RTI International
We provided visual direction, iconography, and UX refinement to create a soothing, focused experience.
RTI International
We provided visual direction, iconography, and UX refinement to create a soothing, focused experience.
Scope
Scope
Product & Information Design / Brand Identity / Environmental Graphics / Story-Driven Experiences
Product & Information Design / Brand Identity / Environmental Graphics / Story-Driven Experiences
/
Intro
(01)
Welcoming a Global Research Community
RTI International is a global nonprofit research institute focused on applying science to public health, education, and economic development. As a full-time in-house designer, I worked closely with communications, marketing, and research teams to translate complex research into clear visual communication for staff, leadership, partners, and public audiences.
My work spanned annual reports, executive presentations, data visualizations, product naming, event materials, and campus signage — helping bring consistency to a fragmented brand and making dense information understandable across departments and audiences.
/
Product & Information Design / Brand Identity
(02)
Turning a Theme into a Visual System
For RTI’s 2023 Annual Report, Partnering with Purpose was defined as a messaging theme before any visual direction existed. The challenge was translating an abstract institutional idea into something readers could quickly understand and navigate across a long, information-dense publication.
I developed a modular visual system using paired directional forms derived from RTI’s color palette. The system organized sections, guided reading flow, and visually reinforced collaboration—two distinct groups moving forward together. Rather than decoration, the graphics functioned as structure, helping readers move through complex research content with clarity.
The system provided a consistent framework the communications team could apply across print and digital materials, improving readability and helping non-specialist audiences engage with the institute’s work.
For Science
For Science
For People
For People
For Community
For Community
For The Planet
For The Planet
/
Product & Information Design / Brand Identity
(03)
A Horizontal Narrative for 2024 Annual Report
This concept explored a digital annual report structured as a guided narrative rather than a traditional document. Instead of long vertical pages or static PDFs, the report moved horizontally, allowing readers to progress through the institute’s work as a sequence of chapters.
Angular section breaks revealed upcoming content and provided orientation cues, while motion reinforced key transitions. The layout helped readers understand where they were in the story and what came next—turning a dense institutional report into a readable, paced experience.
The goal was to improve engagement and comprehension by presenting research impact as a continuous story rather than a collection of independent sections.
↑ Concept for Production. Not produced for 2024
/
Environmental Graphics
(04)
VERGE 2025 booth. From Concept Sketch to Final Product
VERGE is a leading climate technology conference bringing together professionals from business, government, startups, and investment. As one of many exhibitors, RTI needed a booth presence that could communicate multiple research initiatives quickly within a crowded event environment.
I developed a modular illuminated cube display system that organized topics clearly, attracted attention at a distance, and allowed messaging to change between events.
The Process:
• Hand sketch concepts
• 3D elevation draft
• High-fidelity 3D rendering
• Final fabricated installation
/
Brand Identity / Product & Information Design
(05)
Translating Research into Understandable Products
RTI produces research, technologies, and public initiatives used by scientific and policy communities worldwide. Many projects were difficult for non-technical audiences to understand or present consistently. Working full-time with researchers, communications teams, and leadership, a repeatable naming and identity framework was created to translate complex work into clear, recognizable products and programs.
Realomics is highlighted here as one example—demonstrating how complex technical tools were translated into a product name and identity that teams could confidently share.
↑ The RTI Realomics™ accelerates therapeutic discovery by analyzing complex multi-omic data (For reference; UI not desgined by me)
↑ Selected stages of naming process: (1) outline process client (2) brainstorm live with the client (3) categorize and refine (4) final name choices
↑ Each of these products went through the same process as outlined above
↑ Notes are taken while visualizing possible solutions
↑ The final RTI Realomics Logo
/
Story-Driven Experiences / Product & Information Design / Brand Identity
(06)
Designing Hands-On Engagement for Science Education
For the North Carolina Science Festival 2024–2025, RTI International hosted public outreach exhibits for students and families. The goal was not simply to promote research, but to make science approachable and participatory for young audiences.
