generation of engineers and designers to think in these modes of the social and technical,” Zong said. “Thinking about design as a way to intervene in situations and create better alternatives is really important to me as both a researcher and an educator.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

Internet users with low vision don't want the world described to them—they want to actively participate. One researcher is out to change how we think about accessibility.

Off

Traditional

White

Strokes of genius

Jayden Fortner — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:40:46 +0000

Strokes of genius Jayden Fortner Tue, 09/29/2026 - 13:40

CMDI’s environmental design department curated a collection of work by Ping Xu and her students that was unveiled during a ceremony celebrating her impact as a teacher and researcher. Photo by Jack Moody.

Joe Arney

When it was time to register for her design studio course, Sophie Burke was a woman on a mission: to do whatever it took to get into Ping Xu’s class.

“It was like buying concert tickets,” Burke (EnvDes’25) recalled with a laugh. “Everyone wanted to be in her studio.”

In retrospect, getting into that studio course was even sweeter, as it turned out to be the last one Xu taught: In the spring, she retired from teaching architecture after 36 years at the University of Colorado, her home since completing advanced degrees from Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. She is now professor emeritus of environmental design at CMDI.

And while her design studio course emphasized what Xu called “step by step, slow technology”—sketching and model building by hand—it wasn’t the only course where she brought different perspectives to generations of architects. She also taught popular courses on watercolor and feng shui; in all her classes, she emphasized experiential learning as a way of inspiring students’ creativity and critical thinking skills.

One of the best pieces of advice Sophie Burke got from Ping Xu was to not lose a great idea when it enters your head. ‘It doesn’t need to be perfect; you just need to get it out’ before you lose it,’ she said. Burke, right, poses with Xu after graduating in 2025. Photo courtesy Sophie Burke.

“She taught us about feng shui as a type of systems thinking,” said Burke, who recently left her role as an architectural designer with Boulder-based Coburn Architects to pursue work in New York.

“Ping taught us to see feng shui as a set of rules to base a design premise on, a starting point for your creativity. I think about it all the time in my work.”

Xu, a well-known consultant and prolific researcher on feng shui, published a plethora of papers on the ancient Chinese practice, often tying it to broader themes like how Indigenous peoples chose where to build or explaining wildfires and other disasters.

Doing well in her watercolor classes, meanwhile, meant mastering concepts like sketching, color, Impressionist theory, even using the brush correctly. Mackinzi Taylor (EnvDes’17) became a teaching assistant to Xu after completing the course, which she described as “less about art technique, and so much more about developing an eye for the world.”

“Her watercolor technique trained you to be an observer who looks for patterns and connections,” said Taylor, a project manager at the nonprofit Community Builders, in Glenwood Springs. “It forced you to become thoughtful and careful, and develop an attention to detail that every design professional needs.”

Xu also taught not to let that attention to detail stifle early-stage creativity.

“We can all relate to having a creative thought but losing it before you can express it,” Burke said. “Ping taught us to just sketch it—it doesn’t have to be perfect; you just need to get it out.”

Students said Xu recognized the difficulty of intense studio courses, and worked to create friendships in the class—Burke recalled a site visit where Xu asked passing hikers to take photos of the group. It was one way Xu balanced the demanding nature of the work with empathy for the challenges of succeeding in what she called “a moody and difficult major.”

“She demanded excellence, but with a warmth and a humor that made you want to do the hard work and grow,” Taylor said. “She asks something extra of you—and when you find out you can give it, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

Her classes were nontraditional, but Ping Xu’s techniques—forged from her expertise in feng shui, watercolor and tai chi—have inspired students as architects and creators.

Off

Traditional

White

Play ball

Jayden Fortner — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:29:49 +0000

Play ball Jayden Fortner Tue, 09/29/2026 - 09:29

Joe Arney

Whatever you do, don't tell the Los Angeles Dodgers that the guy who set the tone World Series runs is a dyed-in-the-wool fan of the archrival Padres.

And while you're at it, don't tell Jake Loskutoff's family that he'd love the chance to work with the Dodgers again. After all, as any of his clients will tell you, his fandom never gets in the way of his award-winning work.

Telling a generational baseball talent what to do on set can be intimidating, but Jake Loskutoff leans on his communication degree to prepare, set expectations and create relationships with stars like Shohei Ohtani. ‘When you prepare correctly,’ he says, ‘you’re able to let your training take over and just execute.’ Photo courtesy LIFEinaVAN Studios.

My family and I, we probably watch every single Padres game-but when that opportunity comes around, it teaches you to put the business ahead of being a fan; said Loskutoff (Comm'03), founder and director of LIFEinaVAN Studios, a dynamic creative agency in Los Angeles. "It's an energizing kind of challenge-figuring out what their fans will love, and leaning into your creativity to make this entity you dislike look as good as it can."

