Showyoursupport forStudentExhibitions
The presentation of work by our faculty and students truly exemplifies why the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design is the creative heart of Drexel.
We encourage you to consider making a gift to the Pearl Miller Carpel Endowment Fund to help support this work in perpetuity. Every gift to the Pearl Miller Carpel Endowment Fund is utilized to offset the costs associated with producing and presenting student exhibitions. Join us in fostering the next generation of creatives by making your gift today! To make a gift, visit giving.drexel.edu/Carpel
FacultyHighlights
Associate professor of Art History Delia Solomons was awarded the University of Pennsylvania's Wolf Humanities Center Regional Faculty Fellowship for 2024-25.
Neville Vakharia, PhD, associate professor of Arts Administration, is the co-editor of the new Oxford Handbook of Arts & Cultural Management, published by Oxford University Press
Digital Media assistant professor Dr. Ari Gass’s theatre company, Obvious Agency, was awarded a $100,000 New England Foundation for the Arts Touring and Creation Grant for Space Opera, a piece of playable theatre.
Valerie Ifill, assistant professor of Dance, and Raja Schaar, associate professor of Product Design, are co-principal investigators on “STEAMing through Dance: A Multimodal Exploration of Black Girls’ Intersectional Identities and STEAM Literacies within a Transdisciplinary STEAM Counterspace” The project was recently awarded a grant of $341,606 by the Spencer Foundation.
June He, assistant professor of Product Design, published her latest book chapter in Serving the Marginalized through Design Education (Routledge): “Transformative Teaching: New Roles of Experiential Design Educators in the PostCovid Era”
The Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design led the University in 2024 Drexel Faculty Recognition Awards with five faculty recognized: John Avarese (Faculty Summer Research Award), Dr. Joseph Larnerd (Provost Award for Pedagogical Innovation), James McKinney (Faculty Summer Research Award), D.S. Nicholas (Provost Award for Pedagogical Innovation), and Toby Seay (Scholarly Materials & Research Equipment Award)
Antonio Martinez-Molina, Ph.D., LEED Green Assoc., CPHD, associate professor in Architecture and Engineering, was part of a Drexel research team that has received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. This grant, in collaboration with Howard University, focuses on promoting Clean Energy Justice among HBCU students, including empowering 50 students to engage hands-on by building mockups in Westphal’s wood shop, which will be showcased at a special event at Drexel in 2025 Following the event, these structures will be shipped to Howard University for display during their Research Month, further strengthening Drexel’s collaboration with Howard.
Daniel Coslett, assistant professor of Architecture, received a Franklin Research Grant from the American Philosophical Society for archival research on Frenchcolonial churches in North Africa
FacultySpotlight:DebraRuben
2024 David S. Raizman Memorial Award Recipient
In memory of former Interim Dean and Emeritus Professor David Raizman, family and friends established the David S Raizman Endowed Memorial Award David's energy and leadership impacted hundreds of colleagues, and this Award will be given in his name in perpetuity. The Award recognizes a current faculty member who exemplifies distinguished service, teaching, and leadership in accordance with the values of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
The 2024 recipient of the Raizman Award is Debra Ruben, associate professor of Interior Design and Academic Associate Dean for Westphal Prior to her current role, Deb was the program director for the undergraduate Interior Design and graduate Interior Architecture & Design programs, both of which have Council for Interior Design (CIDA) accreditations and top rankings from DesignIntelligence Debra has established an exceptional reputation as a dedicated educator in Interior Design, teaching design studios at all levels, thesis courses, and seminars exploring environmental design and participatory practices
In 2023, Deb was honored by Westphal BRIDGE Scholars as the recipient of the inaugural Outstanding Ally Award The award recognized Deb’s commitment to student success and mentorship, both in the classroom and through holistic support.
“Debra Ruben is a person of supreme integrity, caring deeply about fairness, justice, and the wellbeing of every member of our community and beyond,” says Ulrike Altenmüller-Lewis, head of the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism. “She has been a tireless advocate for all of us – always believing in the greater good, never being clouded by self-interest”
In addition to her teaching, service, and leadership within Drexel, Deb’s reach extends to the wider community Her research delves into interdisciplinary design thinking, sustainability issues and participatory practices aimed at community building Her work has been supported by numerous grants to fund impactful projects that serve communities in West Philadelphia. In August 2022, she celebrated the dedication of a new playground at the Morton McMichael School in Mantua, the culmination of several years’ worth of planning, preparation, and community engagement
“Deb is more than a great colleague and committed educator,” says Dean Jason Schupbach “She engenders trust within our community, elevates our culture, and personifies collaborative leadership”
PHOTOBYBRANDONEASTWOOD
Student&AlumniHighlights
Nevaeh Hearn, a student in the Fashion Industry & Merchandising program, was announced as one of five finalists of the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship, the organization’s premier scholarship competition The winner of the top prize will we awarded in January 2025
Three students in Fashion Industry & Merchandising are winners of the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) national competition: Klejdi Caushaj, Rajvi Dharamshi, and Zetta Megenhardt. This prestigious competition drew 671 case study submissions from across the country, representing 90 institutions including both FSF member and non-member schools
Vivian Tian, current Digital Media graduate student, was awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
Alexander Beglan, a student in the Architecture program, was nationally recognized by the Building Technology Educators Society (BTES) with the 2024 Ed Allen Student Award
Teliyah Davis (Entertainment & Arts Management ’26) was selected for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea. The scholarship program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, supports American undergraduate students pursuing study abroad and international internships
Thom H. Wall (MS Arts Administration ‘15) was named the recipient of the American Youth Circus Organization/American Circus Educator (AYCO/ACE)'s "Innovation in Education" award for 2024.
