Update: From Living History to Visual Culture Theory

 Due to sickness this past Monday, my first project update arrives a week later than my peers. I am actually glad that it worked out this way as prior to the submission of the first draft of the lit review I likely would have focused the uncertainty in my ability to actually complete that assignment, having never done one before. In the wake of our first submission, I am reflecting on some gaps in my project that are included in my thesis but not supported by the exhibition at present. For example, an exhibition in the University Gallery is advantageous for numerous reasons. The fact that it's a white cube type of infrastructure lends itself well to the problem I address through my criticism of Modernist curatorial methodology. Additionally, it also functions as an event space so audiences with varying levels of investment in and understanding of art exhibitions will experience my subversive method of curatorial praxis. However, I do not have access to the institutional documentation that supports that gallery space and it does not have an interpretive development policy in the way that art museums ideally would. In this way, the gallery space is almost a transplant environment and my exhibit analogous to a traveling show. Communal response should directly influence RIT Archives institutional management approaches. This presents a unique challenge as visitors are disassociated from the Archives central collection and exhibit spaces when interacting with my exhibit. I'm currently mulling over a tagging interactive that could be utilized by the art team once the exhibit comes down.

The most significant change my project has underwent since I last posted is that I am no longer primarily pulling from living history and am instead am focusing on different visual culture theorists like Eileen Hooper-Greenhill, Grant Kester, Amelia Jones, and Tracey Warr. Feminist performance art remains one of the primary arbidges between passive and active viewership, and for the most part the project has stayed fundamentally the same. I'm looking forward to further developing curatorial text for my exhibition in the coming weeks.

First Update: Danni Kuntz

 Hello again!

I feel as if a lot has happened since my first post. Firstly, and most importantly, I chose a specific topic: Everyday Life in Ancient Rome. I think this project has a lot of potential, and it is helping me prepare for my future plans. In the time since my last post, I've compiled my sources and annotated them, written an abstract, and even have started to work on a literature review for my project. It's been a lot of work, but I've also had a lot of fun delving into my topic of choice. 

Capstone Update 10/01/2026

Since last blog post, I have changed the goals and output of my capstone. I decided to go from a paper to a project because it will allow me to gain tangible experience in operating as a museum professional. The project will still be centered around LGBTQIA2S+ representation in a GLAM setting, like my proposal originally was. The main difference is what my thesis has changed into. Now I plan on gathering an oral history interview with a steward of LGBTQIA2S+ resources within a library setting. This interview will be the basis of my capstone, complimented by research on both the standards of conducting the oral history interviews of queer communities and on the operations of an LGBTQIA2S+ library.

Because of this change of plans, I am not quite as on track as I had hoped to be at this point in our fall semester. My first order of business since this reorientation is to find all of my sources, annotate them by next class and work on a full draft of a literary review. I also need to identify a subject for the project and receive their permission for an interview. My methods are not yet determined for the interview portion, and I do not have any present experience with oral history, but I hope to consult with Museum Studies and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies staff members to come up with a solid plan on how to approach the session. 

-Bella

First Update

Since my last blog post, I have further honed my idea and found more sources that I have annotated. I will still be comparing and contrasting the films Barry Lyndon and Andrei Rublev to examine how they represent and interpret the past differently and make sense of fragmented history. In addition to comparing and analyzing the films, I will be relating how the creation and interpretation of history in these films relate to curation and interpretation in the museum world. Ultimately, I hope to showcase the strength of these films and to make the case that film/art can play a role in understanding the past. 

Changing Directions + Status Update

Hello! 

Since my initial post, the direction of my project has shifted considerably. I am still doing research regarding digital collections, but my new research question is "How can multispectral data and IIIF annotations be used to enhance user interaction, discovery, and scholarship in digital collections?" Multispectral imaging has the potential to completely reframe collection items, but results are generally publicly unavailable or stored in separate repositories. IIIF allows image stacks to be created and manipulated in digital collections through its choice cookbook recipe, but this feature remains underutilized in the GLAM field. I hope to create a small prototype digital collection using medieval manuscript leaves to showcase this functionality. One of my goals with this collection is to ensure compatibility with manuscript reconstruction projects like Fragmentarium, since having these images present with their true-color counterparts could reveal new insights into these codices.