Loskutoff's route to becoming a creative influence to the reigning World Series champions-in fact, to most Southern California pro sports teams, as well as major brands like Dom Pérignon, IMG, NFL Network and AMC-was hard to imagine just a few years after he graduated from CMDI, when he found himself getting really good at video games while looking for work that wasn't there.

He returned to his home state after building his portfolio in New York, including a stint with the Vans Warped Tour, but struck out until getting some work with the Association of Volleyball Professionals; Loskutoff called his memories playing club volleyball in college among his most treasured.

Jack Wilson, now head of video strategy for The Ringer—a popular podcast network owned by Spotify—recalls working with Loskutoff on beach volleyball
for Fox Sports. The two continue to collaborate on Ringer podcasts.

“Jake brought this aesthetic that was different from everyone else working in sports television,” Wilson said. “And so, when I had the chance to bring him into covering the LA Kings and other teams, I did it right away.”

It’s not just his eye that makes Loskutoff successful—it’s his ability to identify and tell a compelling story. He credits his education with giving him that edge.

“Studying communication gave me this great foundation for leadership while developing me as a storyteller and project manager,” he said. “Those skills have only become more important now, as I’m producing and directing more than I’m holding the camera.”

‘Gladiator shoots’

Even if you haven’t seen Loskutoff’s work—meaning you don’t live in Southern California—you’re likely familiar with the visual story he’s telling by seeing pro teams advertised on billboards, on social media and on TV. Grandiose lighting, low camera angles, heroic poses—these are almost tropes when it comes to sports media. How does his work stand out in such a crowded environment? Loskutoff has developed a particular aesthetic—high energy, fast-paced, edgy—that translates well on what he calls “gladiator shoots that make these athletes larger than life.”

And there’s also his studio’s emphasis on relationships—with his clients and athletes, but also his own team. For example, he may have to squeeze 162 games’ worth of content from two or three minutes with Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani. His team needs to know exactly what they’re after—and how to quickly pivot if something goes wrong. Communication, he said, is key in those moments; his education “gave me discipline and structure that I still rely on in planning projects and steering through problems.”

Jake Loskutoff on set for a shoot with Easton to showcase its baseball equipment. The founder and director of LIFEinaVAN Studios helps iconic brands and major league sports teams tell their stories in a crowded video landscape. Photo courtesy LIFEinaVAN Studios.

For the one person on camera, there are 10 people behind that camera making it work.”Jake Loskutoff (Comm’03), founder and director, LIFEinaVAN Studios

“When you prepare correctly, once the athletes show up, you’re able to let your training take over and just execute.”

Connor McGlynn met Loskutoff while working with Fox Sports West, and found him to be a mentor whose confidence in his creativity created a calming effect on hectic sets.

“Whether you’re at the top of your field or on your first day as a production assistant, Jake makes you feel like you’re on equal footing,” said McGlynn, a senior creative producer with Rawlings Sporting Goods; he enjoys bringing LIFEinaVAN in as a collaborator for the athletics brand. “You don’t see that a lot in sports media. But making everyone feel like they’re part of the success of the production is how you get great ideas and build that reputation for excellence.”

Prizes and Padres

That excellence shows up in Loskutoff’s trophy case—which houses two Emmys and other accolades—but what he values most is the supportive environment he creates with his company, and the opportunities to help fellow creatives do their best work.

Jake Loskutoff offers direction to his team as they work on set with the Anaheim Ducks and their former center, Adam Henrique. Owning a business is a challenge, but Loskutoff says the ability to support his staff and freelancers as they do high-end creative work is among his greatest joys. Photo courtesy LIFEinaVAN Studios.

Also near the top of his list: a multiyear period where he provided editing to his family’s beloved Padres.

“Not a game would go by that I wouldn’t get a text from family or friends with a picture of their TV, asking ‘Was this you?’” he said. “Knowing they were thinking of me was super meaningful.”

During his occasional visits to Boulder, Loskutoff challenges CMDI students to think differently about careers in creativity and content.

Many students want to be the on-air talent, but “what they don’t realize is for the one person on camera, there are 10 people behind that camera making it work,” he said. “Getting reps in all these different positions behind the scenes is how you prepare yourself to succeed.”

Loskutoff’s own ability to wear almost any hat on set is why Wilson, at Spotify, loves collaborating with him.

“He does a lot more of the dirty work on projects than people see,” Wilson said. “He’s good at making things look pretty and high touch, but he gets there by being a grinder. And it’s why, no matter where I end up, I’m always going to try to figure out a way to work with Jake.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

The Southern California sports scene is brought to you by alumnus Jake Loskutoff and his camera crew. LIFEinaVAN sets the tone for video storytelling across the major sports leagues, as well as high-end consumer brands.

Off

Traditional

White