Biography

Dr. Clarisa E. Carubin is a Teaching Professor of Graphic Design in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Rhode Island. She holds a Ph.D. in Advanced Studies in Artistic Production, with a focus on Graphic Design, from the University of Barcelona, Spain. Her doctoral research examined motion graphics as an emerging design discipline through the analysis of its terminology, concepts, and curricula in higher education programs in the United States.

At the University of Rhode Island, Dr. Carubin teaches undergraduate courses in graphic design, data visualization, and infographic design, as well as graduate courses in user interface design. She has played a key role in developing and expanding the design curriculum across both undergraduate and graduate programs, including courses in Graphic Design I and II, Motion Design, Animation, Data Visualization and Infographic Design, Art and Design Internship, and the graduate UX/UI curriculum. She currently serves as Director of the UI Design Certificate and Co-Director of the online UX/UI Master’s program, where she contributes to curriculum development, program strategy, student advising, and academic administration. Her teaching and leadership emphasize the integration of visual communication, emerging technologies, user-centered design, and professional practice.

Dr. Carubin’s teaching emphasizes studio-based learning, professional practice, visual communication, and hands-on engagement with contemporary design tools including Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma. Her courses encourage students to connect research, concept development, typography, image-making, and digital production with real-world design problems and audiences.
Her professional practice spans branding, illustration, visual identity systems, publication design, web design, and design for social impact. She has worked with international clients in the United States, Argentina, Chile, Switzerland, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. Recent projects include the visual identity system for the Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum, scientific cover illustrations for American Chemical Society publications, and the illustration and design of INK! I Never Knew!, a family-centered card game developed in collaboration with URI faculty in psychology.

Dr. Carubin is also active in departmental leadership and outreach. She coordinates the Design Studio, manages the URI Design Studio Instagram and Behance accounts, and serves as the Department of Art and Art History Social Media Coordinator for Instagram and LinkedIn. Her work has been recognized through the URI Human Rights Award, URI travel and professional development grants, and a Faculty Career Enhancement Program grant for the project Visual Narratives and URI Student Engagement at the Stanton-Davis Homestead Museum.