Miya J. Benintende (Photography ‘07) was awarded the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers and will receive $3,500 from the Christian R and Mary F Lindback Foundation
James Acker (Screenwriting & Playwriting ’16) published his second young adult novel. Teenage Dirtbags is an "unflinchingly raw and boldly hilarious novel about an unlikely group of teens coming together to exact revenge on the person who wronged them"
Jonathan L. Low (Music Industry ‘08) was nominated for a Grammy award in the Album of the Year category Mr Low engineered Taylor Swift’s album The Tortured Poets Department
Alexi Harber (Entertainment & Arts Management ‘20) was promoted to general manager at The Beverly Theater in Las Vegas She joined as the theater manager before its opening in May 2022 Previously, Ms Harber contributed to various artistic organizations including her role as business associate at Delaware Shakespeare In addition to her Drexel degree, she received a technical theatre degree at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts
Natalie Mashaal (MS Television & Media Management ‘22) was appointed to the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council Ms Mashaal is the founder and CEO of Mashaal Media Corp and currently serves as a guest lecturer at Harvard University
Swati Goorha (MS Interior Architecture & Design ‘12), owner of Swati Goorha Designs, was featured in Business of Home for her unique work in the interior design business. Ms. Goorha was selected to participate in the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House and created a space that paid homage to her personal story
Marina Lamphier (Fashion Design ‘24) was one of six finalists for the Supima Design Competition The competition, now in its 17th year, aims to support emerging talent by enlisting outstanding graduates from top design universities across the country. Ms. Lamphier presented her final designs during New York Fashion Week and during the Supima Design Competition runway show
Gabrielle Y. Richards (MS Fashion Design ‘10) hosted the "Putting the Plus in The Fashion Inclusivity Conversation" panel at the 2024 Essence Festival Ms Richards is a fashion expert and body acceptance coach who also serves as the brand director of Shapermint Throughout her career, Ms. Richards has been pushing the fashion industry into becoming truly size-inclusive and advocating for young designers and women of color
Kylie Nixholm, a current Interior Design student, and seven interior design alums were recognized in Interior Design Magazine’s 30 under 30 list: Allie Atkins (Interior Design ‘20), a lead interior designer at Eimer Design; Andrea Coler (Interior Design ‘23), an associate interior designer at NELSON Worldwide; Margaret E. Corgnati, NCIDQ (Interior Design ‘19), an interior designer at HOK; Morgan Immerman, NCIDQ (MS Interior Architecture & Design ‘17), an interiors project manager at Northworks Architects; Rebecca D. Kendra, NCIDQ, LEED Green Associate (Interior Design ‘18; MS Interior Architecture & Design ’19), an interior designer at Ballinger; Ashley Richardson, LEED, AP (Interior Design ‘21; MS Interior Architecture ’22), a designer at Gensler; Anna Salvucci (Interior Design ‘23), an interior designer professional at HOK.
Anina L. Major (Graphic Design ‘03) was named the inaugural winner of the 2024 Future Perfect Gallery’s the Future Perfect Prize for her sculptural art The prize is one of just a few in the United States dedicated to design and offers the recipient an unrestricted grant of $20,000, along with an ongoing relationship with the gallery In addition, Ms. Major will debut a new body of work at the Future Perfect, a prominent design gallery with outlets in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, in 2025
Emma Stern (Photography ‘07) and Katherine B. Tackman (Photography ’07), founders of Gravy Studio + Gallery, were featured in the 20/20 Photo Festival, a month-long celebration of photography, organized by a consortium of Philadelphia-based organizations, at Cherry Street Peer Ms Stern and Ms. Tackman established Gravy Studio + Gallery to promote the work of local artists and foster a shared love of photography
Telsa S. Love (Interior Design ‘11; MS Interior Architecture & Design ’11) was announced as a Ones to Watch scholar, a program initiated by the American Society of Interior Designers Ms Love leads CosciaMoos' interior design team and is also a WELL Accredited practitioner Additionally, she is a dedicated member of Professional Women in Construction, Urban Land Institute, NAIOP, and participated in the 2023 GPLEX Conference
'TheEcologyofFashion’ onDisplayattheAcademy ofNaturalSciencesof DrexelUniversity
Featuring stunning and provocative garments from Drexel’s Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection and diverse and wondrous specimens from the Academy's collection, the collaborative exhibition illuminates the interconnections between fashion and the natural world.
