Viewfinder 2nd Edition - Media Arts and Technology, MS Student Magazine

A MEDIA ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENT PUBLICATION SPRING 2022

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Viewfinder Magazine

Table of Contents About the Viewfinder..............................4 What is Media Arts and Technology.......4 Meet the Co-Editors...............................5 Program Courses...................................6 Surviving Rochester’s Winter Season....9 Access to Equipment...........................10 NTID Student Experience......................11 Student Spotlight.................................12 Faculty Spotlight..................................18 Conclusion............................................23

MAAT ’21-’22

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Mission

As editors, our mission for Viewfinder is to communicate and inspire prospective students about the program and the educational opportunities it presents. Through our stories, we hope to show that applying for the program is just the beginning of your next grand adventure. In Viewfinder, we share an inside glimpse on the ins and outs of the program, as well as highlight the resources available at RIT. Most importantly, we want to celebrate the accomplishments of professors and students, who are laying down the foundation for their futures after MAAT.

About Viewfinder

Viewfinder is a student magazine produced by the Media Arts and Technology (MAAT) program. In Viewfinder, student editors have the opportunity to practice what they are studying. Viewfinder is published to educate and inspire prospective students about opportunities they can find in the program and what to expect during their experiences. The magazine provides editors the opportunity to create media and messaging about the community and to communicate that the MAAT community is intense, but not a scary place! In the magazine, the editors share their experience on how to survive the program in a variety of ways. Viewfinder was created to celebrate the accomplishments current and past students, and share careers for some Media Arts and Technology alumni. We hope you enjoy the magazine and consider joining our community!

This is the Second Edition of Viewfinder, a student publication of the MAAT Program at Rochester Institute of Technology. This edition was printed April 2022, including approximately 8,062 words and approximately 118 figures. The typeface used in this magazine is Helvetica Neue. Viewfinder was printed at Mercury Print Productions, located in Rochester, NY and was printed on 80 lb gloss, using Xerox iGen printer. Professor Michael Peres was the advisor for the magazine. We would like to extend our appreciation to the previous Co-Editors for the First Edition of Viewfinder: Allie Bergeman, Alexa Ralston, and Emilie Ravena. Without their first steps towards making this publication, we wouldn’t have ours today.

What is Media Arts and Technology?

Media Arts and Technology is a one-year Masters of Science program that explores the reasons for and the making of images. It provides students with experiences using image making devices as well as investigating imaging practices, business applications of media, and project management. Using hands-on exercises, students use a wide variety of imaging devices that investigate message design and distribution. Classroom topics use the visual graphics pipeline including audience identification, development of a messaging strategy, and concludes with distribution. Program classes allow students to dip their toes in different areas of the industry and broaden their skills. The program concludes with a capstone project using and enhancing new skills required to complete a self-directed project.

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Viewfinder Magazine

Meet the Co-Editors!

Hello! We’re Billy Lawrence, Ashley Somchanhmavong, and Rebekah Greenberg, the co-editors for the Second Edition of Viewfinder during the 2021-2022 school year. Our hopes for this publication is that you will be able to learn more about our MAAT program, what RIT has to offer, and miscellaneous stories about our peers and faculty!

This process of creating the Viewfinder has been so much fun and we created so many memories together.

Some of those memories include snacking on giant M&M cookies from Artesano Bakery & Cafe, blasting K-pop in the grad lab, and being excited about anime/videogames.

Meet our New Mascot!

When we were working on this second volume, we felt that something was still missing. After creating our copy and sketching layouts, we realized that we needed a mascot to represent our magazine! We took inspiration from RIT’s mascot RITchie and thus, MAATie was born. MAATie uses any pronouns that you wish to use, since MAATie is for everyone. You will find MAATie throughout this magazine and we hope they bring you as much joy as they did for us!

Photo fro

m RIT

MAAT ’21-’22

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Program Courses The MAAT program is designed to be an intensive program, with a total of 30 credit hours over the span of a year. Students will take 10 classes, 9 of which are required. In this article, we discuss a series of projects and areas that we completed in the last year!

