Curriculum Vitae

Research Interests

Improvised & Experimental Music · Philosophy of Technology · Machine Learning · Physical Computing · Software Studies · Games & Virtual Worlds · Participatory Design · Social Equity

Education

2023
Ph.D., Computational Media, Arts & Cultures, Duke University
Dissertation: "From Error to Event: Decision in the Age of Generative Aesthetics"
2011
M.F.A., Sound Design, Savannah College of Art & Design
Thesis: "The Functions of Dynamic Audio: Telling Tales in Virtual Environments"
2004
B.Mus., Music Composition, University of Georgia
Magna Cum Laude · Emphasis: Computer Music / Music Informatics

Positions Held

2025–pres.
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication & Rhetorical Studies
College of Visual and Performing Arts, Syracuse University
2023–2025
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, Duke University
Participated in institutional grant writing (NEH, NEA & NSF) to support research into the effects of generative AI on cultural production. Developed curriculum and advised graduate and undergraduate researchers in arts, humanities, and social science projects.
2022
Visiting Lecturer, College of the Atlantic
Developed curriculum and advised student projects for "Critical Making and New Media Art."
2014–2017
Adjunct Lecturer, Audio Technology Program, Department of Performing Arts, American University
Developed curriculum for digital signal processing and sound synthesis in Pure Data and SuperCollider.
2015–2016
Product Manager, ReverbNation
Product owner for ML-driven talent discovery. Led a homepage redesign and launched a data-driven music discovery experience.
2014–2015
Program Coordinator, Fusion Youth Radio, The Marian Cheek Jackson Center for Saving and Making History
Oral history and audio production program for high school students in Chapel Hill, NC.
2011–2013
Sound Designer, Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern
Custom physical computing hardware/software systems, sound effects, music, and ambience for critically acclaimed theatre productions.
2008–2015
Multiple Roles, Urban Planet Media & Entertainment
Vice President, Software Products (2012–2015) · Creative Director (2009–2012) · Lead Audio Engineer & Music Producer (2008–2009). Oversaw mobile/web audio applications, automated essay scoring/ML products, and international product launches.
2010–2013
Co-Founder, Small Bird, Big Egg, LLC
Multiplayer social drawing game "Exquisite Corpse Drawing Game" for Facebook.

Publications

2025
Karriem, Quran. "Algorithmic Images and Recursive Epidermalization" in Color Protocols: Technologies of Racial Encoding in Chromatic Media, Carolyn Kane and Lida Zeitlin-Wu, eds. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
2024
Karriem, Quran. "Machine Learning and Deep Remixability" in Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Visual Culture, Volume 3: Digitisations, Transformations & Futures, Victoria Szabo, ed. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic.
2024
Karriem, Quran and Rebecca Uliasz. "SOMA: A Speculative Database Aesthetics of ImageNet" in Engaging the Margins: Experimental Practices in Interdisciplinary Art, Antoinette LaFarge and Jesse C. Jackson, eds. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers.
2022
Seaman, Bill, Quran Karriem, Dev Seth, Ashley Kwon and John Herr. "The Insight Engine 2.0: The Body and Biomimetic Systems as Intelligent Environments" in Intelligent Environments: Advanced Systems for a Healthy Planet, vol. 2, Peter Droege, ed. Elsevier.
2021
Karriem, Quran, Rebecca Uliasz and Brett Zehner. "Special Intellectual Zone" in ARPJA: A Peer-Reviewed Journal About _______. Vol 10:1 "Research Refusal", Christian Ulrik Andersen and Geoff Cox, eds. Aarhus, Denmark: Digital Aesthetics Research Center.
2020
DeFrantz, Thomas F. and Quran Karriem. "On Sonic Design." Theater 50:3, pp. 81–97. Duke University Press / Yale School of Drama.
2020
Karriem, Quran and Rebecca Uliasz. "Sunsetting the Species." Urgency Reader 2: Mutual Aid Publishing During Crisis. Providence, RI: Queer.Archive.Work.
2019
Cashell, Fiona, Rebecca Uliasz and Quran Karriem. "CROSS-WIRES." Studies in Arts and Humanities 5:2, pp. 181–193. Dublin, Ireland: SAHkartell.

