The UCSF Sports Medicine Conference is an annual gathering designed to provide head-to-toe clinical training, research insights, and field updates to sports-medicine professionals across disciplines. This is a conceptual project in which, for its 19th year, the conference adopted the theme “Endurance.” With this theme as a foundation, the conference required a refreshed visual identity that felt energetic, contemporary, and adaptable across both digital and physical materials.

The design direction embraces the idea of sustained motion. Athletic stills; captured moments of athletes in action; are paired with glitch effects that introduce dynamism and visual momentum into a traditionally static 2D space. These distortions echo the physical determination, repetition, and forward drive inherent in endurance training, bringing the theme to life in a visceral and immediate way.

A restrained yet expressive visual palette anchors the system. Black-and-white photography provides clarity and neutrality, while three-color gradients inject vibrancy, signaling energy and progression. These gradients not only unify the imagery but also create a sense of depth. This combination highlights the intersection of athleticism and professionalism.

The deliverables include the event identity, conference booklet with speaker and schedule pages, a website home page, badges, and merch. The underlying grid structure of the conference booklet lends the system order and intention, allowing the energetic elements to coexist with clarity and academic rigor. Typography further reinforces the theme. A bold display type serves as a strong visual anchor, while a condensed sans serif introduces modernity and efficiency. Complementing them is a sturdy slab serif that brings structure and legibility to longer-form information. Together, these three typefaces create a flexible system that can shift between headline impact, informational clarity, and expressive visual rhythm.

In combination, these elements form an identity that is both high-energy and highly functional. A branded event system capable of carrying the conference’s scientific authority while celebrating the endurance woven into every level of sports medicine practice.