Media Foundations was focused on

teaching us about different types of equipment and software. We spent the whole semester learning how to effectively use digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, how to use a scanner to create digital images from physical objects, how to use a Zoom recorder to edit the audio in videos, and so much more. We finished the course by compiling all of the work from the semester into a lab manual. The projects themselves were challenging, but we were able to use the time to bond with each other.

Contemporary Media and Communications provided hands-on

experience in developing a giant project from start to finish. We took a modern look into how media can influence a story, while also allowing our class to grow individually and as a team. We worked in collaboration with InterVol, a Rochester-based non-profit organization, and created the Students for Students RIT Campaign. Our goal was to raise money for Ecole L’Erudit de Léogâne, a school for children in Haiti.

Digital Content Management, we

spent the semester learning about how to organize files into a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system and how to create Standards of Procedure (SOP) documents using the Vignelli Collection as a hypothetical scenario. We explored Adobe Lightroom Classic and finished the semester by making a presentation about an industry we’re interested in paired with a DAM system.

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Viewfinder Magazine

Issues Trends and Opportunities

taught us about varying levels of innovation and the different perspectives about innovations. It allowed for all of our unique perspectives and backgrounds to provide insight amongst different topics. We wrote several mini papers about perspectives about innovations and how they relate to modern technologies.

Creative Leadership is a lot of self

discovery about yourself and your leadership capabilities. While discovering your unique attributes, we discuss and learn as a class how different leadership styles operate, and why it is better that we each have our unique approaches rather than all leading in one singular way.

Cross Media Workflow had us learn

how to develop various types of projects and workflows, using Adobe Creative Suite as a medium. We looked at different project management processes and worked both in groups and as individuals to achieve success.

Implementing Imaging Business Changes takes the concepts of Issues,

Trends, and Opportunities and presents them with a new scope. While we first were identifying different types of trends and the opportunities that come with them, this class has us finding out exactly how companies and brands take advantage of trends.

Capstone I & II is an opportunity for independent research and individual growth. The class is

split across two semesters: one for planning and one for implementation. We take a specific topic that piques our interest and embark on a self-led journey into one project that represents our time here. With each of our vastly unique topics, the methods we used to obtain our data, and how we present our findings allows for us to develop our researching skills further.

Class of 2022 Capstone Projects How RIT Has Used Media, Technology, and Communication During the Covid-19 Pandemic Najiang An

“Deaf Study” - How Mobile Technology of the Present Age Immensely Affects the Deaf Community

Accessibility of AR within the Nursing Field Lexie LaBarge

Navigating the Future of Esports Billy Lawrence

Best Practices for Fashion Companies on Instagram in 2022

Saralee DaPonte

Alyssa Loukola

Content and Paradigm Analysis on Short Video Platforms-Popular Food Content in TikTok

Using Augmented Reality as a Sustainable Tool

Freya Fang

Looking at Consumer Trends in Video Streaming Rebekah Greenberg

The Boundaries Between Real and Fiction in Documentary Films Cynthia He

Influencer Fatigue and Its Effect on Brand Marketing

Avalon Peyton

Gotta Catch ‘em All: Understanding Pokémon GO’s Augmented Reality Interactivity with Place Attachment and Augmented Tourism Ashley Somchanhmavong

The Influence and Effects of Trailer on Movie Box Office Boyuan Wen

Ermira Karavidaj

MAAT ’21-’22

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Course Memories Featured here is a collection of images from past two semesters. From working in the studio to creating a fundraising campaign from scratch to having the chance to screen print posters. This is a snapshot into the journey you can embark on!

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Viewfinder Magazine

Surviving Rochester’s Winter Season One of the things that people need to prepare for when coming to Rochester is the winter season.

Unfortunately, Rochester does not get a lot of sun during the winter season, but there is hidden beauty to see in the area.

Here are a couple of tips for everyone on ways to get through the winter: • Get heavy winter gear like jackets/parkas, gloves, hats, snow boots • Layers are your best friend • Get yourself some lotion/Vaseline/humidifier, it gets DRY • Have fun in the snow: go sledding or make snow people or run around with friends • Stock up on some key groceries to have a fun day at home • Be careful of BLACK ICE

Here are a couple of tips for everyone who has a car during the winter: • Keep a shovel/snowbrush in your car • If it is continuously snowing, brush off your car periodically so it’s not too hard to clean off when you actually need it.