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University enters the world of fashion, in collaboration with the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection (FHCC) of Drexel’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, to present The Ecology of Fashion The exhibition will feature garments from the FHCC, specimens from the Academy's collections and works by contemporary change-makers, boldly showing how materials, production processes and our own patterns of clothing consumption impact our world
Contemporary household designer names and modern high-end brands Oscar de la Renta, Givenchy, Levi Strauss & Co. will be on display, and the highly exclusive evening gown, designed by Givenchy made of a rare coral and worn by Princess Grace of Monaco, will also be on display, albeit for a limited time The exhibit lays bare that designers often pay homage to nature even while utilizing materials and processes that can harm the environment Reflecting on how a single style trend, such a coat worn by First Lady Jackie Kennedy, can lead to devastating impacts
“From the raw materials drawn from fauna, flora, fungi and fossil fuels, to the agricultural and manufacturing processes behind their making, the clothing that we wear is deeply interconnected with the natural world,” said Marina McDougall, vice president of Experience and Engagement at the Academy The Ecology of Fashion at
the Academy of Natural Sciences vividly presents a series of tableaux exploring fashion and its environmental impacts, inspiring visitors with ways in which we can participate in bringing about positive change”
In addition to seeing pieces that demonstrate the connection between fashion and nature, visitors will have the opportunity to explore how shifts in textile production and fights to address labor rights may be encouraging more environmentally friendly and ethical practices The exhibition aims to inspire visitors to make more sustainable choices for their own closets
“It is exciting to present the items from the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection in an interdisciplinary context. The pieces on display in The Ecology of Fashion exhibition from renaissance velvets to pleated polyester tell a story about our environment, our history and our future,” said Clare Sauro, director of the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, who co-curated the exhibit with McDougall.
The Ecology of Fashion will run from Saturday, Nov. 16 through Sunday Aug 31 in the Dietrich Gallery, at the Academy For more information visit ANSP.org
MAIN IMAGE: Evening gown, Oscar de la Renta, USA, 2006 Silk, rayon, glass, and pheasant feathers Courtesy of the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, gift of Elizabeth Graham Weymouth
A leopard-skin coat worn by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1962 created a fashion trend that killed 250,000 leopards A copy of that coat (left) is part of an exhibit on the ecology of fashion at the Academy of Natural Sciences (Emma Lee/WHYY)
OldClothes WithaNewLifeonCampus
BY NAT KAEMMERER - DREXELNOW STAFF WRITER
A space in the URBN Center repurposes clothing donated by students at moveout and throughout the year to create a unique thrift store.
@DREXELFIM
Next time you feel the need to shop for clothes, you don’t need to go far at all Just head to the URBN Center, home of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, and step into Reworn, Drexel University’s student-run secondhand shop
You’ll be able to shop a collection of clothes sourced from things students donated after moving out of residence halls, curated by Sadie Patterson (Fashion Industry & Merchandising ’25). There are casual items, like jeans and tops, and some pieces that can be worn to co-op and more professional settings Students can come in and shop from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, by scanning a QR code and paying online Funds are split between the Fashion Industry & Merchandising Student Fund and Pennsylvania Fibershed, which works to build local fiber systems
Right now, Reworn is moving towards its winter collection Patterson considers three main things when making a collection: the clientele, the season and the space itself.
“I’ll make a color scheme and mood boards,” Patterson said. “In my mind I have three main customers, which are the more alternative, punky people; the classic, simple, more minimal people; and the wild cards who like to experiment and try on crazy things I’ll pick equal amounts for all those different people and make sure they all work together visually”
Reworn has been open since July 2024 and aims to help address textile waste at Drexel Rachel Higgins, an instructor in Fashion Industry & Merchandising with a background in sustainable and circular fashion, originally organized it and now helps source clothes from the Climate & Sustainability team’s project that collects and donates clothes that students discard at moveout.
