CLOG
I joined the CLOG team in 2015 after working on a few independent projects related to publishing in the sciences. At that time, CLOG was primarily focused on architectural reflection and writing, but they wanted to expand their content to include more culturally impactful reflections on design. This series was named CLOG X.
Challenge
Create one issue per year with the topic decided by the editorial board.
My Role
Editor, author, interviewer, researcher, designer.
Timeline
May 2015 - January 2022
Issue 15
CLOG x Guns
The first issue I worked on was CLOG x Guns. We conducted in-field research regarding manufacturers, firearm enthusiasts, sportspeople, and opponents to the existence and political involvement of guns. For this issue I penned two articles, and helped to copy edit the issue. The goal was to remain as politically neutral given the turbulent cultural environment in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub and Las Vegas mass shootings. Due to the events of the time, multiple edits had to occur in order to accommodate up-to-date statistics on current events. The issue was released in 2017.
Issue 16
CLOG x Artificial Intelligence
For my second issue, we wanted to take a look at a more abstract concept. AI was still in its infancy compared to its wide-scale implementation today. For this issue I recruited a few data scientists to pen editorial pieces on the state-of or applications within the realm of LLMs, data vectorization, and the more imaginative aspects of AI. I also interviewed Yakov Kronrod, a computational linguist at Amazon.
The issue also touches on the theorized emergence of general artificial intelligence. My work on this issue would go on to cultivate my interest and expand my knowledge in designing for agentic experiences and the strategic direction of AI at CAS.
Issue 17
CLOG x Cannabis
The cannabis issue came at the height of the legalization debate and was the first issue we researched and made as the pandemic hit. The research phase proved to be more accessible as Ohio was in the midst of creating its legalization program. For this issue, I interviewed Mark Nye, who was at the time Director of Compliance for the Medical Marijuana Control Program at the Ohio Department of Commerce.
Our editorial process was already a remote and hybrid operation, but the launch proved particularly challenging with the inability to have in-store readings and events to promote the issue.
Issue 18
CLOG x Feeds
My final issue came to pass in the middle of the pandemic where logistics and supply chains were overburdened. Bookstores were locked down, and much of the world had retreated to their homes. As such, this was the first issue of CLOG which experimented with a digital-only format. Designed for e-readers and tablets and exclusively on online bookstores.
In the wake of that catastrophic event, individuals retreated to their devices. This issue focused and reflected on the dawn of fake news, and the seeming omniscience of the social media feed.