• Don’t forget to brush the snow off the top of the car (you might get fined if you don’t) • Be careful driving when there is snow on the ROADS.

The winter season may take some time to warm up to (ba dum tss), but one of our co-editor’s, Ashley who is from Southwest Florida, was able to make the most out of the couple months of extreme snow!

Photos below depict her first ever snow experience (not depicted is the two hours of unearthing her vehicle more than once)!

MAAT ’21-’22

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Access to Equipment When working on your assignments, you will have the opportunity to use and master a wide spectrum of technology needed to be successful. The equipment you will use comes from an extensive collection of gear that can be checked out from the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences cage. You will also have access to some really great facilities.

Upon entering the program, you should expect to be confronted with a variety of technology to which

you may not have been exposed to. During the two semesters needed to earn your degree and because of the program’s flexibility, you will have the opportunity to explore the technology that best suits your interests and project requirements. The following are some examples of resources and locations that you will be using frequently throughout your time as an MAAT student.

The Grad Lab

3rd Floor Cage

4th Floor Cage

4th Floor Studios

This is a location to go between classes, do homework, or take a nap. It is a communal place for us to hang out and interact with each other outside of the classroom. It has a refrigerator and microwave.

This location is on the 4th floor of Gannett, where all the lighting equipment is housed. The equipment at this location is for the studios. It has anything from softboxes, light stands, reflectors and so much more.

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This location is on the 3rd floor of Gannett, where all the camera related equipment is housed. They have any type of camera that you can think of – both digital or analog. The cagers are helpful and are willing to answer any questions that you may have.

This location is on the 4th floor of Gannett where we go to complete photography projects. Within each studio there are lights and backgrounds for us to utilize. It’s a great location to create portraits.

Student Feature: NTID Experience Hello!!

My name is Saralee DaPonte, and I am from NJ. I have been a deaf student at RIT since 2017. I am labeled as a cross-registered transfer NTID student. That means NTID approved that I can immediately take RIT classes because I completed my associate degree right before I came to RIT. (NTID offers only two-year degrees). I majored in Fine Arts BFA and graduated in 2020. I got accepted into a master’s one-year program named Media Arts and Technology just right before my BFA graduation. However, I took LOA for a year and returned in August 2021. I expect to graduate May 2022. I plan to stay here in Rochester and find a career job locally.

Let me tell you a story about what led me here. I grew up attending mainstream schools. I was also part of the deaf program in elementary school, which did not continue into middle school and high school. I experienced being in a deaf class with full access to our language while being part of a hearing class every day.

I enjoyed that very much because I got to experience the real world and be part of my community at the same time. In middle school and high school, I was nearly the only deaf kid in the whole huge school. There were thousands of hearing students, and I stood out easily. I was that kid with an interpreter, that kid who missed out on many conversations, that kid who felt the need to put effort constantly, so I don’t lose friends. I often used my cell phone or writing as my method of communication.

Only very few of my hearing friends could sign, which was a highlight. I did enjoy my time in middle and high school, made a lot of great memories. But what I truly wanted was missing out, which is the feeling of naturally fitting in. That caused me to wish that I was born hearing instead of accepting that I am deaf.

So, after I graduated from high school, I toured Gallaudet University (College for the Deaf) in 2015; I immediately knew it was not the right place for me. Then, I toured RIT in 2016; I immediately felt that this was the right fit. A year later, I returned as a student. Since then, I felt like I could easily fit in with a circle of friends. I can now communicate with everyone at the party, whenever we go out, etc. I can just directly talk to them without needing my phone. I can go to NTID clubs, advisors, on-campus jobs, etc and easily communicate. It is also nice to experience NTID classes that all students and professors sign in ASL. It is different than hearing classes because you don’t have to depend on one person (interpreter) the whole time, which can improve your attention span. You feel like you are part of the entire gang. You fit in. RIT/Rochester is a deaf-friendly place, even if people who don’t know ASL are still more patient and accepting. Rochester also has many deaf residents scattered around. That is why I want to continue living in Rochester.