Bo Solomon, executive director of Climate & Sustainability, works annually to collect and donate clothes that students discard at moveout as one part of what his office does as they try to build a more sustainable Drexel with initiatives including the Climate Action Plan, the Race to Zero Waste and the Buy Nothing Depot Higgins joined the collection efforts to help divert items from the donation pile
PHOTO: Sadie Patterson organizes the day-to-day operations of Reworn as
“Only about 20% of everything that you donate actually goes somewhere. About 80% of it ends up in a landfill,” Higgins said “We want to say, ‘OK, what can we keep in our own local community?’ A lot of the stuff we donate gets balled up and shipped to places around the world and ends up as waste there We have to deal with our own waste”
Part of dealing with that waste includes collecting data on the clothing left behind, Higgins said, which includes cataloguing the fiber makeup, if it’s synthetic or natural and what type of item it is (like, for example, pants, a top or something else) Higgins’ goal was an elevated thrift store where you don’t have to search through piles or crowded racks
Patterson runs the day-to-day business of Reworn as an independent study student and is currently working on making it into an ecommerce space. Chris Baeza, associate program director and assistant teaching professor in fashion industry & merchandising, encouraged her to take on Reworn She’s created new graphics for the store and organized a photoshoot featuring clothes from the fall collection styled on students from around Westphal
Day-to-day, Patterson makes sure the store stays stocked, replacing things that have sold with inventory from the back There’s not a lot of physical upkeep necessary, especially since all payments are online
“I've worked in retail since I was 15, so I understand how retail spaces are laid out and organizing and picking the clothing came very easily for me,” Patterson said. “I learned a lot about the accessibility of a space and how to make it clean and visually interesting”
Another big part of Patterson’s role is building Reworn’s online presence, which will be live soon This includes photos from the shoot she led, graphics she created, a website and an Instagram account that helps market the store and clothing
"Styling is my main interest and I love visual merchandising, so I really embraced the idea of having the space and clothes that I can design,” Patterson said “I took a lot from what Rachel did, and I’ve noticed things sell pretty quickly, including a lot of the things I used in the photoshoot, which felt really nice The best feedback I get is when things sell”
Students who want to get involved can always help with sorting, both in the current inventory and at the end of the year, when donations are collected from students moving out. Patterson is working on photographing and cataloguing everything in the inventory to put it online
“Overall, it's a really exciting and fun thing for Westphal to have and I just wish more people knew about it, and I'd love to hear input on what people think about it,” Patterson said
RIGHT: Reworn showcases clothes organized by Sadie Patterson LEFT: A wide view of Reworn and its racks of clothes
PassionMeetsPracticum:
MicheleByrd-McPheeonOpeningPathwaysintotheArts
BY LAUREL HOSTAK JONES
By the time Michele Byrd-McPhee (’08) began her graduate studies in Drexel’s Arts Administration program, she was already the founding director of an all-women hiphop dance company in Philadelphia In October 2024, she returned to Drexel for a multi-day residency with Ladies of Hip-Hop, and she reflected on her academic journey and career It’s a journey of risk-taking, advocacy and - most of all - a passionate dedication to the arts
With an informal background in dance and an undergraduate degree in public health from Temple University, Byrd-McPhee taught herself the nonprofit model – navigating contracts, grant applications and more with no formal training. She cites a grant rejection as an immensely positive step for her education and career. After losing out on a prestigious arts grant, she met with the director of the grantmaking organization to gather feedback for the next try According to that arts leader, her application was all passion without the necessary practical details With that input, she changed her approach In the next round, she secured the grant Byrd-McPhee started to gather momentum in her dance career, and she found she had a natural gift for the business side of the arts
“I didn’t even know what arts administration was,” she says, “but that’s what I was doing” Then she found Drexel’s graduate program, which seemed like the perfect proving ground for her experience and career ambitions
She describes walking into the office of then-program director Cecelia Fitzgibbon to inquire about the Arts Administration degree There was - she learned - a threeyear waiting list for the program, but Fitzgibbon listened to her story and concluded that Byrd-McPhee was exactly the kind of student for whom the program was intended Fitzgibbon, who would later serve as the 10th president of Moore College of Art & Design, was so impressed by ByrdMcPhee’s experience and initiative that she opened a spot in the program for the upcoming academic year.
Pursuing her Arts Administration degree at Drexel was, “one of the best things that ever happened to me,” ByrdMcPhee reflects “That program is why I am where I am today” She was finally able to marry her years of experience in the dance and hip-hop communities with practical training in the structures of nonprofit leadership
Even with the advantages of a formal arts education under her belt, the path for Byrd-McPhee wasn’t a straight line Graduating in 2008, she reentered the job market in the middle of a recession and housing market collapse. Arts organizations were severely impacted by the financial crisis, and Byrd-McPhee recalls feeling like her entire plan was upended. In moving to New York, she took a job managing the front desk at a Manhattan rehearsal studio. While it wasn’t the leadership position she was looking for, it did afford her a space to rehearse, keeping her grounded in her dance roots Over the next few years, Byrd-McPhee found work in production: for Brooklyn Academy of Music, and then as a production manager for late night television Meanwhile, she was scaling her independent nonprofit, Ladies of Hip-Hop What began in 2004 as a training ground for female Hip-Hop dancers grew into a week-long international festival based in New York
“I knew there was going to come a time when I would have to make a choice,” she says about this moment in her career, “and I’m always going to choose dance”
As Ladies of Hip-Hop gained momentum, Byrd-McPhee doubled down on her passion, applying the skills and strategies she built at Drexel Ladies of Hip-Hop honed its mission to empower girls and women in hip-hop culture, providing resources like dance training, performance showcasing, mentorships, educational programs, career development support and networking.
