Design director looks to advance student opportunities in new role
Reed Newton (photojournalism)
Alex Lobos, as a longtime member of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), assumed an elevated role when appointed to the organization's Board of Directors.
Alex Lobos is a firm believer in the power of community and collaboration. Those values are also core to the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
So becoming an IDSA member early in his career was a natural fit for Lobos. Over the years, he has contributed to IDSA in many roles, from conference organizer and speaker to faculty advisor and design competition juror. Now, Lobos has been appointed to the organization's Board of Directors.
“I’m very excited to serve as Board Director,” said Lobos, professor and director of RIT’s School of Design. “Coming from education, I’m able to provide ideas related to learning, growth and self-realization. The industrial design community is close-knit and IDSA provides a perfect platform for connecting with people. It creates a lot of professional opportunities and collaborations.”
Reed Newton (photojournalism)
Alex Lobos has been an IDSA member since 2003.
IDSA supports industrial design professionals through programming, events and advocacy initiatives, such as protecting the intellectual property of designers and serving as a trusted resource for accurate information about the profession.
The Board of Directors includes elected individuals with diverse professional backgrounds, who assume responsibility for setting the direction, decision-making, compliance, policy setting and accountability in fulfilling the organization’s mission.
“The way industrial design is valued in the industry is something we can work on,” Lobos said. “We need to make sure all the abilities that industrial designers have are well reflected in how the discipline is perceived.”
In this elevated role, Lobos said he hopes to continue promoting synergy between students and industry professionals — a core belief shared by RIT’s School of Design and IDSA.
“It’s looking for opportunities to collaborate and have more exchange. That’s something very close to my heart,” Lobos said. “I feel fortunate to be in this role to contribute ideas and empower initiatives that reflect the interests of industrial designers in today’s world. IDSA’s work in connecting different disciplines and providing exciting opportunities to students and young designers aligns very well with the goals we have at RIT’s School of Design.”
Since joining RIT’s industrial design faculty in 2009, Lobos’ pedagogical approach has been driven by facilitating industry-sponsored projects. He has brought countless design professionals — from the likes of Autodesk, AT&T, General Electric, Kraft, Makerbot, Stryker and Wegmans — into his classroom to work directly with students. He is also a visiting fellow emeritus at Autodesk, where he explored the future of learning and initially spearheaded RIT’s ongoing partnership with the software giant.
Elizabeth Lamark
Alex Lobos, back left, during an industrial design program-wide collaboration with Autodesk in 2023. The workshop resulted in a group project being showcased at the annual Autodesk University conference in 2025.
RIT has a well-established IDSA student chapter that promotes community and academic growth with its own events, professional development opportunities and the Student Merit Awards competition. Lobos said the on-campus group has been a bridge to career success for members over the years.
IDSA played a similar role for Lobos when he was a young professional. He attributes getting his first internship and full-time job to connections made at IDSA networking events shortly after joining in graduate school.
“For me, IDSA has always been an important place,” Lobos said. “It was key in defining my career, and has continued supporting me throughout — particularly with opportunities for connecting with other designers and makers of tomorrow.”