Since 2017, I finally can say that I am proud to be deaf; it shows that I am in the right place.

That’s my story.

Thanks for reading.

Take care.

MAAT ’21-’22 11

Student Spotlight

In this article, we are shining the spotlight on our fellow peers. We have students graduating in the Class of 2022, as well as two part time students who will be graduating a couple semesters later down the road. This class is the largest the program has ever had (14 total!) and we all come from vastly different backgrounds, experiences, and two countries outside of the United States (China and Kosovo).

We are so proud of everyone and the hard work we have put into this program over the past 10 months. We wouldn’t have wanted to do this with anyone else. As a tribute to “us”, we share the following stories about who we are and our answers to some adventure-themed questions. Take some time to learn about our class!

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Najiang An

Hi! My name is Najiang An and I’m from Beijing, China. I graduated from Michigan State University with a BA in Professional Writing, and now I’m a graduate student at RIT majoring in Media Arts and Technology. I found my passion of creating something new in any field that I pursue in the future, that is also why I love writing so much. Outside of the class, I spend most of my free time writing fiction, fan-fiction and managing my blogs. Right now, I’m working with my friends to host a small comic-con in Shanghai!

What was your favorite memory of the year?

What are your words of wisdom?

What would you bring to a deserted island?

A Camera

Find your passion and don’t be afraid to try.

My favorite memory this year is working as GA for professor Michael Peres organizing 30 years of pictures and news reports of the RIT Bigshot project. It felt looking back through time, while working on these files, I found a page of a newspaper from the year that I was born about Robert Downey Jr, and how he missed one of the court-ordered drug tests and had to spend six months in the Los Angeles County jail.

Saralee DaPonte

My name is Saralee DaPonte. I am a 25 year-old deaf student from South New Jersey. I am currently a graduate student majoring in Media Arts and Technology (MAAT) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

I also graduated from RIT with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in May of 2020. Once I complete my MAAT degree, my goal is to work at a deaf business or start a new deaf history-based museum, using the unique experience and knowledge I gained through this program. After graduation, I plan to continue living in Rochester and work locally.

What would you bring to a deserted island?

What should I bring to a deserted island?

Well…do I count?! Nah, I don’t think so… well…yes…no….maybe? Let me be serious… this is about surviving, becoming tough as heck and maybe grow a beard? Wait…no, I am a woman. Nevermind. Hmm, I will 100% bring food, water, and a bed. This big girl likes to eat and sleep, you hear me? I will also bring a switch because I am a nerd and am hooked on Animal Crossing…but then it will die because there’s no way to charge it on the island…*insert disappointed cat face gif* Oh! No need to worry! This is an island! Tom Nook should be here anytime soon to help me out!

Problem solved!

What was your favorite memory of the year?

It hasn’t happened yet. But I already know one of the most memorable moments this year will be going on three big vacations, a graduation ceremony, and starting a new job in August.

What are your words of wisdom?

Everything will be n alright eventually, eve or it see n’t do if you feel it, one day, it will get better.

MAAT ’21-’22 13

Freya (Feiyang) Fang

Hello, My name is Feiyang Fang, and I come from China. I am pursuing my master’s degree in Media Arts and Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Prior to my graduate study, I worked in a short video company and made a film for some influencers in China. After the pandemic, I rethought my way of life and had a different plan for the future, so I went back to school. Well, it has been a very fantastic experience. Cooking is one of my hobbies; I have a Chinese channel to record my cooking questions, and I love exploring places to eat. I also like swimming and cycling. It’s fun to ride a bike in the fallen leaves in fall of Rochester.

What are your words of wisdom?

Don’t worry about the future, everything will be fine.

What would you bring to a deserted island?

Maybe water and music

What was your favorite memory of the year?

I am a student ambassador and make some interesting videos about RIT students’ experiences.