So far I have written my abstract and made significant revisions to it. I have identified around 20 sources that I will use for my project. One of them has significantly influenced how I think about my project: Hannekan's 2023 article that introduces the concept of "deep digitization"-- combining multiple imaging modalities in an online environment that allows objects to be studied in the broadest way possible. Currently, I am finishing my annotated bibliography and starting my lit review. I'm trying to figure out how I want to structure it, which I anticipate will probably be the most difficult part. I also have gone down a few rabbit holes related to (but not really contributing to) my project. Otto F. Ege's "I am a Biblioclast" is such a fascinating glimpse into the method behind his madness. I can't stop thinking about how his eight year old daughter could not sleep until an illuminated manuscript leaf was hung in her room. 

All the best, 

Alec 

Update on WWII Enlistment Records

 So far, my thesis is going well. The most difficult part is holding myself back from beginning data processing. I’ve scoured the internet and found that, as I suspected, there is little to no research on standard data management for internally derived datasets in cultural heritage. This works in my favor, as I can use this project to fill that gap.

My plan is to take GIS data ethics from archaeology and data management strategies from machine learning, weave them together, and create a framework to serve the needs of cultural heritage institutions. On that note, I need to define a word for cultural heritage that excludes archaeology. I find that there is a conflation between archaeological GIS and historical GIS. Actually, I would go so far as to say there is a difference between historical GIS and the point of this project. In archaeological GIS the spatial data comes from the object's location. In historical GIS there is both intrinsic and extrinsic spatial data. This generally takes one of two forms: A map (intrinsic) or provenance (extrinsic). What this project works with is a collection with intrinsic textual spatial data. That is to say there is no spatial data within the object or about the object, we are interpreting the text to obtain spatial data. Technically, this is intrinsic data, however it is clearly different from a map.

Returning to the point, I have been messing around with the 2002 WWII enlistment data. I converted the ASCII code to hexadecimal, which with the help of Claude was quite easy, but did increase the file size to 5 gb (yes gb). I was expecting 50-60 gb. Now that the data is in hex, it needs to be decoded. To do so I will need to (a) figure out a way to extract all the codes from the documentation quickly and (b) how to effectively chunk the data to avoid sitting for hours while the code runs. Outside of the lit review the next step is figuring out OCR.

Update on my progress

Since my last post I have made a few changes to my topic. I am now focusing on how museums interpret three substances that have been understood historically as medicine but have changed meanings over time. I am using various primary sources and four exhibits from different institutions. I will be examining how they interpret these substances, what materials they chose to use, and how their institutional perspectives influence their interpretations. The three substances I have chosen to focus on are tobacco, alcohol, and opium and the medicines derived from it. Thus far I have found fifteen sources four of which are the exhibits I plan to examine, have annotated all 15, and have made a revised draft for my abstract and thesis statement/question. I plan to use these sources to create a research paper into how museums address the nuances of the ever-changing views surrounding these substances, and what role their institutional bias's play in forming these interpretations. One example of this is the DEA museum has an exhibition on the opium poppy which skews towards the illicit drug aspect of opium/opioids. 

Thesis Progress Update #1 | Allie Cassella

Hey everyone! Hope you all are having a good fall semester. 

Since my last post, I have been doing a ton of work on my thesis project and I decided on a topic. As I said in my introduction, I work in the Cultural Heritage Imaging Lab with the MISHA system. Multispectral imaging has been used for pigment identification, as every pigment reflects or absorbs light differently across different wavelengths, giving each one a distinct spectral signature. I was curious if that would also work for pigments with poison or that use an animal binder (milk, eggs, animal glue). They should have a different spectral signature from regular pigments. I am going to focus on just poison books, and work with the Rochester Public Library to try and image some suspected poison books with the MISHA system. I wanted to try and connect my thesis project with what I do in the lab, and also with my minor, criminal justice, which is why I decided to try and look at poison books and protein binders. I had a bunch of other potential ideas to look at, including seeing if MISHA could be used for forensic anthropology or to detect drug soaked paper (it is a way of smuggling drugs into prison), but I decided that my research question was way too broad. I would not physically be able to do it all in a year, and I had to think about what I could realistically do, and that was studying poison books. I have been working on finding and annotating new sources, as I had to cut a bunch that were now unrelated, and editing my abstract so it reflects my topic. Next step is more editing, and starting to draft a literature review with my sources. 

See you all next time!