A custom “passport” system guided children through multiple science stations where they collected stamps and completed activities. Supporting materials — signage, staff apparel, handouts, and a letter from the CEO — worked together as a single experience, encouraging curiosity, exploration, and a sense of belonging in the scientific community.
↑ A selection of branding material for NC SciFest (logo not created by RTI International)
Top: The actual RTI Expo event (©RTI International) Bottom: a sample passport from the event
/
Intro
(01)
Welcoming a Global Research Community
RTI International is a global nonprofit research institute focused on applying science to public health, education, and economic development. As a full-time in-house designer, I worked closely with communications, marketing, and research teams to translate complex research into clear visual communication for staff, leadership, partners, and public audiences.
My work spanned annual reports, executive presentations, data visualizations, product naming, event materials, and campus signage — helping bring consistency to a fragmented brand and making dense information understandable across departments and audiences.
/
Product & Interface Design / Information Design / Brand Identity
(02)
Turning a Theme into a Visual System
For RTI’s 2023 Annual Report, Partnering with Purpose was defined as a messaging theme before any visual direction existed. The challenge was translating an abstract institutional idea into something readers could quickly understand and navigate across a long, information-dense publication.
I developed a modular visual system using paired directional forms derived from RTI’s color palette. The system organized sections, guided reading flow, and visually reinforced collaboration—two distinct groups moving forward together. Rather than decoration, the graphics functioned as structure, helping readers move through complex research content with clarity.
The system provided a consistent framework the communications team could apply across print and digital materials, improving readability and helping non-specialist audiences engage with the institute’s work.
For Science
For People
For Community
For The Planet
/
Product & Interface Design / Information Design
(03)
A Horizontal Narrative for 2024 Annual Report
This concept explored a digital annual report structured as a guided narrative rather than a traditional document. Instead of long vertical pages or static PDFs, the report moved horizontally, allowing readers to progress through the institute’s work as a sequence of chapters.
Angular section breaks revealed upcoming content and provided orientation cues, while motion reinforced key transitions. The layout helped readers understand where they were in the story and what came next—turning a dense institutional report into a readable, paced experience.
The goal was to improve engagement and comprehension by presenting research impact as a continuous story rather than a collection of independent sections.
↑ Concept for Production. Not produced for 2024
/
Environmental Graphics
(04)
VERGE 2025 booth. From Concept Sketch to Final Product
VERGE is a leading climate technology conference bringing together professionals from business, government, startups, and investment. As one of many exhibitors, RTI needed a booth presence that could communicate multiple research initiatives quickly within a crowded event environment.
I developed a modular illuminated cube display system that organized topics clearly, attracted attention at a distance, and allowed messaging to change between events.
The Process:
• Hand sketch concepts
• 3D elevation draft
• High-fidelity 3D rendering
• Final fabricated installation
/
Brand Identity / Product & Information Design
(05)
Translating Research into Understandable Products
RTI produces research, technologies, and public initiatives used by scientific and policy communities worldwide. Many projects were difficult for non-technical audiences to understand or present consistently. Working full-time with researchers, communications teams, and leadership, a repeatable naming and identity framework was created to translate complex work into clear, recognizable products and programs.
Realomics is highlighted here as one example—demonstrating how complex technical tools were translated into a product name and identity that teams could confidently share.
↑ The RTI Realomics™ accelerates therapeutic discovery by analyzing complex multi-omic data (For reference; UI not desgined by me)
↑ Selected stages of naming process: (1) outline process client (2) brainstorm live with the client (3) categorize and refine (4) final name choices
↑ Notes are taken while visualizing possible solutions
↑ The final RTI Realomics Logo
↑ Each of these products went through the same or similar process as outlined above
/
Story-Driven Experiences / Product & Information Design / Brand Identity
(06)
Designing Hands-On Engagement for Science Education
For the North Carolina Science Festival 2024–2025, RTI International hosted public outreach exhibits for students and families. The goal was not simply to promote research, but to make science approachable and participatory for young audiences.
A custom “passport” system guided children through multiple science stations where they collected stamps and completed activities. Supporting materials — signage, staff apparel, handouts, and a letter from the CEO — worked together as a single experience, encouraging curiosity, exploration, and a sense of belonging in the scientific community.