Rebekah Greenberg

Hello!! My name is Rebekah Greenberg and I am from Nashville, Tennessee. I graduated from RIT with a BS in Photographic Sciences in Spring 2021. While finishing up my undergraduate degree, I wanted to pursue a master’s degree to help with a career that combines art, leadership, and media. I chose the MS in Media Arts and Technology program because it presented me with the chance to explore business and media applications. Things I like do outside of academics are doing stage crew and watching hockey.

ing to What would you br d? an isl d rte a dese A hammock to relax sunshine

in the

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What are y our words of w isdom?

Get ready to write!

Utilize the w riting resources h ere at RIT, they are life savers.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Meeting amazing classmates and creating relationships in such a short amount of time.

Cynthia (Qing) He

My name is Qing He; my preferred name is Cynthia. I completed my undergraduate study at the University of Colorado Boulder, majoring in Economics and a minoring in Space. And now I came to RIT to study Media Arts and Technology for my graduate study. My grandfather is an artist, I learned a lot from him, and he gave me lots of instruction; that is one reason I decided to change my major. It is different from my prior study, but spending time on things that I enjoyed, I believe, will make my life more meaningful.

What are your words of wisdom?

What would you bring to a deserted island?

My cat

Enjoy the time, enjoy your life, and be happy!

What was your favorite memory of the year?

I celebrated the New Year with friends this year, and on the same day, we watched Ball Drop in Times Square, New York, and I was very impressed by the spectacular scenery.

Ermira Karavidaj

My name is Ermira Karavidaj, and I am from Kosovo, which is a small country in the Balkans. I grew up in Hungary, and then after high school, I decided to attend RIT Kosovo, where I graduated in Management & Advertising, and with a minor in International Relations. Growing up with two completely different cultures, and getting to experience how it’s like living in both countries made me even more curious to see the other parts of the world. Thus, I looked through the Masters programs RIT has to offer, and found Media Arts and Technology, which was a perfect choice for me. I would like to pursue a career in marketing after graduation, mostly focusing on social media and project management.

ing What would you br d? an to a deserted isl 100 Cola flavored lollipops

What are y our words of w isdom?

Things don ’t have to b e perfect to b e wonderfu l.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

The moment when it started to snow heavily in Central Park, while I was walking around with my favorite people late at night.

MAAT ’21-’22 15

Lexie LaBarge

My name is Lexie LaBarge and I am from Copenhagen, NY which is north of Syracuse. I graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a BFA in Graphic Design and New Media. While I was at SUNY Potsdam I played soccer for the college and I was a graphic designer for the Athletics Department. Fall semester of my senior year, I was deciding what I wanted for my future after I graduated and I knew I wanted to attend Graduate School, but was unsure where I wanted to end up.

I met people who attend RIT and they sparked my interest. Looking into programs, I came across Media Arts and Technology and now I am here. I am a graphic design manager for campus life where I am in charge of the marketing team. After I am finished with my Master’s degree, I would like to find a career in the sports industry as a project manager or a marketing manager.

What are y our words of w isdom?

Making self improveme nts within yourself go es hand an d hand with s uccess.

ing What would you br d? an to a deserted isl A film camera and sunscreen

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Exploring and researching a new world of A.I. and meeting my lifelong friends!

Billy Lawrence

My name is Billy Lawrence, and I am from the beautiful state of New Jersey! I graduated from Augustana College in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering-Physics and Graphic Design. After years of trying to find my right path, I stumbled upon this program and instantly fell in love with it! I hope to get into the world of branding and advertising with a focus in social media. My belief is that making something memorable and fun allows for more interesting content that can help spark a connection with whoever comes across it. That’s a philosophy I plan to bring to my classes, but also wherever my future takes me.

ing What would you br d? an isl d rte se to a de ill it My Survivor buff! W nI Ca t. help? Probably no e m ga pretend to be on a s? ck bu show for a million Yep!

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What are y our words of w isdom?

Remember to stop, take a brea th, and enjo y the momen t every onc e in a while.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Getting to meet the creator of the digital camera, and hanging out with my classmates in the grad lab!

