Associate Professor Derek Ham, Ph.D. has been appointed as the department head of Art + Design at the North Carolina State University College of Design. Ham has taught at the College of Design since June 2015 and was recently promoted from assistant professor.

"I am thrilled to announce that Derek Ham has been chosen as our next Art + Design Department Head," said Mark Hoversten, dean of the college in a statement. "Derek’s background and approach to multi- and inter-disciplinary work makes him a strong candidate in an already competitive candidate pool. I am excited to see the direction he brings to the Art + Design program moving forward."

Ham also serves as the principal investigator for MC Reality Lab, a multidisciplinary practice that works in the virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technology space. Ham holds a Ph.D. in design computation from MIT, an M.Arch from Harvard GSD, and a B.Arch from Hampton University. He will begin his new position on July 1, 2020.