-Allie

 

Introduction and Forethoughts

Hello everyone!

I hope this blog post finds you well. My name is Claire Gallucci, and like many of you, I am in my final year at RIT. My primary area of focus is in Modern art history, particularly the feminist, installation, and performance art disciplines. As an emerging museum professional, I have thought deeply about the public-facing side of art collecting institutions. 

Of all types of museums, art museums have the most foreboding reputation as inaccessible cultural heritage sites, grounded in elitism and their content curated for visitors from exclusive demographics. Often, galleries are curated to encourage passive viewership, forcing a sense of value or institutional importance onto audiences. As a result, these institutions end up alienated from the broader communities in which they reside. Conversely, living history museums have been successful in connecting with visitors who have varying levels of competency in the era the museum aims to interpret. They have taken controversial, complex, and even painful subject matter and made it approachable for the masses. They accomplish this through immersion, intentional use of material culture, and cultivating an ethos of active participation and co-authorship. The museum guest is empowered to be in charge of the experience they come away with. I would like to investigate the interpretive framework that allows for living history institutions to succeed and see how it may apply to contemporary/modern art museums. I intend to prove that the concept of active viewership is not estranged from art institutions from a historical standpoint, even as it has not been at the forefront of art exhibition development; movements like feminist performance art and installation art have succeeded in activating gallery viewers in the creation and perception of art; therefore, it is feasible to implement concepts founded in living history into the traditional art museum framework, creating something that is in part new and in part old. 

Research is an intimate practice that is often executed in an extremely public setting. It is a difficult feat to approach developing a research topic, and even more of a challenge to defend its rigor as academia often prompts. As of late, I have found myself reflecting on how my research topic has evolved from my very first semester as a museum studies major. I'm looking forward to continuing to develop this project over the next seven months alongside my peers. 

Research Methods Introduction

 Hello, 

My name is Bella Herendeen. I'm a fourth and final year student majoring in Museum Studies and pursuing a minor in Women and Gender Studies. I'm interested in how different areas of history are represented in archives and exhibitions and how underrepresented voices are handled by GLAM institutions. 

With this in mind, I hope to pursue a thesis paper examining transfers of power within archives and how these changes affect what is prioritized by an institution. Questions I will be asking vary from "who is given the highest position of authority?", "why are certain people gifted this power?", "how is the public affected by these changes, for better or worse?", etc. I do not have a definitive thesis statement at the moment but I hope to introduce one to my concept within the week. Courses I have taken in Museum Studies and History will provide me with a strong background to build my thesis on. Although I will be focusing on archival practices, there will likely be exhibition related case studies included to support the paper.

As someone who's goal is to work with archives in a way that uplifts marginalized voices, I hope this capstone thesis will help me gain an important perspective that I could attribute to whichever institution I might find myself in. 

Thesis Introduction

 Hello, I am Kai Schiesel, and I am a 4th-year Museum Studies Major with a Minor in Film Studies. Initially, I sought out to write a thesis paper on the filmmaker John Cassavetes, but I am now seeking to write a paper on cultural heritage in media. I'll be discussing such films as Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon and Andrei Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev due to their close attention to detail and for fully utilizing cultural heritage to make wonderful pieces of art. This idea is still quite rough, but I am excited to combine my interest in cinema and museums/archives together to write a thesis.

I'm looking forward to working with this topic and making it a well-fleshed-out idea.

-Kai

Introduction

 Hello! My name is Priscilla Anderson, but most people call me by my middle name, Sawyer. While my major is Museum Studies, my minor is in Geographic Information Systems drives my focus. If I could define my ‘area of interest,’ I would say my focus is in historical spatial data science for libraries, archives, and special collections, as well as the creation of spatial applications to enhance accessibility.