Alyssa Loukola

My name is Alyssa Loukola, and I am a 23-year-old from Southern Maine. I graduated from RIT with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Media Photography in 2021. During my undergrad I was the captain of the Rowing Team. My position on the team taught me about my strengths as a leader and has helped give me insight in what jobs I would want to hold in the future. During my year in the MAAT program I have also held jobs as an adjunct professor for Photographic Technology, worked on a Grant with two professors in Saunders College, and worked as a Graduate Assistant helping rebrand the Photographic Sciences undergrad program. I have some experience working in social media and plan to continue this path once finishing my MS degree. I hope to combine art, leadership, and innovative media in the future.

ing What would you br d? an to a deserted isl My phone if I could connect to wifi and and had infinite battery of rth wo a lifetime’s . tle Chipo

What are y our words of w isdom?

You can do anything you set you r mind to, you just have to want some thing badly enough.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

I have gotten to do some traveling and met new lifelong friends!

Avalon Peyton

My name is Avalon Peyton and I am currently working towards my master of science degree in Rochester Institute of Technology’s Media Arts and Technology program. I recently graduated from RIT with my Interior Design BFA with a minor in Business Administration. With my degrees, I am looking to find a career that combines marketing, branding, Interior Design, and the XR aspect of 3D modeling and rendering. I am enthusiastic and excited about the work I will learn to create after graduation. When I am not in class, I work as an Interior Design Intern for Design Space Studios in Pittsford, NY. I also play Club Soccer, Club Lacrosse, and I am a Graduate Teaching Assistant for an undergraduate Interior Design class.

ing What would you br d? to a deserted islan da

an A really soft blanket snack

What are yo ur words of w isdom?

Life doesn’t need to be so serio us. Try to have some fun with everything that you do !

What was your favorite memory of the year?

I enjoyed working together with my classmates to raise money for a great cause!

MAAT ’21-’22 17

Ashley Somchanhmavong

Hello! My name is Ashley Somchanhmavong (she/her/hers), and I am a multimedia creative, anime binger, and sentient moss ball studying in the Media Arts and Technology graduate program at RIT. I was born in Rochester, NY and we moved down to Southwest Florida after I was born. I graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Technology with a Graphic Design certificate in Spring 2021. A fun fact about me is that I really enjoy embroidering, specifically my favorite anime characters! I consider myself a jack of all trades and I find joy in the little things around me :)

ing What would you br d? an isl d rte to a dese Cutlery Cooking supplies! find and pans so I can elf ys a way to sustain m lp he on the island until comes.

What are y our words of w isdom?

Not everyth ing is going to go the w ay you wan t it to; what ma tters is how you respon d and react to these circu mstances!

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Being able to see and live in snow for the first time! If I had a nickel for everytime I experienced a snow storm in a single semester, I would have four nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it’s happened four times.

Frank (Bouyan) Wen

My name is Boyuan Wen, and I am an international student from China. My undergraduate background is in advertising photography and I graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2019. Now I am studying Media Arts and Technology at Rochester Institute of Technology and I am exploring media student using photography.

Before coming to Rochester, I studied at a media university in China, majoring in cinematography. I had also shot a few micro-films and studied many film courses when I was an undergraduate student. So I have a strong love for movies and pictures, and I hope to be a good storyteller with the help of images.

ing What would you br d? an isl d rte se to a de ife A camera and a kn

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What are y our words of w isdom?

For a perso n’s life, experience s are more important th an results, and happin ess is greate r than achiev ements.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Returning to Rochester after a long absence is enough to make me happy and reminds me a lot of my undergraduate days.

Stephanie Berman

I grew up on Long Island, NY where I played varsity tennis and spent my weekends relaxing at the beach between working catering gigs. I went to SUNY Brockport and completed my bachelor’s in Hospitality Management in 2018. I am pursuing my master’s in Media Arts and Technology at RIT. My hospitality career has included stints at banquet halls, cruise ships, hotels and now a college campus in my present role with RIT Catering. I live in Downtown Rochester with my two favorite men: my chef boyfriend and our cat Prince Zuko.

ing What would you br d? an to a deserted isl sea A bucket to collect s of on as se 6 shells and all . os an The Sopr

What are y our words of w isdom?