“My community needed me,” she reflects “I wanted the street dance and hip-hop community to have the same access as the ballet community”
Since the organization’s founding in 2004, Ladies of HipHop has built an international tribe of girls and women supporting one another The dance collective completed a residency with Works & Process at the Guggenheim LaunchPAD, led by Producer Caroline Cronson and General Manager Duke Dang Byrd-McPhee references this as the opportunity that catapulted the company into the concert dance world They’ve performed and developed work at such venues as Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow and The Shed
“You can never underestimate the value of a relationship,” she says On her journey, this is as true of friends as it is of professional contacts. It was through a long-lasting friendship that Byrd-McPhee first became connected with international streetwear retailer SNIPES.
In 2022, Ladies of Hip-Hop partnered with SNIPES to open a 1,500 sq ft studio space What was intended as a sixmonth pop-up studio is still running two years later, now serving as a hub for their annual festival and as a rental space for nonprofits and artists.
Though Ladies of Hip-Hop now has its roots securely in New York, Byrd-McPhee is still deeply tied to Philadelphia. She’s integral to the fabric of Philly’s hip-hop culture, and she’s even depicted in North Philly’s “Know the Elements” mural by Christian "TAMEARTZ" Rodriguez Her residency at Drexel, supported by Mandell Presents and the Rankin Scholars-in-Residence Program of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, brought her back to the Philly stage and classroom
“Michele's an artist, activist and entrepreneur who works through dance to build social justice and create positive change,” says professor Julie Goodman, reflecting on Michele’s visit to her class in the Arts Administration program “She's a model for students seeking to understand how to build a successful cultural organization that places artists, equity and community at the center of the work”
The residency also included a keynote lecture, a community dance class in partnership with the Dornsife Center and a visit with Drexel’s Community Engaged Movement Partnerships Touring Ensemble. The flagship event, featuring Ladies of Hip-Hop, was a public performance of the Black Dancing Bodies Project: Speak My Mind The exhilarating showcase uses spoken word, music and movement to reclaim community stories, gestures, mannerisms, hairstyles, dances and cultural norms
Byrd-McPhee looks back with gratitude: for the arts leaders who opened pathways for her; the educators who valued her voice; for the employers who gave her the opportunity to try things she’d never done before; and for friends and loved ones who believed in her vision
Passion is still a driving force behind her work, and it continues to bring her recognition In 2023, she was honored with the Bessie Award for Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance
“It was a bumpy road,” she recalls, “but I’m living the dream, and I’m over 50.”
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OpenThoseWindows:NaturalVentilation
InHistoricBuildingsCanReduceMechanical SystemUse,SaveEnergyandCreate
HealthierIndoorEnvironments
BYEMILYSTORZ,DREXELNEWSANDMEDIARELATIONS
Acarefulassessmentoftheinherentenergyefficientfeaturesofthesebuildingscanensurethe necessarybalancebetweenenergyoptimizationandhistoricpreservation.
Today indoor temperatures are generally controlled by devices – whether they are smart, portable, or wedged in a window Most heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems can be set to maintain the temperature of an indoor space within a few degrees But has modern technology, like air conditioning, erased a time-tested body of knowledge about how best to design a wellventilated, temperate building?
At Drexel University, researchers are investigating natural ventilation strategies in historic homes in hopes of understanding how their inherent energy-efficient features can inform modern energy conservation and historic preservation efforts, particularly in hot and humid climates
“Historic homes were designed for times when there was
no HVAC,” said Antonio Martinez-Molina, PhD, an associate professor in Drexel’s Antionette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, and College of Engineering, who is leading the research “Taking into consideration modern-day expectations, most are not comfortable buildings - but they perform way better than we expect”
Using energy and computational fluid dynamics simulations, the research team analyzed several passive cooling and natural ventilation strategies for cooling historic residential structures in the hot and humid climate of San Antonio, Texas. Their results, published in Energy and Buildings, suggest that historic preservation and thermal comfort goals can be achieved simultaneously and can be replicated in multiple historic structures in similar climate regions around the globe.