Teaching Experience

As Instructor of Record

Fall 2025
Introduction to Software Studies · CRS, Syracuse University
Fall 2025
Historiographies of Electronic Music · CRS, Syracuse University
Fall 2023
Introduction to Machine Learning & Digital Bias · Global Inequality Research Initiative, Duke University
Spring 2022
Black Music & Technical Circulation · Global Inequality Research Initiative, Duke University
Spring 2022
Critical Making & New Media Art · Visual Media Studies / Information Sciences, Duke University
Spring 2021
Web Application Design & Development · Visual Media Studies / Information Sciences, Duke University
Summer 2020
Introduction to Electronic Music · Music Department, Duke University
2014–2017
Sound Synthesis & Digital Signal Processing I & II · Audio Technology Program, American University (offered each fall/spring)

As Teaching Assistant

Spring 2019
Performance & Technology (DeFrantz & Brooke) · Dance, CS & ECE Programs, Duke University
Fall 2019
Web-based Multimedia Communications (Olson) · Duke University

Selected Performances & Exhibitions

2026
Enacting the Circle (Sound & Media Artist). 2026 CII Workshop: Building an AI Conscience?, Center for Information Integrity, University at Buffalo. Co-developed with Jay Hammond.
2025
How Should the Future Sound? (Composer/Sound Designer). Interactive music installation using En-ROADS climate simulator. Museum of Life and Science, Durham, NC. Permanent exhibition.
2023
The 11th Organ (Improviser/Spoken Word). Rubenstein Arts Center, Duke University. Directed by Michael Kliën.
2023
Meshroom (Improviser/Live Electronics). Rubenstein Arts Center & Durham Fruit & Produce Company. Directed by Marika Niko.
2022
White Privilege (Sound & Media Artist). Northwestern University, Chicago, IL & Georgetown University Racial Justice Institute, Washington, D.C. Co-developed with Thomas F. DeFrantz.
2022
Enacting the Circle (Sound & Media Artist). Lobe 4DSOUND Studio, Vancouver, CA. Co-developed with Jay Hammond.
2022
Music in the Galleries (Sound Artist/Improviser). Live response to Reckoning and Resilience: North Carolina Art Now. Nasher Museum of Art, Durham, NC.
2022
a timeline for the end of time (Installation Artist). Rubenstein Arts Center, Duke University. Co-developed with Rebecca Uliasz.
2021
Immersive Engagements: Synthball (Media Artist). Villa Vida, Vienna, Austria.
2021
White Privilege (Sound & Media Artist). Academy of Theatre and Dance, Amsterdam University & von der Heyden Theater, Duke University. Co-developed with Thomas F. DeFrantz.
2021
The Insight Engine / World Generator 2.0 (Game / Virtual Environment Programmer). Theoretical and Foundational Problems in Information Studies conference. Co-developed with Bill Seaman.
2020
Soundz at the Back of My Head (Sound & Media Artist). The Black Box at Gibney, Manhattan, NY. Co-developed with Thomas F. DeFrantz & Rebecca Uliasz. Bessie/New York Dance & Performance Award Winner for Outstanding Sound Design.
2019
Durham's Black Wall Street: Finding Freedom Through Entrepreneurship (Digital Exhibit Designer). Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity. On permanent display in the NC Mutual building, Durham, NC. Co-developed with Kimber Heinz.
2019
Immersive Engagements: SOMA & Synthball (Media Artist). Living Arts Collective, Durham, NC. Co-developed with Rebecca Uliasz.
2019
We Will Tear the Roof Off (Media Artist). North Carolina Museum of Art. Directed by Thomas F. DeFrantz.
2019
Governance: An Audiovisual Noise Performance (Sound & Media Artist). All Data Lost Music Festival, Raleigh, NC.
2019
Home Made Me: Nina Simone Tribute (Sound & Media Artist). North Carolina Museum of Art. Directed by Thomas F. DeFrantz.
2019
SOMA / Governance with Duke New Music Ensemble (Invited Artist). Baldwin Auditorium, Duke University.
2018
…these borders that keep me down… (Interface Designer, Sound & Media Artist, Live Audio Engineer). von der Heyden Theater, Moogfest, Durham, NC. Co-developed with Thomas F. DeFrantz & Rebecca Uliasz.
2018
white privilege (Sound & Media Artist). University of California, Riverside & Gibney Dance, American Realness Festival, Manhattan, NY. Co-developed with Thomas F. DeFrantz.
2017
synthball: an instrument for gestural & play-based multimedia performances (Programmer, Materials Designer). Co-developed with Rebecca Uliasz. 2018 Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award Winner.
2017
a machine for grieving: a database aesthetics of fatal police encounters (Media Artist). Smith Warehouse, Duke University.
2017
Of Wings & Feet (Composer/Musician/Sound Artist). Forest Theatre at UNC Chapel Hill, NC Museum of Art, and Carolina Theatre. Produced by Paperhand Puppet Intervention.
2013
Out at Sea / Striptease (Sound & Media Designer). Manbites Dog Theater. Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern.
2012
In On It (Sound Designer). Manbites Dog Theater. Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern. INDY Week "Year in Theater" Winner for Best Sound Design.
2012
Donald (Sound & Media Designer). Manbites Dog Theater. Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern. INDY Week "Year in Theater" Winner for Best Design.
2011–2014
Exquisite Corpse Drawing Game (Game Designer/Developer/Founder). Facebook / Facebook Games API.

