San Luis Obispo – Distinguished RIT Professor Emeritus Frank Romano will spend an academic term at Cal Poly as a Research Professor from Industry.

Romano, the most recognized sage in the graphic communication industry, will teach two courses, “Business Trends in Graphic Communication” and “History of Typography and Print.”

Romano’s career has spanned 50 years in the printing and publishing industries. Many know him as the editor of the International Paper “Pocket Pal” or have read one of the thousands of articles he has written. His weekly videos appear on whatheythink.com, and he is the author of 48 books, including the 10,000-term Encyclopedia of Graphic Communications (with Richard Romano), the standard reference in the field.

Romano wrote the first books on Quark, InDesign, computer-to-plate, Portable Document Format, web-to-print and digital printing. Many of his books are co-authored with students. He lectures extensively and in 2008 gave presentations in 39 countries. He was the principal researcher on the landmark Electronic Document Systems Foundation study, “Printing in the Age of the Web and Beyond.” Romano has been quoted in national newspapers and publications, as well as on TV and radio. And he recently appeared on the “History Detectives” PBS program.

In his Business Trends in Graphic Communication course, Romano will teach about changes in the way we view and receive content and information. Students will learn how content and information is delivered and how they have impacted the business of graphic communication, allowing new opportunities for many sectors. Romano will interweave the development of recent technologies with industry demographics to provide a basis for predicting the future of graphic communication.

In his History of Typography and Print course, Romano will teach about the development and use of type throughout history and how it has set the stage for major design evolutions. From old style Roman to modern fonts, Romano will discuss the history of type and the methods used for producing the written word. He will teach the rich history of type, from Gutenberg to Baskerville, from Charlemagne and the lowercase to how J. K. Rowling and Garamond are related, as well as the pragmatic use of typography.

“This is my second stint as a Cal Poly guest lecturer,” Romano said. “In 2006, I had the pleasure of working with a world-class faculty, student body, and graphic communication program. I expect to repeat that experience.”

Having Romano here for the 10-week term is a gift to Cal Poly students, said Harvey Levenson, head of Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department.
 
“The students will be exposed to one of the most prolific and visible experts in their field of study,” Levenson said. “Frank is a critical thinker and a visionary who is sure to leave our students with a sense how the past and present is a window on the future – a valuable perspective in developing their career goals.”