Growing the Field

I believe it's important we openly share our practices, especially in the real-world, public-facing work we do. Given the complexity and often ephemeral nature of this work, others need to benefit from our (sometimes hard) lessons learned. We all must contribute to the collective knowledge by discussing the challenges, successes, and insights from our experiences, capturing the unique experiential aspects along the way.

Interviews, Panels, + Publications

2025

2024

  • San Francisco Design Week. (2024). Innovations in Immersive Experiences panel. Memory Care Experience Station.

2023

2022

  • Interview: Crazy Bird Design Podcast, Episode 2: "On empathy, community-centered design, and a healthy dose of curiosity."

  • Mortati, M. (2022). Designing for People Living with Dementia: Principles for Experiential and Environmental Design. 16th International Conference on Design Principles and Practices.

  • Ilsley-Greene, L. (2022, May 17). SFCJL’s virtual memory care earns recognition from Fast Company. Jewish News of Northern California.

  • Fast Company. (2022). World-Changing Ideas: Finalist, Memory Care Experience Station.

2021

  • Interview: Ultra International B.V magazine, "The Scent of Hope: Using Essential Oils to Treat Dementia."

  • SCAN Innovation Award Webinar. (2021). Experience Station for the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living.

  • Association of Science and Technology Centers Annual Conference. (2021). Creating Exhibits for Visitors with Dementia.

  • SCAN Foundation. (2021). Innovation Award: Honorable Mention.

2020

  • INFOCOMM Q+A: "Artist and Designer Maria Mortati Contemplates Shared Experiences in This New World."

  • Interview: TIDE Generator, "How Museums Are Creating a New Narrative."

  • Interview: Museum FAQ: "Understanding Priorities: What Happens When You Can’t Prototype in Person."

  • Diversity Reboot Summit by PowerToFly. (2020). Everything Changes, Everything Is the Same: The Future of Public Interactive Experiences.

  • American Association of Museums Annual Conference. (2020). Three Models for Bridging Wellness in Museums.

2016

  • Computer-Human Interaction Conference (CHI). (2016). Keynote: Involving the Crowd in the Future of Museum Experience Design.

2015

  • Featured in Public Art Review, "Museums Go Public," Fall/Winter.

  • WestMusings. (2015). Tell Me Where the Mirrors Go, keynote.

  • Public Dialogue Workshop, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (2015, May). Invited participant.

  • American Association of Museums Annual Conference. (2015, April). Exhibitions Outside the Museum.

  • Indianapolis Museum of Art, Contemporary Arts Society. (2015, March). Speaker.

  • Institute at the Golden Gate. (2015, November). Parks: The New Climate Classroom panelist.

2014

  • Interview: The Creative Classroom, Contemporary Jewish Museum, on stage, live, October.

  • Mortati, M. (2014). Design Intentionality and the Art Museum. Exhibition: Journal on Exhibition Making, Spring 2014, 34-39.

  • American Association of Museums Annual Conference. (2014). Design’s Impact on Visitor Engagement.

  • National Arts Education Association Annual Conference. (2014). Making Room for Participation: The Changing Space of Art Museum Education.

  • New Presidio Parklands. (2014, September). Program Advisor.

  • Presidio Exchange, Presidio Gateway Charette. (2014, May). Program Advisor.

  • Open Engagement Annual Conference. (2014, April). Social Practice and the Art Museum.

  • Contemporary Jewish Museum. (2014, October). Stage Interview: The Creative Classroom. [Video].

2013

  • Interview: Walker Art Center, Internet Cat Video Festival.

2012

  • Press: Wall Street Journal, "New at Museums: Science for All Ages," March 2.

  • Interview: Machine Project, "The Great Calculation Residency" (video).

  • Global Exhibit Forum, Gotland, Sweden. Keynote: Engagement, Art, and Often Children.

  • Center for the Future of Museums. Panelist: Innovation Lab for Museums.

  • American Association of Museums Annual Conference. Panelist: Future of Exhibiting: Voices from Non-Traditional Museums.

  • American Association of Museums Annual Conference. Chair: Experimental Projects: Creating a Community of Practice.

  • Mortati, M. (2012). Large Lessons from a Small Project: The San Francisco Mobile Museum. Exhibition, American Association of Museums, Spring 2012, pp. 32-37.

  • Quoted in: TrendsWatch 2012: Museums and the Pulse of the Future, American Association of Museums’ Center for the Future of Museums. Featured project: The San Francisco Mobile Museum.

2011

  • Simon, N. (2011). The Participatory Museum. Edited by Maria Mortati with others. Santa Cruz, CA: Museum 2.0.

  • Center for the Future of Museums. Panelist: Innovation Lab for Museums.