The team considered feasibility, cooling potential and cultural preservation of six scenarios through the X and Y seasons in San Antonio:
No natural ventilation
Ventilation with openings at full capacity
Ventilation with openings at half capacity
Cross ventilation, opening windows on opposite sides of the building to improve airflow and regulate indoor temperature
Stack ventilation, using temperature differences to drive airflow, with warm air rising and exiting through high openings while cooler air enters through lower openings
Night flush ventilation, using cooler nighttime air to ventilate and remove heat from a building, reducing the need for mechanical cooling during the day
“Our analysis revealed that all the considered scenarios can contribute to energy savings in both seasons, especially in spring, with cross ventilation being the most efficient strategy,” said Martinez-Molina. “Mechanical cooling and mixed-mode ventilation are well researched topics, this is not the case with naturally ventilated residential heritage structures, which house approximately 15% of US population This work is increasingly important as climate changes create increasingly hot and humid conditions”
Martinez-Molina cautions, that while opening windows in a historic building is a good practice – it’s not always feasible or sufficient to achieve a tolerable, livable environment
In addition to assessing natural ventilation strategies, researchers turned their gaze to the inherent energyefficient features of historic buildings and analyzed how energy retrofits can ensure a balance between energy optimization and historic preservation Their research on this topic, which was also published in Energy and Buildings, developed a methodology for planning successful retrofits of historic buildings, especially those in hot and humid conditions
“To enhance the energy performance of historic structures while preserving their cultural and physicalvalues, it is essential to assess the inherent energy-efficient features and evaluate the benefits of integrating them into the energy retrofit plan,” said Martinez-Molina “This study seeks to address this gap by quantitatively evaluating the effectiveness of various inherent energy-efficient features in a historic residential building located in a hot and humid climate, where the original energy concept aimed to cool the building in the absence of mechanical systems”
The research team identified and assessed features, like existing shading devices (porch, roof overhangs, and awnings), large windows, high ceilings; and various envelope materials, such as wood, brick and limestone
Using a validated numerical model, researchers were able to present outcomes of their energy simulations and examine the impact of these features on indoor environmental conditions, cooling loads and occupant thermal comfort
Their analysis provided several useful insights:
Existing shading devices can effectively reduce indoor temperatures and cooling loads while minimally increasing relative humidity
Large windows lead to higher temperatures but improve air circulation, resulting in lower relative humidity
High ceilings generally lower indoor temperatures, but their impact varies with outdoor temperatures
Replacing wood with high thermal mass materials, like limestone or brick reduces temperature and enhances thermal comfort
Researchers believe this body of work demonstrates that a balance can exist between improving the energy efficiency of historic buildings and preserving existing physical attributes, especially in regions with hot and humid conditions
TOP: Location of the building (right) and external (top left) - internal (bottom left) building appearance, with different architectural elements BOTTOM: Building’s simplified model (left) and solar analysis for the entire cooling season (right)
In addition to Martinez-Molina, Layla Iskandar and Saadet Toker Beeson, from the University of San Antonio; and Ezgi BaySahin, from Lancaster University, contributed to the research on passive cooling and natural ventilation Read the full paper.
In addition to Martinez-Molina, Carlos Faubel from Drexel, Layla Iskandar and Saadet Toker Beeso from the University of San Antonio, contributed to the research on quantification of energy efficient features. Read the full paper.
The Farajollah & Maryam Badie Arfaa Lecture Series
AnExcerptfromThePerfect Spot:HowthePursuitof ParkingShapesOurWorld
Donald Shoup, the Godfather of parking studies, likes to say that thinking about parking takes place in The Reptilian cortex of the brain, which is the part of the brain said to govern territoriality, aggression, and ritual display I think cognitive science has moved on from this concept of The Reptilian cortex, but most of us have experienced that this emotional pull exists for us when we experience parking When we try to hold onto a parking spot, whether that's in our home driveway or at a university or a hospital, at an employer or in front of a local business, we are fiercely attached to our parking spots, even if our possession of them is only momentary until the next time we move the car. The preoccupation with parking is often the first objection raised at the prospect of a new business This parking concern freezes our urban geography and pushes new development into sprawl on the urban fringe, because people are concerned with the parking supply in their neighborhood In response to this demand, we have codes on the books in almost every American city that make it illegal to build homes, offices, or shops without parking statutes, typically known as “parking minimums” or “parking requirements” This obsession with parking has made housing more expensive, it has turned our buildings uglier, damaged our environment, it has destroyed walkable neighborhoods, and it has made some American downtowns more than half parking by land area
Now, why have we become dependent on the automobile for even our most basic tasks? Well, I'll argue to you tonight it's because of these mistakes we have made in our quest to store it This need to store the automobile has eaten up the public right of way and private property alike. Now don't get me wrong, everyone loves a good parking space, myself included, but there are things we love more about our cities. There are things we want more than parking: affordable housing, attractive architecture, walkable neighborhoods, conservation of natural land, and a more sustainable way of life What I wish to suggest to you tonight is that the preoccupation with parking, which we all share, preoccupation with this perfect parking spot is directly impairing our ability to provide these things, to build the city and the society that we actually want even more than we want that parking space.