↑ A selection of branding material for NC SciFest (logo not created by RTI International)
Top: The actual RTI Expo event with kids getting their passports (©RTI International) Bottom: a sample passport from the event
/
Product & Information Design / Brand Identity
(03)
A Horizontal Narrative for 2024 Annual Report
This concept explored a digital annual report structured as a guided narrative rather than a traditional document. Instead of long vertical pages or static PDFs, the report moved horizontally, allowing readers to progress through the institute’s work as a sequence of chapters.
Angular section breaks revealed upcoming content and provided orientation cues, while motion reinforced key transitions. The layout helped readers understand where they were in the story and what came next—turning a dense institutional report into a readable, paced experience.
The goal was to improve engagement and comprehension by presenting research impact as a continuous story rather than a collection of independent sections.
↑ Concept for Production. Not produced for 2024
/
Product & Information Design / Brand Identity
(02)
Turning a Theme into a Visual System
For RTI’s 2023 Annual Report, Partnering with Purpose was defined as a messaging theme before any visual direction existed. The challenge was translating an abstract institutional idea into something readers could quickly understand and navigate across a long, information-dense publication.
I developed a modular visual system using paired directional forms derived from RTI’s color palette. The system organized sections, guided reading flow, and visually reinforced collaboration—two distinct groups moving forward together. Rather than decoration, the graphics functioned as structure, helping readers move through complex research content with clarity.
The system provided a consistent framework the communications team could apply across print and digital materials, improving readability and helping non-specialist audiences engage with the institute’s work.
For Science
For Science
For People
For People
For Community
For Community
For Community
For Community
↑ Click an image above to view Annual Report
/
Intro
(01)
Welcoming a Global Research Community
RTI International is a global nonprofit research institute focused on applying science to public health, education, and economic development. As a full-time in-house designer, I worked closely with communications, marketing, and research teams to translate complex research into clear visual communication for staff, leadership, partners, and public audiences.
My work spanned annual reports, executive presentations, data visualizations, product naming, event materials, and campus signage — helping bring consistency to a fragmented brand and making dense information understandable across departments and audiences.
/
Environmental Graphics
(04)
VERGE 2025 booth. From Concept Sketch to Final Product
This unreleased concept explored an annual report designed to scroll laterally rather than vertically. Rhombus-shaped sections allow viewers to see the edge of upcoming content, using spatial cues to guide attention and encourage linear exploration. Scroll-triggered animations reinforce this progression—adding motion at key moments to orient the viewer and support the unfolding story.
/
Brand Identity / Product & Information Design
(05)
A Repeatable Framework for Product Naming and Identity
VERGE is a leading climate technology conference bringing together professionals from business, government, startups, and investment. As one of many exhibitors, RTI needed a booth presence that could communicate multiple research initiatives quickly within a crowded event environment.
I developed a modular illuminated cube display system that organized topics clearly, attracted attention at a distance, and allowed messaging to change between events.
The Process:
• Hand sketch concepts
• 3D elevation draft
• High-fidelity 3D rendering
• Final fabricated installation
/
Story-Driven Experiences / Product & Information / Brand
(06)
Designing Hands-On Engagement for Science Education
For the North Carolina Science Festival 2024–2025, RTI International hosted public outreach exhibits for students and families. The goal was not simply to promote research, but to make science approachable and participatory for young audiences.
A custom “passport” system guided children through multiple science stations where they collected stamps and completed activities. Supporting materials — signage, staff apparel, handouts, and a letter from the CEO — worked together as a single experience, encouraging curiosity, exploration, and a sense of belonging in the scientific community.
↑ A selection of branding material for NC SciFest (logo not created by RTI International)
Top: The actual RTI Expo event (©RTI International) Bottom: a sample passport from the event
RTI International
We provided visual direction, iconography, and UX refinement to create a soothing, focused experience.
Scope
/ Product & Infomation Design
/ Brand Identity
/ Environmental Graphics
/ Story-Driven Experiences