Kathy is a tenured full Professor at the new Expanded Animation Research + Practice (XA Program). Kathy is one of the founding faculty at the new XA Program and directed the program in its inaugural academic year 2022 – 2023. Kathy is PI for the Art & Science Collaboratory funded by the USC Research Collaboration Fund
Kathy was a faculty member at the John C. Hench Division of Animation & Digital Arts starting in 1998, where she chaired the Division from Fall 2004 to Spring 2009 and from Fall 2010 until Fall 2014 establishing the BA in animation and digital arts, creating the semester abroad with SACI College of Art & Design Florence, Italy and establishing the research collaboration with the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies in 2004.
Kathy was Co-Chair of REDEFINING ANIMATION The 25th Annual Conference of the Society for Animation Studies hosted at the School of Cinematic Arts, USC 2013.
Kathy teaches Expanded Animation, Master’s Thesis, Animation Seminar and Contemporary Topics Animation, Dreams & Consciousness.
Her teaching focuses on expanded animation practice and animation as consciousness.
NVidia Hardware Grant 2022
USC Research Collaboration Fund Award 2021 - 2022, 2022 – 2023, 2023 – 2024
SCA Mentoring Award Graduate Student Council 2017
Mellon Award for Mentoring Graduate Students University of Southern California 2013
Impact Award for Education from Adobe Sytems Inc. 2011
Interdisciplinary Zumberge Research Grant, University of Southern California 2010
Interdisciplinary Zumberge Research Grant, University of Southern California 2008
Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Recognition Award in the Creative Arts, University of Southern California 2005
Individual Zumberge Research Grant University of Southern California 2005
Interview with Smith
Scanlines Exhibition’s with Smith