As I begin to think about my research I realize perhaps the most important thing for me is to make a difference. I don’t want the things I do to disappear into the annals of the internet or languish on a shelf somewhere. I have no expectation of my project actually going anywhere - but I want to create proof that spatial analysis of historical data is useful. I want to show the cultural heritage community that using code and geospatial information systems we can create accessible applications that reach more than just researchers. We can make history fun for individuals who might otherwise avoid it. I want to show that we need to stop seeing AI as the death to intellectual freedom and realize it’s a tool. The fear and distrust I see is, quite simply, a lack of knowledge. AI has the potential to allow us to process big data in a way that was previously untenable, especially to those of us without a background in coding. I’m not suggesting using AI to create catalog records; rather, I propose the use of AI for OCR and vibe coding. Specifically, I want to reprocess NARA’s approximately 9 million record raw WWII enlistment record data file to improve accuracy, create an accessible interactive, and analyze data trends. Ideally, this would begin with conducting AI OCR on the original microfilm, however there is a slim likelihood that I will be able to gain access to these files within a reasonable time frame. Thus, I’d like to begin by cleaning the data with Excel, using python (AI-assisted) to convert the numeric codes to text, geo-coding the locations, examining spatial correlation between records, and creating a spatial search engine.

Introduction- Patrick Showers

Hello, I am Patrick Showers, I am majoring in Museum Studies with a minor in History. My tentative plan for my thesis is to research how museums can/do interpret substances which have been used for medicinal, spiritual, and social/recreational purposes, and how the broader cultural and historical context alters how they’re interpreted. I have always been interested in how different cultures across the globe have independently discovered substances with mind-altering properties and how they have justified their use for spiritual and medicinal purposes. This subject is (and likely will be) subject to change as it is an extremely broad subject that has some basis in nearly every culture. This topic will be combining my passion for history with museum studies by compiling historical and modern information and looking at it through a museum lens. Some other topics I am exploring are to continue my summer research project of building interest in MISHA (Multispectral Imaging for Historical Artifacts) amongst smaller organizations, to research the effects of museums architecture on how people perceive their collections, and looking into how museums can and do navigate reinterpreting historical exhibits with outdated language and interpretations.

Introductions- Alexandra Cassella

Hello everyone! I’m Alexandra, but I usually go by Allie. I’m a fifth year Museum Studies major minoring in Criminal Justice. I’m very excited (and a little nervous) to finally be starting my thesis project. The time came faster than I expected, which could partially be because I transferred into Museum Studies in my third year. I started out at RIT as a Chemical Engineering major, but found that I really was not passionate about what I was doing as a ChemE. I plan to graduate in May, and hopefully go into something in museum education or maybe curation. During my Spring 2026 semester, I started working in the Cultural Heritage Imaging lab on campus with the MISHA system. I still have an interest in chemistry, and wanted to make use of my criminal justice minor to see if there would be forensic capabilities with the system. There are paints that have animal blood in them, or artifacts made with poison materials, and I was curious if those would look different when imaged than regular paints. I briefly discussed with a professor about seeing if different drugs painted on paper could be identified under multispectral imaging, which I could also explore. I have done smaller research projects in previous semesters. Hopefully some of what I learned doing those projects I can take into my thesis and expand upon.

Looking forward to a great semester and a great year!

Allie Cassella

Introductions: Danni Kuntz

Hello, everyone! My name is Dannahe Kuntz, also known as Danni. I am a fourth-year Museum Studies major, but I also have interests in other fields, being a dual major in "Humanities, Computing, and Design" and having an immersion in Evolutionary Biology & Ecology.

In terms of my person journey in Museum Studies, it actually started off as my minor. HCD (as Humanities, Computing and Design is often abbreviated to) is my first and primary major, but as someone who has had a lifelong interest in museums, the program enraptured me, and I decided that I not only would take it on as a second major, that I also would choose it for my capstone/thesis.

I have many interests, which is a bit of a problem when deciding what to focus on for a project, or choosing a major, including for grad school, which I am in the process of applying to-- but I've narrowed it down to a few topics by now. However, what I do know is that my project will culminate in an exhibit: ideally a physical one as I already have worked on digital exhibits and want to expand my repertoire, but if necessary I can create a digital exhibit or exhibit prototype.

At the moment, these are the topics I am considering:

-Everyday life in Ancient Rome

I have always had an interest in Ancient Rome, as well as the everyday lives of Ancient people. In choosing this topic, I seek to humanize people of the past. I like this topic, because it's specific enough to develop a concise exhibit, but expansive enough for me to discuss different aspects of life, and pick whatever piques my interest. (I especially love Roman Graffiti, so if I pick this, I will definitely include it as a part of the project!)

