Rebeca Méndez presenting at Pecha Kucha this week her Grass series, a permanent public art installation at the University of Cincinnati Recreation Center.

Pecha Kucha Night, devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.

I was asked by Helen Walters, editor for BusinessWeek.com’s Innovation and Design Channel, to contribute to her article Driving Sustainable Design With Dott 07, John Thackara looks at daily life as a design opportunity and tackles social issues in small doses. Following are my thoughts on John Thackara whom I admire greatly. Click on the title and go to ‘details’

Graphis is a renowned international organization and publisher of visual communication who strives to serve as a platform for outstanding work in design and photography. This year Graphis introduced ‘Graphis Awards’—a prestigious recognition reserved for those artists who produce particularly outstanding work. Out of close to 5,000 entries world wide, only 18 were selected to receive The Graphis Platinum Award. Méndez’s award is for her two public art installations at the University of Cincinnati Recreation Center: Homeland # 1 and Grass.

“After careful and considered review of more than 4,700 entries, the jury of ‘365: AIGA Annual Design Competitions 28’ selected a group of 103 examples of outstanding design produced in 2006.” Méndez’s winning entry is for the University of Cincinnati Recreation Center, where she created two public art installations: Homeland # 1 and Grass.

I was invited to lecture at the international design conference ‘Dejando Huella 10’ in Queretaro, Mexico. May 3 – 5, 2007. Conceived and organized by Eduardo Espinoza of Tipos Libres. Speakers included: Alejandro Paul (Argentina), Ana fortes (Brasil), Felipe Taborda (Brasil), Dany Bercs (Chile), Vanessa Eckstein (Argentina), Mario Eskenazy (España), Javeir Royo (España), Juan Carlos Fernandez (México)...