Project Portfolio



Community + Event Organizing links design practice with the people it serves and empowers them. The following events are a selection from over ten years of directing and curating public arts gatherings in New York City. They range from small-scale meetups focused on supporting local communities to large exhibitions with hundreds in attendance. Workshops + Talks are an essential part of the creative process. Presenting forces a designer to distill their ideas, methods, and intentions. Sharing ideas publicly strengthens a creator’s connection with their audience and exposes them to new insights and perspectives that can later inform their practice.

Graphic Design is a skill I have used almost every day of my professional life. Whether it’s creating a promotional poster for an event or making sure an email has a nice balance to it, I will always consider the user-focused principles of quality graphic design.

Kiwi Electronics was a small electronics design studio specializing in the creation of hardware interfaces for navigating sonic and visual environments. Founded in 2011, Kiwi started off catering to the noise and chiptune music communities through DIY products such as MIDI interfaces and matrix mixers. The studio closed in 2017 with twelve published designs and over 500 customers served.


Modular Synthesizer is modular system for generating musical compositions through the use of binary signals. This constraint challenges composers to program their songs rather than write or perform them. The most interesting work created with Destiny Clock often uses a root frequency that is then subdivided into a series of overlapping harmonic patterns.


Other Interesting Objects is a collection of musical and video instruments designed specifically for live performance. Each device focuses upon a simple concept that is then left to the performer to interpret. These instruments were typically used only once, as this practice encouraged more experimental and disposable designs.

















Professional Résumé


Brendan Byrne

Designer + Higher Education Professional


Email:      hello@brendanbyrne.info
LinkedIn:   linkedin.com/in/thebestbrendan
Website:    brendanbyrne.info
Reading:    tinyurl.com/brendan-goodreads

Brendan is a compassionate higher education administrator who applies his training as a designer to the service-focused work he does with students, staff, and faculty. To him, there is nothing more rewarding than making meaningful changes and then fine-tuning them to match the needs of individuals. Brendan currently manages the art and technology space StudioLab at Princeton University.

He works alongside students everyday to support the lab’s inclusive environment of collaboration and creativity. Brendan can be counted on to supply any of the following: brainstorming sessions, design direction, fabrication expertise, prototyping advice, respectful critique, event and workshop facilitation, professional mentoring, and much more.


Experience


Makerspace Manager
The Council on Science and Technology
Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
December 2019 Present
  • Completely revitalized the department’s makerspace StudioLab
  • Lead the formation of MakeNet, a University consortium of creative technology labs
  • Moderated Slack and Discord servers of more than 400 community members
  • Supervised a team of 1 part-time staff and 13-17 graduate and undergraduate workers
  • Implemented training, machine reservation, and equipment lending programs
  • Facilitated regular meetings for the Social Justice in STEM student working group
  • Created teaching materials for StudioLab’s laser cutter, 3D printers, and soldering stations
  • Organized 2 design hackathons and livestreamed 30 student public presentations
  • Managed 14-station computer lab, digital fabrication area, and classroom space
  • Directly supported 2-3 courses that used StudioLab as their classroom every semester
  • Coordinated a working group of 3 faculty members to assess our communications strategy
  • Supported Science Olympiad, Robotics, Rocketry, and eSports student clubs
  • Consulted on complex fabrication projects for faculty, postdocs, and graduate students
  • Created a departmental event management system and scheduling protocol


Technology Manager
NYU Game Center
New York University (Brooklyn, NY)
November 2015 April 2019


  • Managed technology, computer labs, and classrooms for over 200 students
  • Conducted trainings and enforced safety in co-managed interdepartmental makerspace
  • Deployed AV support for lectures, conferences, meetups, and exhibitions
  • Supervised annual student showcase committee in organizing over 100 projects
  • Established a user-friendly internal resources website for community members
  • Compiled an emulated video game collection of over 11,000 titles across 30 platforms
  • Lead workshops on digital fabrication techniques and how to publicly exhibit projects
  • Organized monthly community-building lecture series for undergraduate students


 Owner + Electronics Designer
Kiwi Electronics (Brooklyn, NY)
March 2013 August 2018


  • Invented, fabricated, and sold 10 open-source products to over 500 customers
  • Planned and conducted over 50 onsite and remote tests for usability
  • Handled online storefront, finances, customer questions, and social media accounts
  • Designed graphics, took photos, and produced videos for promotional materials
  • Traveled to conferences to demonstrate products and engage with customers
  • Drafted documentation for all products (assembly instructions, schematics, etc.)
Interim Program Manager
Tishman Environment and Design Center
The New School (New York, NY)
January 2009 February 2013


  • Advised students in selecting summer internships related to their studies and interests
  • Implemented New York City high school and community college recruiting campaign
  • Managed multiple student workers to act as office, research, and graphic assistants
  • Assisted with student exhibitions and acted as master of ceremonies at graduation
  • Created protocol for submitting and archiving graduating students' research papers
  • Processed payroll authorizations, expense reports, and purchase requisitions
Operations Assistant
The Tank Theater (New York, NY)
January 2009  July 2011