-Design Philosophy and Cultural heritage in Genshin Impact

 Yes, this is a very specific topic! I have actually already focused on this topic for another Museum Studies class years ago, but as the game continues to update, the discourse surrounding the game has expanded. Genshin Impact is particularly interesting to me, because there are many things it does regarding designs & cultural heritage that are done incredibly well, and other aspects that border on abysmal. In this hypothetical project, I can speak on the complexities of Genshin Impact's design philosophy and representation of cultural heritage. One potential downside of this topic is that because of its specificity, it may be hard to find peer-reviewed sources. I am sure I could create enough content out of this to fill an exhibit, but a larger than desired portion of information would be from less formal sources.

-Internet Communities and/or Fandom culture 

These two often go hand-in-hand. This topic is sort of a love letter to my adolescence, covering communities that shaped me into the person I am today. Being a very contemporary topic (Alongside my second topic), there may not be a large pool of academic resources, but I think what exists will be sufficient, although I know that what I focus on will definitely be inspired by the range of specific internet culture topics covered by academia.

I also had other topics I was considering, such as The Permian Era and its animals, Anomalocaris, the domestication and history of cats, Carthage, and early human evolution. Many of these are related to evolutionary biology, and while it is still a topic I am very interested in, I think choosing a subject that has more room for interpretation would be beneficial.

Introduction

 Hi everyone!

My name is Katie Lawson, and I'm excited to be entering my 5th (and hopefully final) year of my undergraduate degree at RIT. I was originally a Software Engineering major for the first three years of my undergraduate career, but I decided to transfer into Museum Studies before the beginning of last fall semester, and I am continually more grateful and satisfied that I did so! Not only do I enjoy the kind of work I'm doing more than I did before, but the spectrum of topics in the potential classes I can take is far more varied in a way I really like. 

I am looking forward to not only completing this final year and getting my BS in Museum Studies and my minors in ASL & Deaf Cultural Studies, Art History, and Software Engineering, but to hopefully be beginning my master's journey next year to further my goal in becoming a professional archivist one day (hopefully in the near future). I've already gotten some hands-on experience under my belt (having been an intern in the Cultural Heritage Imaging lab on campus this previous summer), but I am eager to get more!

I can't wait to continue in this semester and beyond!

- Katie 

Intro & Looking Ahead

Hi all! 

My name is Violet Davis and I am so excited to be starting the final chapter of my undergrad experience. As a transfer student, my time at RIT has been shorter than most others in this year's thesis group, but I have enjoyed every second of it. I am so grateful for all that I have learned here, and all opportunities I have been given in the Museum Studies program to further my education and boost me towards a future career in GLAM. 

My goal for this semester is to gain more hands-on experience in my desired field, archives. I am hoping to work collaboratively with the Rochester Public Library Local History and Genealogy Division on a thesis project with which I can both apply what I have learned thus far and expand my experience in archives. 

I'm looking forward to a wonderful semester!

 ~ Violet 

Just an introduction

 Hello everyone. I'm Tobi, just introducing myself to anyone who reads this. Starting my thesis; not sure how I feel about it, but it will be my life for the next year, so I plan to give it my all. Thank you for your attention; you can go home now.

Introduction + Initial Thoughts

 Hello!

 My name is Alec and I'm in my fourth and final year in the MUSE program. I am interested in collections care, preservation, cultural heritage imaging, and digitization. 

I would like to focus on the Albert R. Stone Negative Collection for my thesis. I discovered this collection while doing research for Dr. Edwards' Disability History as Public History class and feel very connected to it as a Rochester native with deep family ties to this area. I also believe that the collection contains a wealth of information that is currently underutilized, including documentation of the suffrage movement, Great Migration, and other topics related to Rochester's rich social history. I am still deciding exactly how I want to approach my thesis. I am thinking of either developing an exhibit around the collection, or developing some sort of strategic framework to improve online access to the collection. Currently, it lives on the MCLS card catalog, which can be difficult to search and is not built for the purpose of hosting digital assets. The images themselves are also low-res and hotlinked from an external website, which is far from ideal. 

Once I solidify my topic, I think my biggest challenge will be time management. In the past I have struggled with making steady progress on large, open-ended projects like this, and I anticipate being quite busy this semester with schoolwork and other responsibilities. I'm always nervous about what the future holds but I'm excited to see the direction my research takes me (and to see everyone else's work take shape as well!)

That's all for now, and thanks for reading! 

