Amir Berbic

Associate Dean and Associate Professor, UIC College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts

Chicago

My design research and practice explore place identity, three-dimensional typography and design pedagogy. My work involves collaboration with cultural organizations, arts institutions and publishers. I am Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). From 2016–2017 I served as Acting Director of the UIC School of Design and I am currently Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the UIC College of Architecture, Design and the Arts.

Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina, I immigrated to Chicago in the 1990s, where I completed my design education and began a career in editorial design and independent publishing. I hold a BFA in graphic design from UIC and an MFA in visual communication from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Prior to joining UIC in 2014, I taught design at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates; while in this role, my work focused on examining branding campaigns for Dubai’s architectural developments.

My work, writing, and teaching output have been featured in numerous academic and professional publications, conferences, and exhibitions including Design Issues, Visual Communication, Print, Wallpaper, ICOGRADA World Design Congress, AIGA Design Educators Conference, TypeCon, Society of Typographic Arts, and Salone del Mobile in Milan. My work is included in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.

I am currently on the AIGA Chicago Board of Directors, serving as Vice President of Education.