Speaker Ann Bessemans

Ann Bessemans  (prof. dr.) is a leading expert in legibility and an award-winning typographic designer. She is the founder of READSEARCH, a research lab dedicated to practical legibility in Belgium. She has her current main activity (100%) at LUCA School of Arts Ghent / KU Leuven University and  (20%) PXL-MAD / Hasselt University. Beyond her academic tenure, she operates as a typographic designer and consultant. Starting this September, she will also teach typography and type design at the LUCA School of Arts in Ghent, where she will also expand her legibility research.

Ann holds a PhD from Leiden and Hasselt Universities, completed under the supervision of Gerard Unger. Her data-driven research, supported by multiple Microsoft grants, focuses on improving type design and/or typographies for diverse reading needs and modes, including those for readers with impairments. She actively engages in various academic and research roles, actively participating as a Board Member at ATypI.