2009–2013

2008–2012

2009

  • Merritt, E. "Tomorrow’s News, Today: Museums Without Walls." Center for the Future of Museums Blog,American Alliance of Museums, October 1. https://www.aam-us.org/2009/10/01/tomorrows-news-today-museums-without-walls/

  • Mortati, M. (2009). Prototype Power! Ambidextrous: Stanford University’s Journal of Design, 11, 24-25.

  • Western Museums Association. Guest Post: Looking for Loci: a mobile museum experiment.

  • N.A.M.E. Journal Exhibition, “Creativity and Collaboration Retreat,” Fall.

  • Exhibition Catalog. Author: Power of the Prototype.

2007

  • Mortati, M. (2007). White Paper: Starting and Fostering Online Communities.

2003

  • Press: San Francisco Chronicle, "Sitting on the Edge: Art Furniture Show in the Mission Gives the Mind New Places to Rest."

  • Exhibition Catalog. Author: Bay Area Furniture Art.

2001

  • Vanhoucke, V., Neeley, W. L., Mortati, M., Sloan, M., & Nass, C. (2001). “Effects of Prompt Style when Navigating through Structured Data.” In Proceedings of the IFIP TC13 International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction.

2000

  • Press: World Sculpture News, "Forever on the Move: San Francisco Bay Area Overview," Winter.

Grants and Awards

Centre for Advancement in Brain Health Institute (CABHI), 2nd Spark Grant
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2023
Note: CABHI invited us to apply for a 2nd Spark+ grant, awarding us as the only US project. They provided additional funds to ensure the project's success.

Sephardic Foundation on Aging, Dementia Care and Brain Degenerative Diseases Grant
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2022

Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards, Experimental Category, Finalist
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2022

Leading Age California Innovation Award Finalist
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2022

SCAN Foundation Innovation Award
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2021

Anonymous Donor Grant
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2021

Centre for Advancement in Brain Health Institute (CABHI), 1st Spark Grant
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2019

Pam and Larry Baer, Private Grant
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, Memory Care Experience Station, 2020

Public Bond, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Awarded to Gyroscope Inc. while Project Lead, 2006

Irvine Foundation’s New California Arts Fund grant
Awarded to the Oakland Museum of California to fund “Mirrors”

Residencies and Shows

2024
San Francisco Design Week, Captivate Exhibition, Memory Care Experience Station.

2015
Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, Street-front Exhibition, London, ongoing.
Oakland Museum of California, "Tell Me Where The Mirrors Go," Artist Project, May – July 2015.

2014
Walker Art Center, "Flux Field," Research Residency.

2013
Walker Art Center, Internet Cat Video Festival, "People Imitating Cats" installation and event.
Southern Exposure Gallery, "The Great Calculation," Residency with events and an exhibition.

2012
Machine Project, "The Great Calculation," Residency with events and an exhibition.
Baltimore Museum of Art, "The Big Table Gallery," Open Studio Gallery.
Machine Project at the Hammer Museum, Residency, "The Giant Hand."

2011
Hammer Museum, Phil Ross’ "Enormous Microscopic Evening, DIY Microscope Bar."

2010
Exploratorium After Dark, SF Mobile Museum, "Free Shrines."

2009
Phil Ross’ Critter Salon, "Enormous Microscopic Evening, DIY Microscope Bar."
SF Mobile Museum, multiple sites, "Looking for Loci."
Studio for Urban Projects, SF Mobile Museum, "Looking for Loci."
MakerFaire, "Power of the Prototype," exhibit.

2003
Bay Area Furniture Art, Co-Founder/Co-Curator, Blue Room.

1999
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Bay Area Now 2, "Metatherapy.com."

Teaching

As an adjunct, I taught a variety of graduate and undergraduate Interaction Design Studios at California College of the Arts, including mentoring graduate thesis students.  My work focuses on public interaction design in particular. Their work has been situated at sites across the Bay Area: museums, libraries, homes, and businesses.

Courses:
Center for Impact, Sustainability Studio, Fall 2019

Graduate Studio, Interaction Design, Spring 2018

Graduate Studio, Interaction Design Foundations, Fall 2017

Graduate Design, Thesis Research and Development, Fall 2017

Graduate Studio, Interaction Design Foundations, Spring 2017

Public Interaction Design Studio (with Scott Minneman), Fall 2016

Graduate Design, Thesis Research and Development, Fall 2016

Graduate Design, Interaction Design Studio, Spring 2016

Graduate Design, Public Interaction Design Studio (with Scott Minneman), Fall 2015

Graduate Design Thesis R & D and Grad Design Studio, Spring 2015

Graduate Design, Public Interaction Design Studio (with Scott Minneman), 2014

Graduate Design, Thesis R & D, Fall 2013

Graduate Design, Public Interaction Design Studio (with Scott Minneman), Spring 2013