The Unstable Design Lab is recruiting PhD students to begin in Fall 2027 to support two grants focusing on topics that include:
- Developing computer-aided design and computational design systems for woven textiles
- Researching documentation formats and interactive instructional guides for human-machine collaboration
- Open-source community and governance structures with a focus on bridging craft and computing communities.
- Research and development of woven structures and prototypes that integrate electronics and/or biomaterials.
The Unstable Design Lab is an interdisciplinary research lab in the ATLAS Institute and the University of Colorado Boulder where students from multiple campus departments work side-by-side performing research activities. All prospective lab members must be collaborative and bring a sense of mutual respect for different methodologies spanning engineering, science technology studies, design research, craft. We are open to students with a variety of backgrounds, including a prior MFA in art and design, industry experience, or formal training in computer science. The lab has deep ties into the “experimental weaving” community through the ongoing research and development of the AdaCAD software, Experimental Weaving Residency and talk series. While we do not require applicants to be weavers, training in weaving is certainly helpful!
Students interested in these PhD would be advised or co-advised by Laura Devendorf, and can apply through two University of Colorado, Boulder Programs: ATLAS Institute, Department of Information Science. The specific requirements of the PhD and expectations vary with the different programs, so it is in the best interest prospective applicants to carefully review the requirements of each program before choosing where to apply. Including the lab directors name, Laura Devendorf, in the application will flag your application for our review.
Interested applicants should get in touch by filling out this inquiry form We will not have time to talk with every potential applicant, but introducing yourself, your practice, and your interest and goals for PhD study can be helpful to make us aware of your interest.
FAQ
If the positions are funded on the grant, how does a student balance their independent research with the work on the grants?
There are different ways that research labs approach PhD funding. At CU, Research Assistantships are one way that PhD students are financially supported during their time in the program. The terms of these assistantships generally require the student to spend 20 hours per week working on the grant-funded research and the other 20 hours of a 40-hour work week on their independent research and education.
At the Unstable Design Lab, we believe that PhD researchers are most engaged and impactful when they are pursuing research that they are personally motivated to do. For this reason, we aim to recruit students whose research interests overlap with the work supported by our active grants. Ideally, this creates a strong alignment between a student’s independent research and the research they are doing as part of a grant, allowing the two to mutually support one another.
Funding can become more precarious if a student is no longer able or interested in working on the projects that have funding. In those situations, alternative funding options may be limited and, in some cases, securing funding may require changing research advisors. These situations do happen, but it is wise to try to avoid them when possible, as they can add stress and, sometimes, additional time to a student’s PhD timeline.
For this reason, applicants should make sure that they have strong alignment with one or more of the research themes that our active grants can support. If these themes aren’t a good fit for you, check out some of the other programs or faculty who are recruiting and see if their goals are a better fit.
What if I end up needing more than 4-years to complete my PhD?
When a student is accepted to a PhD program, they get an offer letter which outlines the terms and commitments the university program will make to them to support their studies. We are able to offer four years support in the form of a Research Assistantship (RA) or Teaching Assistantship (TA). RA’s earn funding by working on active grants, usually with their advisor. TA earn funding by serving as a teaching assistant for undergraduate courses.
After four years, the funding is not guaranteed. Chances are that if you are making good progress, there will be options for you to continue to secure funding via TAships and RAships during additional semesters you might need to complete the program. What it means to “make good progress” is outlined in the graduate handbooks for each program (Information Science Graduate Handbook, ATLAS Graduate Handbook).
In the very worst case, you would have the option to leave the program without your degree or self-fund for the remaining semesters required to finish your PhD. Our lab works very closely with students to monitor progress and provide guidance on pathways to complete their research on a timeline that is humane, and that the funding allows.