So how did we get here? The parking problem is as old as the road itself, but it gets a lot more complicated after the invention of the automobile Americans’ enthusiasm for this new mode of transport is immediate and overwhelming In 1920s Muncie, Indiana, one woman speaks for a nation when she says she bought a car before she installed indoor plumbing because, “you can't go to town in a bathtub” What followed were four decades of intense traffic jams as cars swarmed downtown streets Observers believed that the root of the traffic problem was parking, because a large share of the traffic was caused by people looking for parking, and another share was caused by people giving up and double- or even triple-parking And so, by the end of World War II, everyone was convinced that parking was a crisis – not just a crisis but in some cases the crisis
Acclaimed author Henry Grabar spoke at Drexel’s Mandell Theater as part of the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism’s Farajollah & Maryam Badie Arfaa Lecture Series . This excerpt has been edited for clarity.
“Philadelphiaishometorenowned universitiessuchasDrexelandTemple, whichofferrobustprogramsingaming andtechnology.Accordingtodatafrom CampusPhilly,theseinstitutionsattract thousandsofstudentseachyear, fosteringatalentedpipelinereadyto enterthegamingworkforce.
However,manygraduateshave historicallyleftthecity,contributingtoa braindrain.Bycultivatingavibrant gamingsector,wecanretainthistalent, ensuringthattheskillsandcreativityof ouryoungprofessionalscontributeto Philadelphia’sgrowth.”
Rob Lloyd, associate teaching professor and program director of Game Design & Production at Drexel University, along with Adrian Sandoval (Game Design & Production adjunct professor), Bren King (Digital Media '13), Kenneth Oum (BS/MS Digital Media ’10; Game Design & Production ’25), Tom Sharpe (Game Design & Production ’16), are serving on the PHL Gaming Task Force. An initiative of Philadelphia City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, the Task Force produced the PHL Gaming Report 2024 The goal of the report, which was presented to City Council in December, is to examine the current state of Philadelphia's gaming community and explore how this industry is poised to become a major pillar of the city's economy
By collaborating with experts, practitioners, and advocates dedicated to creating pipelines into the gaming industry, the PHL Gaming Report offers actionable solutions. These strategies aim not only to position gaming as a leading industry in Philadelphia but also to establish the East Coast as a powerhouse region for gaming in the United States
StudentSpotlight:NevaehHearn
Fashion Industry & Merchandising Senior and Drexel Finalist for NRF Foundation’s Most Prestigious Scholarship Shares Her Passion For Adaptive Fashion and Retail Innovation
Nevaeh Hearn (Fashion Industry & Merchandising ’25) is a Top Five Finalist for the 2025 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship. The competition will culminate in New York on January 12, 2025 at the NRF Foundation Honors, with a top scholarship prize of $25,000
Nevaeh spoke with Alyssa Johnson (Graphic Design ‘27) about her journey to the finals, her passion for adaptive fashion and her hopes for a future career in retail.
Alyssa (A): How did you decide on going into the fashion industry?
Nevaeh (N): When I was 12, I was a competitive gymnast, but I experienced an unfortunate injury during competition that caused me to lose my ability to walk for two years And during that time, I really fell in love with art as a coping strategy. Painting, drawing, graphic design, film, photography, makeup. I was just expressing myself in everything I could because I didn't have gymnastics anymore And so, I kind of went through an identity crisis I couldn't walk But I don't want to be pitied It turns out I had a really rare condition called complex regional pain syndrome If you have a traumatic injury, your brain can almost lose its connection with you, with the nerves. So, it was just a bad ankle injury at first, but over time it just progressed until that connection with the brain and the nervous systems just got lost And it was just like, “oh, we forget how to walk now” I’ve found belonging again in fashion, and I discovered that I’m passionate about wanting to help others.
A: Would you say that you were always sure about going into the fashion industry as a major, or did you have other options that you were thinking about?
N: At first, I was really into film, but film is a little tricky when it comes to the industry. So I felt my love for fashion was kind of an overshot film and also just career opportunities There's fashion design and then there's also the business side of fashion So I wanted to kind of have a mix of both the design side and the business side Right now, I'm working on my senior thesis I’m passionate about adaptive fashion, so I'm creating a program that can help brands create adaptive fashion lines. They can either do this by taking their existing lines for ablebodied people and creating modifications for people with disabilities, or by creating a whole collection specifically for people with disabilities
I want to provide resources, support and guidelines for brands It will walk them through the entire process of how to create adaptive fashion, and it will give them background information on what adaptation is, why it's needed, the type of consumer it's needed. And then I want to have a resources tab to help them get in touch with brands that already do adaptive fashion There will also be a design tab, so they can input their item and then play around with settings to modify it
A: What keeps you inspired in the ever-evolving industry of fashion?
N: I would say the people and the consumers are the priority when it comes to fashion Although many brands don't really care for the consumer, they mainly care for profit The consumer is the root, and you wouldn't really have these products without a consumer to get them to. I think the consumer is what motivates me since my passion really started with wanting to help people with their design Although the fashion industry has a lot of problems, I can see how much it can also help people That’s a huge factor in why I really like fashion and the retail industry in general, because it's so broad and just wonderful
A: Turning to the competition in which you’re a finalist: What is the NRF Foundation and their mission? What do they do?
