Lighting designer Lisa Reed of Missouri-based Envison Lighting Design and lighting designer Emily Klingensmith of Schuler Shook in Chicago are conducting a survey of women lighting designers located in the United States who are either currently practicing or who have previously practiced lighting design. The survey takes five to 10 minutes to complete and all responses are anonymous. The survey link is as follows: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LightingDesignSurvey
Reed and Klingensmith ask participants to complete the survey by August 3, 2018. The duo is conducting the survey to gather information for a session they are presenting at the IALD Enlighten Americas conference this October, titled: “Why Mothers Leave Design (and How to Keep Them).”
Although there have been a number of surveys about women in design, to date they have concentrated on women in architecture. Reed and Klingensmith’s U.S.-focused survey is the first time such an initiative is occurring from within the lighting community. In order for the most comprehensive gathering of data, the pair encourages all women in lighting design to participate, regardless of whether one is a parent, or not, and regardless of whether one is an IALD member, or not. Because the duo is “trying to reach as many former and/or non-IALD member lighting designers as possible to expand the survey results” they ask that people forward the survey link or provide email addresses of individuals that might fall into either of these categories (former and/or non-IALD members).
According to Klingensmith, who was reached via email, already more than 300 women have completed the survey with the number of participants increasing daily. Klingensmith also notes that “the feedback has been amazing” and that “the lighting design community is very excited about this topic and eager to hear the results” which will be shared at the IALD Enlighten Conference taking place in Seattle from Oct. 11 – 13, 2018.
Questions regarding the survey should be addressed to: Lisa Reed, Envision Lighting Design: lisa@envisionlightingdesign.com and Emily Klingensmith, Schuler Shook: eklingensmith@schulershook.com.