Lectures & Presentations

2026
"Triple Contingency and the Ethics of Collective Inscription." Keynote, 2026 CII Workshop: Building an AI Conscience?, Center for Information Integrity, University at Buffalo. Sponsored by the UB Humanities Institute and the Julien Park Chair, Dept. of Philosophy.
2024
"Double Consciousness, Triple Contingency, and the New Science of the Human." Association for the Study of Arts of the Present (ASAP/15), New York, NY.
2024
"Algorithmic Images and Recursive Epidermalization." Social Equity Leadership Conference, National Academy of Public Administrators, Stamford, CT.
2024
"Machine Learning and Deep Remixability." Centennial Symposium, Duke University. (Invited Speaker)
2021
"Spatial Techno and the Liminal Temporalities of Minecraft." Critical Media Literacy of the Americas. (Guest Speaker)
2021
"Minecrafting Pedagogies: Toward a Community-oriented Critical Making Arts Collective." Critical Media Literacy of the Americas. (Panelist)
2021
"Ethics, Racialization and the Problem of Recursive Systems." Theoretical and Foundational Problems in Information Studies. (Invited Speaker)
2021
"Anti-Noise, Improvisational Informatics and World Generation." Theoretical and Foundational Problems in Information Studies. (Invited Speaker)
2019
"SOMA: Noise Performance as Knowledge Production." University of California, Irvine, Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts. (Invited Artist & Lecturer)
2019
"Toward an Energy Theory of Value." Society for Literature, Science and the Arts, University of California, Irvine. (Invited Talk)
2018
"Interfaces: AfroFuturism + Performance + Technology." 21c Museum Hotel, Moogfest, Durham, NC. (Invited Talk)
2018
"Embodied Kinesonics: Interface, Transformation & Disappearance." Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA. (Invited Talk)

Fellowships, Residencies & Awards

2023–25
Postdoctoral Research Fellow; AI and Creative Practice; Cook Center on Social Equity, Duke University
2022–23
Katherine Goodman Stern Dissertation Writing Fellowship; The Graduate School, Duke University
2022
Artist-in-Residence; Lobe 4DSOUND Studio, Vancouver, Canada
2022
Study Group Cohort; "AI Anarchies Autumn School", Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany
2022
Summer Research Fellowship on Racism and Systemic Inequality; The Graduate School, Duke University
2021
Digital IDEAS Summer Institute Fellow; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2021–22
International Research Travel Fellowship; The Graduate School, Duke University
2020–22
Digital Equity Fellow; Cook Center on Social Equity, Duke University
2020
Bessie/New York Dance & Performance Award — Outstanding Music Composition/Sound Design for Soundz at the Back of My Head
2020
Brown-Nagin Graduate Fellowship; The Graduate School, Duke University
2019–20
Story+ Graduate Mentor / Research Assistant; Franklin Humanities Institute, Duke University
2018
Artist-in-Residence, Rubenstein Arts Center; Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts, Duke University
2018
Duke Social Practice Lab Fellow (dir. Pedro Lasch); Franklin Humanities Institute
2017–20
Digital Knowledge Fellow (dir. Victoria Szabo); Franklin Humanities Institute
2018
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award; Incubation Fund, Duke University
2017–20
Dean's Graduate Fellowship / Society of Duke Fellows; The Graduate School, Duke University
2012
INDY Week "Best Design" — Donald; "Best Sound Design" — In On It

Service & Symposia Organized

2022
Improvisational Infrastructures: Imagining the World with Uncertainty. Franklin Humanities Institute, Duke University. (Chair; Curator, Organizer, Artist)
2019
Incomputable Futures: A Symposium on Representation, Computation and Experimental Scholarship. Rubenstein Arts Center, Duke University. (Co-Chair; Curator, Organizer, Artist)
2020–21
Co-Investigator / Education Technologist, S-1 Lab / Minecraft Block Party. Arts/music/code education program for African American elementary schoolers via Minecraft during COVID-19 school closures, Durham, NC.
2013–14
Co-Investigator, All Children Reading Grand Challenge. USAID-funded ($300,000) child literacy program in Uganda using digital audio and mobile phone networks.