Alec Rouleau

Spring Post #4

 The poster session was so much fun! It was so cool seeing what other majors were working on for the year, and getting to showcase my research to others. A comment that really stuck with me was when Professor Newman said he could really see my enthusiasm when I was speaking about my thesis. I really loved this project and its outcome, and if I told myself from 1st year when I was a Biomedical Major that this was the path I would pursue, I would think I was lying. I’m so immensely grateful for being able to be in this major and pursue a career path that I love, where my creativity has no bounds. Throughout this whole process I kept looking for ways to elevate it: booking an editorial photoshoot for the runway, renting clothing from Buffalo, hosting a pop-up exhibit off campus at the Refinery, and even with the poster session, reaching out to an artist to help me create a flip-book. I learned so much about myself with this process and what drives me to continuously. I couldn’t have asked for better guidance from Dr. Decker and Professor Nasr. Thank you so much for reading and following me on my journey.

Best,

Gabi Payne

 

Spring Post #3

 My thesis paper is finally done! It honestly feels surreal since I’ve been working on this for almost a year.  Looking back on it I don’t think I have any regrets with my submission. I preferred the project aspects of it over the writing, but I was nice figuring out how I function with this structure and environment because this is something I will most likely be continuing to do in grad school. I’m excited for the future, and can’t wait to see what the future holds! 

Christis Shepard - Poster Session

This last year has been an absolute whirlwind of a time, and I'm so thankful that I've been able to go through it and learn as much about my topic and honestly myself as I did.  I wouldn't have changed anything for the world.

 I'm thankful to everyone who helped make this all possible, and I'm happy that people thought my work was interesting.  I can't wait to see what happens now as I get ready for the rest of my finals and to walk in a week and a half.

 Thank everyone for everything!!! :D 

Finishing Up Thesis and Working On My Poster

 So, my final thesis was sent in by the end of the day. Now I just need to finish my poster and work on everything else.  Hopefully everything goes well after this and the rest of the semester passes by.  I'm existed for graduation and to be able to discuss my research and my work with people during the poster session.

 I'll get back to work!  It's been a pretty interesting year!

Chrisits

Working on poster

 The educators I am working with are introducing my lessons in to their lesson plans and will be sending me feedback as soon as they can. I have also been taking time to work on my poster on powerpoint and create some images from my example lessons that I created. Once I get the feedback from the high school teachers I will be able to add the results and feedback to my thesis paper.

-Faith Hurst

Spring Post #2

 This semester honestly has felt like a WHIRLWIND! I completed both my runway show and pop-up exhibit and I feel so relieved. I felt like I spent so much time and energy on both of these endeavors (more so the runway) but they came out amazing, and I couldn’t have asked for better people to have worked with. The trips to Buffalo, late nights altering clothing, outfit fittings, makeup trials, and photo print runs were all worth it. Both projects came out better than I envisioned, and I’m so happy I was able to make them a reality. I’m definitely behind on lots of school work, so these next weeks I’ll be locking in, and finishing up writing my thesis paper as well!

Making progress

 Lately I have been focusing on working with the educators I've interviewed and interacted with for my thesis paper. I met with them to discuss them implementing the mini lessons I created into their classes. All of them were able to work the lessons into their upcoming class plans and I will continue to work with them until the paper is finalized.

-Faith Hurst

New Draft and Virtual Exhibition

 I've recently finished another draft for my final thesis.  Bella was so gracious to peer review my Thesis for me so that I could make necessary changes.  Now I just need to finish my Virtual Exhibition.  It's been harder to complete than I anticipated due to other homework getting in my way.

 I'm optimistic though, and rather excited!  I have a vision and style guide for my exhibition as well as a spreadsheet that I can reference.  It's been rather despite the stress!

 Spring break begins this weekend so it'll be fun to just take a break and relax for a week before crunch time hits! 

Second Post of the Semester - Faith Hurst

 I have been working to make adjustments on my paper regarding what may be too complicated to include. I am currently working on getting interviews from high school educators and an RIT professor on the topic of using medieval manuscripts for educational purposes. I am also, working on finalizing the mock-up lesson plans I created and making examples for each one. I have struggled with formatting and footnotes but I have it all sorted out finally. I am eager to talk with Professor Decker and Professor Nasr soon to get more of their insight on my work. 

Update!

 Hello! This is just a quick update on what's been going on for my thesis project!

I have started digitizing and scanning the fossils for the project and have set up a meeting to finalize the logistics for my exhibition!

