School of Art and Design
Adjunct Assistant Professor Deborah Hernandez, Textile/Surface Design, traveled to Thailand in April on an FDGA grant to explore MONSILK, an upcycled fiber, and collaborate with hand-tufted rug artisans to create new artwork samples.
Christie Shin, professor, Creative Technology and Design, co-authored and published the book Empowering Design Education with AI (pictured) on August 8, along with C.J. Yeh, professor and assistant chair, Creative Technology and Design.
Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology
Adjunct instructor Jeff Meltzer of Advertising and Marketing Communications produced and livestreamed a four-hour, six-camera live broadcast of the 250th Celebration of America from Jersey City on July 4, featuring the entire tall ship flotilla, military flyovers, live music, and interviews with Jersey City Mayor James Solomon.
School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Isabella Bertoletti, PhD, professor of Modern Languages and Cultures, represented FIT at the 13th Biennial Australasian Centre for Italian Studies (ACIS) Conference in Melbourne, Australia, July 23–25, presenting research on gastronomy in Italian literature and culture through her course Italian Food for Thought.
Alexander Nagel, PhD, associate professor, History of Art, co-authored a study with an international team of researchers that was published in npj Heritage Science on July 28. Titled “Unveiling a Painter’s Palette,” the study analyzed 2,400-year-old pigment samples (pictured) from Persepolis to reveal ancient Persian painting technologies.
Natalie Nudell, History of Art adjunct assistant professor, organized and moderated the “Care in Creative Industries, Fashion and Design Respond to AIDS” panel on August 6 at Poster House.
English and Communication Studies professor Melissa Tombro published her book Writing About Objects: Crafting Nonfiction From Things (Bloomsbury) on September 3, which guides nonfiction writers through “crafting prose inspired by the material things in their lives.”
Deborah Berhanu, PhD, professor and chair, Science and Math, is a featured speaker on materials science in haute couture at Brooklyn Museum’s Art History Happy Hour for the Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses exhibition on September 24. The lecture series brings together perspectives across art history, mathematics, and materials science to explore the intersection of science and couture in Van Herpen’s work.
Associate Professor of Art History and Museum Professions Justine De Young, PhD, will deliver a lecture and host a book signing on September 26 at the Getty Center. Based on her recent book, The Art of Parisian Chic: Modern Women and Modern Artists in Impressionist Paris, the presentation will explore Édouard Manet, model Jeanne Demarsy, and modern 19th-century Parisian identity.
Non-classroom Faculty
Helen Taylor Lane, instructional design librarian at FIT, published a two-part article on Gilded Age “rockstar” preacher Stephen H. Tyng Jr. with the Gotham Center for New York City History on July 16. Read “The Body in the Basement” and “A Human Engine.”
Faculty and staff members on the Gladys Marcus Library display case team celebrated the Knicks’ 2026 NBA Championship win in June, highlighting the intersection of sports, streetwear, and culture using sneakers, apparel, archival photos, and periodicals. Special thanks to Ghazal Ghazi, Lana Bittman, Patricia Winston, and Monica Williamson for their generous donations and hard work bringing the spirit of the win to life.