  • Organized over 400 artists in more than 100 music, theater, and dance performances
  • Designed weekly and monthly newsletters for over 10,000 subscribers
  • Oversaw box office statements, annual income reports, and bank deposits
  • Curated two media art festivals featuring concerts, workshops, and installations
  • Coordinated and trained front of house and audio technician volunteers



Freelance Technician
Various (New York, NY)
January 2010 - December 2015

 Electronics Designer
Toy Designer
Assembly Technician
Assembly Technician
Assembly Technician
Video Engineer
Video Engineer
Lighting Electrician
Electronics Technician
Video Designer
Audio Engineer Fake Love
PETLab
Andy Cavatorta
Breakfast LLC
Phil Stearns
MoMa PS1
Architectural League
The Public Theater
Federico Muelas
Highline Ballroom
8bitpeoples
Twitter Timeline
Employable!
Puzzle Synthesizer
F21 and Luster
One of Many Possible Ends
Look by Marc Jacobs
Beaux Arts Ball
Shakespeare in the Park
Flor Azul
Rubble Bucket Performance
Pulsewave Concert 2015
2015
2015
2014
2014
2013
2013
2011
2011
2010
2010

Education


Design and Technology MFA
Parsons School of Design (New York, NY)

Liberal Arts BA
State University of New York at Purchase College (Purchase, NY)

Skills

  Professional
Community Organizing
Consulting
Documentation
Event Planning
Leadership
Meeting Facilitation
Mentoring
Policy Drafting
Project Management
Public Speaking
Purchasing and Sourcing
Troubleshooting

Creative
Audio for Live Events
Audio Production
Design Thinking
Digital Photography
Graphic Design
Iterative Design
Live Video Streaming
Rapid Prototyping
Video Production
Web Design Technology
Adobe Creative Cloud
Drupal and CMS
Google Drive Apps
HTML and CSS
Markdown
Microsoft Office 365
Notion
PC Assembly and Repair
Server Maintainance
Slack and Discord
Windows, Mac, and Linux

Everything Else 


Certifications

 Donald Griffin Award¹ (Nominated)
Spot Award² ($1000)
Spot Award ($500)
Artisty Residency
Blue Ribbon Selection
Blow Everyone Away Award Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University
Eyebeam: Art + Technology
World Maker Faire
Parsons School of Design


 2024
2022
2021
2015
2015
2015

 Certifications

 Safety Management
IT Support Specialist
Microsoft Excel: Advanced
Insights for Innovation
First Aid and CPR/AED (Lapsed)
Technician License Princeton: Environmental Health & Safety
Grow with Google
Udemy Business
IDEO U
American Red Cross
National Association for Amateur Radio


 2023
2019
2019
2019
2019
2011

Event Organizer

 Puzzles and Pastries
Art of Science Gallery Exhibition
Clothesline Project Design Session
MakeNet: 3D Showcase
Synth UX Academy Hackathon
Annual Smash Brothers Tournament
i3 App Design Challenge
RadLab Student Presentation Series
MFA/BFA End of Year Showcase
Anything But Games Series
BFA Graphic Design Symposium
MFA Design + Technology Exhibition
The City We Made / Imagined
Living Concrete
In/Out Computer Music Festival
Bent Festival Princeton: Reunions
Princeton: SEAS³
Princeton: SHARE⁴
Princeton: MakeNet
Princeton: StudioLab
Princeton: eSports Club
Princeton: MakeNet
Princeton: StudioLab
NYU Game Center
NYU Game Center
Parsons School of Design
Parsons School of Design
Architectural League
The New School
Knitting Factory
The Tank Theater


2023
2023
2023
2023
2022
2022
2020
2020
2018
2016
2012
2012
2011
2010
2010
2009
Workshops + Presentations


 Synthesizer Interface Design
Modular Circuit Design
Introduction to Logic Circuits
Interfaces for Electronic Music
Noise in Audio Feedback Systems
Generating Electric Lipograms
Laser Cut Electronic Enclosures
Alternative Controllers for Games
InterACTIVE Music Princeton Laptop Orchestra
Tandon School of Engineering
Parsons dorkShop
Circuit Benders Ball
Center for Transformative Media
Writhing Society at Proteus Gowanus
Parsons dorkShop
Bloomfield College
Make Music New York


2020
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2010
Recent Professional Development


 Safety Management Fundamentals
Building a Safety Culture
Advanced Safety Management
Mitigating Bias in the Hiring Process
Understanding Performance Appraisals
Bias, Power, and CommunicationPrinceton: Environmental Health & Safety
Princeton: Environmental Health & Safety
Princeton: Environmental Health & Safety
Princeton: Human Resources
Princeton: Human Resources
Princeton: Human Resources


2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023


Notes
  1. The Donald Griffin Management Award recognizes those employees whose experiences and responsibilities indicate potential for leadership or the expansion of leadership skills and cotinuing contributions to the University.

  2. Spot Awards recognize one-time exceptional achievements or contributions to the University mission above and beyond one’s normal job responsibilities.

  3. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

  4. Sexual Harassment, Assault Advising, Resources and Education