I am very excited to continue this journey with my thesis project and to be part of the fossil exhibition!

From Planning to Production

Hello again!

    Over the past week, my thesis exhibition has finally crossed the line from planning into production. After months of research, writing, and object selection, I've received approval to display loaned materials alongside objects from my personal collection and high-resolution surrogates, which means the exhibition is no longer theoretical. It's now something that has to physically exist in space, on a real timeline, with real constraints. With the object list finalized, I've been gathering high-resolution image files, confirming rights and permissions, and thinking through how these materials will actually be encountered by visitors. This stage has made something very clear to me, exhibitions are built as much through logistics and infrastructure as they are through ideas. Decisions about format, furniture, and layout are now just as important, and just as frustrating as the historical arguments and dead ends I found myself encountering throughout my research. One of the biggest challenges at this point has been learning how to design within a space that doesn't behave like a traditional gallery. The Bower Showcase Room is defined by floor to ceiling glass rather than solid walls, which has pushed me to rethink how two dimensional works, labels, and physical objects can be displayed without relying on wall-mounted solutions. While this has been incredibly frustrating and, quite frankly, terrifying it's also forced me to approach exhibition design more creatively and more realistically, considering freestanding elements and spatial zoning rather than linear wall text. As we get closer to the exhibition's opening day, the focus is shifting almost entirely to execution: preparing filed for print, drafting interpretive text, planning installation, and coordinating logistics. It's a demanding phase, but it's also the point at which the project starts to feel tangible in a way that research alone never quite does. With just a few weeks to go, the work is now less about asking what the exhibition could be, and more about realizing what it will be and making sure that is something visitors can actually walk through, experience, and enjoy that experience.

Small Wins

 

This semester has been rough already, but I think it's from the overall academic year and coming down to the wire. However, celebrating small wins has been keeping me going full steam ahead. 

I have been struggling with the exhibition display and how it will work in person. I came to a hard stop recently and had to prepare myself for the worst... that I wouldn't be able to continue with the show in the way I had hoped and would have to start over completely. But last night I had an ah-ha moment, and by god it worked. 

Initially, I was going to make the images the art piece/interactive component. That's going to be much more work and harder to do, but I decided to try out making the label copy the interactive. It WORKS.... let's say I had an intense reaction. 

This makes a huge difference in my show, but not one that takes away from the impact! I'm excited to see it come together and feel like I'm finally getting somewhere close to the finish line.

Remember to slow down and take the wins, no matter the size, keep going.

Continuing with Drafts

 I've just recently finished a new draft for my Thesis by beginning the exhibition section.  This is hopefully going to be a easy process.  I am excited however to see where this goes! :D

Back From Break - Faith Hurst

 I have been focusing on my health a bit so I need to do a few more revisions on my thesis paper. I need to have a meeting with Professor Decker and Nasser to discuss how I can improve what I have already written and what needs to be changed. After this I will hopefully be ready for the February 2nd deadline.I hope too focus on accessibility and education in this paper as well as diving into illuminated manuscripts because that aspect intrigues me the most. 

Spring Semester 2026?! - Gabrielle Payne

 Hi Everyone! I can’t believe it’s the spring semester already, winter break honestly felt like only a week- 

For a good chunk of my break I spent time solidifying models for the fashion show as well as creating the styling deck for it, and starting to figure out how I wanted to go about my exhibit/pop-up at the Refinery. I also got to hang out with friends and family over break, and got inspired on new ideas and concepts from them which was nice as well. I do feel like there definitely isn’t enough time in a day to get everything I want done in regards to planning both of these events; but as long as I do a bit everyday, I think I’ll be alright in the long run and enjoy the final outcomes. I feel super excited and slightly overwhelmed at the same time, but we got this!

-Gabi

Some inspo I’ve been enjoying lately:

Day One, Spring 2026

 

Hopefully this semester won't go the way the tape measure did today.

Did a lot of collaboration work with Rain and getting into the weeds about what pieces will look like, what the flow will be and making plans to have testing done before installation and opening ceremony! Everything is becoming VERY real, which is exhilarating and also terrifying. I'm excited to see how this all turns out and comes together. I'm sure there will be lie plenty of changes along the way, and I'll be sure to update on all of them here!

Good luck everyone, I believe in you.

