An Exploration in the History of Textile Design for Automotive Interiors
About My Research
This site serves as a reflection of my graduate thesis work in automotive textile design at North Carolina State University. I began this site in January 2009 and plan to maintain it until my graduation in December 2009. I have been in the graduate program at the College of Textiles for 1 year of a 2 year program. During this first year, I have focused on the automotive industry, design, and sustainability. Now at the half-way point, I have selected my thesis topic and made plans as to how to approach my research so that my work is complete by October 2009. In the right column of this blog, I have posted my personal timeline to ensure that I am meeting my deadlines. Please take time to look through all the information included in the right hand column, especially if this is your first time visiting this site.
The purpose of this site is 3-fold.
1) Most scholars are only given 1 chance to write a thesis, and 2 years to learn how to do so. Sure there are books on research methods and databases of theses to form a background or starting place for your work, but no one really explains to us exactly what this process is like from start to finish.
2) Over the past year, I have learned beyond my expectations about the automotive industry, past, current, and future. Throughout my next year of study, I have access to resources that would be coveted by any designer in this industry and plan to uncover valuable correlations between design and success. I will post many images and articles which I find the most enriching.
and 3)Writing my thoughts and progress where it is publicly available will encourage me to meet deadlines and provide a clear platform to keep my committee informed.
My Topic
I will be examining the history of automotive bodycloth development and aligning this with outside factors such as the economy, increase in mass production, increase in technical standards and regulations, the importance of fashion and color, along with what at this time is an unpredictable number of additional variables. The ultimate question I aim to answer is if there is a concrete way to measure and predict success in order to save time, money, and resources.
5.11.2009
Research Update
Below are some of my main slides for my Marketing Research class's final research proposal. If you have having difficulty reading any of the slides, click on the image for a larger view. As always, feel free to contact me with feedback or questions: www.AutoTexDesign@gmail.com.
In December 2007, I graduated from North Carolina State University's Anni Albers Program with 2 degrees: BS in Textile Technology and BA in Art and Design. I then began graduate studies at the NCSU College of Textiles in the Textile Technology and Management (TTM) master's degree program. My focus was in Automotive Textiles and Design, conducting research with Professor Nancy Powell. To support my studies, I spent the summer of 2008 at Nagoya University in Japan taking a course in Advance Technology and Tasks in Automotive Engineering and participating in global lectures and company visits hosted by some of the top Automotive Companies in the World. I completed my degree and thesis in December 2009 and am actively seeking a career in the Textile Industry.
A textile renaissance in the US?
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Bill Smith reports from South Carolina
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Automotive Textile Design Blog
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Update
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Sorry for the lack of updates recently; I sometimes forget that people read
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September 22- Final Stage Committee Meeting: (1) Interviews, (2) Abstract, Biography, Dedication, Acknowledgments, (3) Clean-up, (4) To Committee for Final Edits
August 19- First day of Fall 2009 Semester
July 29- August 30- Industry Interviews
July 28- Stage 5 Committee Meeting: (1) Literature Review, (2) Methodology, (3) Sample Analysis, (4) Results, (5) Prepare for Interviews
May 12- Stage 4 Committee Meeting: (1) Research Proposal, (2) Sample Analysis, (3) Prepare for Interview with DeLeo
April 24- Last day of Spring 2009 Semester, TTM Research Proposal and Presentation Due
March 24- Stage 3 Committee Meeting: (1) Update Plan of Work, (2) Finalize Outline
February 19-22- Phi Psi Professional Textile Fraternity National Convention in Spartanburg, SC
February 7- College of Textiles Open House
January 28-30- Design College of Textiles Bookmark
January 27- Stage 2 Committee Meeting: (1) Finalize Calendar, (2) Update Outline
January 20- 26- Automotive Timeline, Analyze 1 Best-Seller with DeLeo fabric swatches over 10 years, Update Outline/Framework, Work with Centennial Interviews
January 16-19- North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Visit Johanna at GM, visit friends from NUSIP Japan study in Ann Arbor, Meet with Stephanie Rogers of ATS
January 12-16- Start back with classes and center myself for the semester, Start Blog!, Network with Textile/Apparel Designer Tim Parry Williams, Create Automotive Timeline
January 6-11- Inspired Design Conference for Jacquard Weaving in Hendersonville, NC (Awarded Student Scholarship!)
2009
December 2008- Submit to ATS/Kolon Automotive Textile Design Competition (Awarded 1st Place!), Finals, Stage 1 Committee Meeting- Discuss next year's plans, Surgery and Christmas Break.
November 2008- Speak to North Carolina Textile Foundation, Attend Honda Research Symposium in Cary, NC, Real World Job Forum, Volunteer to help Boy Scouts earn their Textile Merit Badge, Present on Automotive Textiles, Finalize Graduate Plan of Work, St. Louis for Thanksgiving Break.
October 2008- Awarded Industrial Fabrics Foundation Scholarship, Continue work on Weave Blanket, Visit NYC, Enter Jubilee Embroidery Competition, Display "Tumbleweed" at International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference in Chicago, Begin Finalizing Committee and Thesis Topic, Work on Peacock Costume.
September 2008- CoT Career Fair, Begin creating Weave Blanket in EAT software, Design College of Textiles T-Shirt.
August 2008- Speak at CoT Orientation for New Students, Present at Textile Futures Conference, Launch Splinter at International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta, Georgia.
June- July 2008- Study Automotive Engineering and Basic Japanese at Nagoya University in Japan, Maintain Jenna's Japan Blog, Write for Textile Futures Conference. Relax for 1 week in Hawaii :)
May 2008- Train for EAT DesignScope weaving software. Dinner with Vic Edelbrock, Continue work with Splinter, Complete ITAA Submission
April 2008- Poster Presentation on NPD Process for Splinter Seating System, Finals, Graduation from Student Bridges Leadership Program, Recognized for College of Design's Good Citizenship Award, Directed Anni Albers Graduate and Alumni Recognition Ceremony
March 2008- Begin working with Joe Harmon's Splinter, New Product Development Research, Continue research into Automotive Textiles, Present on Superhydrophobic and Self-Cleaning Textiles
February 2008- Chicago Auto Show, Patent Research, Phi Psi Professional Textile Fraternity National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia
Spring 2008- Begin Graduate Courses and Self-Introduction into Automotive/Automotive Textile Industries.
2008
December 2007- Graduation from NCSU Anni Albers Dual-Degree Program, Awarded College of Textiles Dean's Award, Graduate Show at the FishMarket
Fall 2007 - Work for Dr. Seyam's Textile Technology course, Accepted into NCSU CoT, RA with Professor Nancy Powell in Automotive Textiles
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