N: The NRF Foundation is part of the National Retail Federation, but they're the nonprofit wing. Their goal is to give access to more resources and jobs and opportunities in retail, especially for students With this competition, they collaborate with universities to recognize talented students, develop business skills, and help launch careers in retail.
A: How was the application process?
N: The application process was long. It started in March. Well it started in January, but my professor reached out to me in March asking me if I want to do it Which is funny, because she reached out to me last year about it, and I told her no I just was not in a place to do it And then a year later, she again asked me if I'm interested It was a sign, the fact that she's asking me again, that maybe I should just say yes. And it's my last year.
The first round was an essay, a video, transcripts and letters of recommendation. By June, I found out that I was in the top 25. That’s when I had to move on to the case study, the biggest part of the phase, which is a collaboration with a retailer We worked with Uniqlo this year, and we had to design a collaboration with an artist or another brand to create a whole new product launch for them. That includes marketing, merchandising, financials and key performance indicators (KPIs). It was so long, but it's only allowed to be 10 pages After that was submitted, I found out that I was in the top ten After a round of interviews, I made the top five Just last week, actually, I had my last interview with the NRF board
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“TheNRFFoundationiscommittedtorecognizingrisingretailtalentthroughtheNextGeneration Scholarship,”NRFFoundationExecutiveDirectorAdamLukoskiesaid “Throughoutthisyear’s competition,thesefinalistshavedemonstratedastrongworkethic,creativethinkingskillsand personaldrivetoadvancetheindustry Welookforwardtocelebratingtheiraccomplishmentsat theNRFFoundationHonorsinJanuary”
Pictured: Nevaeh Hearn and Fashion Industry & Merchandising Associate Teaching Professor Maureen DeSimone, MBA, who serves as faculty lead and mentor to students competing in The NRF Foundation Awards. Photography by The NRF Foundation.
“I’vefoundbelongingagain infashion,andIdiscovered thatI’mpassionateabout wantingtohelpothers.”
A: What are your project details?
N: The artist that I chose to collaborate with is Yinka Shonibare He’s a British artist who lives with a disability called transverse myelitis My brand partner Uniqlo has a product line called “Made for All LifeWear” They say that they have clothes that are made for everyone, but I felt they were missing people with disabilities. I thought this was a great opportunity to combine my passions I created an adaptive line with Yinka’s work He's a very vibrant contemporary artist, and he does lots of bold and colorful sculptures and paintings He also works a lot with fabrics, so I thought he was perfect for this When you think of Uniqlo, you think of clothing staples, which is fine, but I think they can expand more, and they often do so with their collections I thought this was a good opportunity for them to be more fashion forward with more bold patterns, prints and colors, especially for people with disabilities The collection I made has different adaptive components: magnetic zippers, Velcro closures and things that make dressing easier and create more independence
A: Would you say your inspiration for this project was based mostly off of your personal experience using a wheelchair?
N: My personal experience played into it, but I try not to go into it with a bias of, “I want to put my passion into this” Once I did research on Uniqlo and really saw what they stood for, I felt like they already resonated with my passion Then I had to choose who to collab with, which took forever At first, I was looking at brands, and I just could not find a brand that fit. Then I was up all night trying to find an artist, and I finally came on Yinka I learned about his disability, and just seeing his art and comparing it to Uniqlo helped me decide
A: How has this competition shaped or influenced your approach to design?
N: It's taught me a lot about myself about just the industry in general but especially myself
I didn't think I could do half of this Although I've done some of these types of things in my classes, this kind of project that's so complex and has so many moving parts is usually something we would do on a team I've always loved working individually rather than in a group, but because there were so many parts, I didn't know how I was going to do it at first I guess I showed up for myself in a way that I didn't know I could It taught me that I can work under pressure more than I think I can
And also, just with my design process, it taught me more about technical design, using Illustrator and Photoshop to create patterns and then doing the sketches and inputting the patterns into the sketches That was something that I already kind of knew from one previous class in my Co-op, but creating an entire collection The patterns were mainly Yinka’s art, but I had to resize and split some of them up to fit a shirt or pants or change the colors on them That part was just fun I also connected back with how I combined both design and business, because I was creating all these designs, but I also had to think about how I was going to market it, how I was going to merchandise it and how I was going to price it
A: Other than the business side of things, are there any other skills or lessons you've learned throughout the process?
N: Definitely! I had to do a total of 4 interviews, and that taught me so much about interviewing skills I already had some practice from Co-op, but this got me real experience: a real executive board with presidents for Macy's and Old Navy That's intimidating! It gave me more experience communicating to professionals. All the finalists have the same passion for retail, so I really had to think of how I could make myself stand out
A: I heard you'll be on stage with Tommy Hilfiger. How do you feel about that?
N: I'm really excited! I'm hoping I get to talk to him, especially about adaptive fashion.
[This interview has been edited for clarity]