Below:

Image 1 - Floor plan of exhibition space sans furniture

Image 2 - Floor plan of exhibition space with furniture

Image 3 & 4 - Outline of potential pieces to display and the flow of the exhibition space between both curators. (image 3 left half of board, image 4 right half of board)

Full Speed Ahead

Good evening everyone!!!

The semester has officially begun and with that has come the very real realization that my thesis exhibition is no longer something I can keep safely in my head but something that will physically exist in the Bower Showcase Room in a little over a month, which is equally exciting and terrifying. Right now my focus has shifted fully into execution mode, meaning refining the structure of the exhibition, tightening my object list, and figuring out how to tell a story that spans roughly 250 years of civil resistance without overwhelming the space or visitors. Rather than following a strictly linear timeline, the exhibition will be organized into three thematic sections that detail how graphic communication has been used to agitate, educate, and organize, allowing moments from different eras to speak to one another and show how protest strategies and messages repeat, evolved, and resurface over time. A major part of what I have been working on recently is strengthening the contemporary end of the exhibit, particularly the 1980s through the 2020s, by incorporating material connected to movements like AIDS activism, Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, and youth led climate protests, all of which help demonstrate that what often feels new in protest culture is deeply rooted in much older visual traditions. Another big piece of this week has been working closely with Lee, who I am sharing the exhibition space with and collaborating alongside, as they are developing their own exhibition that resonates strongly with mine, allowing the space to function almost like two distinct but connected exhibitions that share a broader message. Today in class we spent our time actively brainstorming layout concepts together, talking through how the space could function tangibly, how visitors might move through it, and how our projects could coexist without competing, using the whiteboard to sketch out rough spatial ideas, object placement, and circulation paths (see photo below). Seeing the exhibition move from abstract ideas into physical planning like this has made the project feel much more real and much more achievable. The exhibition will open on around February 22nd and run through March 8th. It sort of feels like everything is happening at once, but that also means the project is finally taking shape, and while that comes with pressure, it also comes with the excitement of watching months of research and thinking turn into something tangible. IF there is one thing I keep reminding myself, and something worth sharing, it is that projects like this are not meant to come together perfectly or all at once, and feeling overwhelmed usually means you care deeply about the work you are doing, so keep pushing forward and make something you are proud of, even if it scares you a little.

~ Rain Milligan

First Day Back! | Bella Paniccia

 Hi everyone! It is our first day back on campus here at RIT for the spring semester, and I have to say i am pretty excited to be back. I am more than ready to get back into the groove of all things related to my thesis!! I do not have anything else to update on for this post (sorry :( )

Until next time (with hopefully a better update!!!)

 ⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆

Bella

Christis Shepard - Back To Class!!

 Hi everyone!  I'm back for my final semester!  These last four years have certainly a journey and now we're nearing the end.  I have to admit that I'm a tad nervous to come to the end of my Undergrad but I'm also excited.  I can't wait to see what happens next after this Semester ends.  Signing off for now! :D

Back and Better Than Ever!

Hello! I am back from break!

I have returned from winter break with much-needed rest and motivation to continue my thesis!

I am very excited to start working on the next part of my thesis: The Henry Augustus Ward Fossil Collection, courtesy of Dr. Decker.

It is going to be an exciting semester since it is my last one, and especially now that I get to get hands-on with a really cool fossil collection.

In all, I'm ready to lock in and finish my thesis and have a great time doing it this spring semester!

First Day Back!!

 Hello Everybody! 

After a relaxing break, I have finally arrived in Rochester and started classes again. It hit me halfway through the day that today was my last first day of classes in my undergrad, which was exciting and kind of scary, too. 

Otherwise, over break, I unfortunately did not get too much work done on my thesis. I read a couple of books and journals that will end up being good sources. Now that I am back on campus, I am very excited to get started again and work hard to create an awesome exhibition. 

See y'all soon, 

Alice

First Day of Spring Semester

 Hello everyone! I am back from break and I unfortunately do not have any updates. I did not end up working on any parts of my thesis over break. I had planned to work on a few things, but ultimately ended up prioritizing rest so that when I came back to school this week I could look at my thesis from a different perspective to see what changes need to be made before I start the next part of my thesis. I am planning to conduct interviews with people involved at the CHI Lab to learn what they are looking for in a marketing campaign, so that I can start planning out what to do. I am looking forward to working on that in the next few weeks!