Lina Maria Giraldo
Assistant Professor of Journalism, Emerson College
Interactive Media Artist · Data Visualization · Civic Design
Research & Teaching Interests
Academic & Teaching Experience
Assistant Professor
2020–PresentJournalism Department, Emerson College
Teach courses integrating data visualization, multimedia storytelling, and civic engagement. Design curricula that focus on data democratization, the humanization of data, and environmental equity. Mentor students on responsible and ethical design.
Research Fellow, Critical & Creative AI Studies Lab
Spring 2025Emerson College
Exploring the intersections of participatory AI, data literacy, and community-generated datasets for environmental equity.
Affiliated Faculty
2017–2020Media Design, Civic Media and Arts, Emerson College
Delivered graduate courses on participatory methods in community storytelling. Developed interdisciplinary design studios emphasizing sustainability, data ethics, and responsible design.
Visiting Artist & Scholar
2022–2023Massachusetts College of Art
Advised on electronic projects for interactive installations at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Journalist in Residence
2019–2020Emerson College
Focused on democratizing access to data through storytelling and interactive design.
Adjunct Faculty
2016Bunker Hill Community College
Developed foundational courses in media production and public storytelling.
Education
Master of Professional Studies, Interactive Telecommunications
2008–2010Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio for Interrelated Media
2003–2006Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA — Graduated with Honors
Service & Leadership
- Board of Trustees Member — Massachusetts College of Art 2024–Present
- Board of Trustees Member — Boston Cyberarts 2024–Present
- Advisory Board Member — Environmental Media Initiative, Emerson College 2025–Present
Research & Creative Projects
Weaving Noise / Geluid Weven
2025Merksemdok Cultural Center, Merksem, Antwerp, Belgium
Environmental data visualization installation transforming invisible noise pollution into tangible public art. Transparent vinyl decals on street-facing windows visualize European Environment Agency noise data, while a participatory community map invites residents to contribute their lived experience of sound through a color-coded sticker system — generating community datasets that could train future AI models to understand noise as lived experience rather than mere measurement.
Data Para Todes
2022–PresentBoston Cyberarts Gallery · Bottom Line Partnership
Data democratization and literacy initiative empowering first-generation Latine college students to build affordable indoor air quality sensors, collect environmental data from their homes and communities, and visualize their stories through interactive tools. Investigating the accessibility of indoor air quality data through equity-focused visualizations and community-driven sensor development.
Art as a Way of Listening
2023Book Chapter · Published by Routledge
Explored the intersections of data ethics, storytelling, and intergenerational teaching from a computational design and multilingual perspective. The chapter, “Identity, Technology, and Storytelling,” focuses on changing the narrative of underserved communities of color by amplifying their voices through a maker’s perspective and exploring identity through an intergenerational cohort.
Rain Installation
2022Google Cambridge Headquarters · Permanent Installation
Permanent 2D installation using computational tools and photography to emphasize narratives about climate change related to plastic consumption.
Golden Home Project
2018–2019Egleston Square, Boston
Qualitative and quantitative research conducted through interviews with the Latine community, focusing on the affordability and accessibility of housing. Immigrant narratives were visualized using interactive storytelling tools and public installations.
ITS: Identity Technology and Storytelling
2016–2018Boston AIR (Boston Artists-in-Residence)
Created video cameras using affordable electronics and recycled materials to capture stories about cultural identity.
Selected Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
- Weaving Noise / Geluid Weven — Merksemdok Cultural Center, Antwerp, Belgium 2025
- Data Para Todes — Boston Cyberarts Gallery 2022
- Golden Home — Public Art Installation, Egleston Square, MA 2018
- ITS: Identity Technology and Storytelling — Laconia Gallery, Boston, MA 2017
Group Exhibitions
- Rain — Google Cambridge Headquarters, Permanent Installation 2022
- Together We Rise: Interactive Video Projections on Urban Justice — Strand Theatre Gallery, MA 2017
- Heartbeat: Sensor-based Climate Narratives — Boston Convention and Exhibition Center 2014
Publications
- “Identity, Technology, and Storytelling” — Chapter in Art as a Way of Listening — Routledge 2023
Awards & Grants
- Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Grant 2023
- The Paul and Edith Babson Foundation Grant 2022
- Emerson College Faculty Advancement Grant 2021
- Public Accelerator Program Recipient — Now and There 2018
- Boston Artist in Residency 2017
- Creative City Grant — New England Foundation for the Arts 2015
- Hispanic Scholarship Foundation Grant 2014
- St. Botolph Emerging Artist Award 2013
Public Speaking
- Weaving Noise: Democratizing Data and AI Through Community Sound — Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2025
- Teach on Race — Emerson College, Boston, MA 2025
- Panelist at MIT BARI Conference 2023
- Community Conversation: Data as Power — Massachusetts Cultural Council 2023
- Arts Equity Summit 2020–2022
- Unlocking the Hispanic Vote, Moderator — Emerson College Polling Center 2022
- Amplifying Community Voices — Pro-Arts, Socially Engaged Artistic Practice 2022