People insp ire you or they drain y ou, pick them wisely .

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Meeting amazing classmates and creating relationships in such a short amount of time.

Boris Sapozhnikov

Why hello there. I was born in Moscow, Russia in the late 1900s. My family immigrated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in ‘96 and lived there for 4 years before moving to California for a bit and finally settling in Rochester. I’ve been a professional photographer/ videographer for the past 10 years. In 2019 I became a full time videographer in RIT’s Creative Production Services department where I get to shoot all kinds of videos to support the university. I’m pursuing my MAAT degree part-time, hoping to finish up in Spring 2023. I have way too many hobbies, including skateboarding, cycling, motorcycling, disc golf, and foraging for wild edible mushrooms.

ing What would you br d? to a deserted islan A friend

What are y our words of w isdom?

Life is too s hort to take it too seriou sly. Do good work, but always make it fun . Also, don’t be bored.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

I really enjoyed freaking myself out about the future of A.I. for my term paper in Bob Rose’s Industry Trends, Issues and Opportunities class.

MAAT ’21-’22 19

Faculty Spotlight

Michael Peres

Bob Rose

I joined the faculty of the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences in the fall of 1986 and I am currently serving as the Gannett Professor and program director of the Media Arts and Technology program. I teach photomicrography and surgical photography in the photographic sciences department. I also teach Contemporary Media and Communications and Media Foundations for MAAT. Professionally I co-founded the RIT Big Shot in 1987 and Images from Science project in 2001. I love gardening, walking my dogs, and photographing snowflakes. I will be stepping down as program director at the end of thjs academic year and want to extend a debt of gratitude to the 3 classes of grad students I have led.

I picked up my first camera in 1962 and I graduated from the Professional Photography program at RIT in 1978. Immediately after graduation, I joined the photo industry. I soon realized I had a remarkable opportunity to help shape the future of imaging.

To support this goal, in 1999 I started my own company VMI, which to this day provides innovative solutions and acts as a technology resource for corporations and industry professionals. As a technical editor, I have produced and published articles, technical papers, and contributed to numerous books and instructional journals. In 2015 I returned to RIT to share my experiences as a photographer, educator, editor and consultant, to the photographic community as an assistant professor in the photographic sciences department.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Seeing how students in the Contemporary Media and Communications class worked to raise money for students in Haiti.

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What are your words of wisdom?

Listen well.

Faculty Spotlight

J A Stephen Viggiano, PhD

Jenn Poggi

I started teaching grad courses here in 1991. I didn’t invent color management, but I played a role in its foundation. Now, I’m working to make printer profiling faster, easier, and more accurate – pick any three!

I am a wanderer, curious visual storyteller, foodie, runner, gardener, and dog person. I thrive on the energy of a vibrant community and connecting with others. I laugh freely. I love live music, ideas, naps, thunderstorms, airports, dusk and am fascinated by process.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

Kahoot quizzes!

What would you bring to a deserted island?

A boat

MAAT ’21-’22 21

Faculty Spotlight

Christine Heusner Artist, educator, photographer, project manager, adventurer, friend.

What was your favorite memory of the year?

It is great to be in person with the class in Cross Media Workflow labs. I will remember this group fondly. You have excellent energy–even in an evening class!

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Lynne Tsang Born and raised in New York City, I moved to Rochester, NY for my undergraduate degree in Biomed Photo. After graduating in 2011, I started working at Rochester General Hospital and after six years, I decided to go back to school to pursue my master’s degree in Media, Arts and Technology and concentrated on Digital Asset Management (DAM) for my capstone. After graduating in 2020, I was asked to come back to RIT as an adjunct professor to help teach the fundamentals of DAM to the incoming students of the program.

What are your words of wisdom?

Always take a step back, breathe and look at the situation from a different perspective.

Advisor Spotlight

Susan Lakin I am a professor in the College of Art and Design and a Fellow in the School of Individualized Study. I am a founding member and Director of Frameless XR Labs, a collective to advance research, innovation and artistic creation in fields of virtual and augmented reality. My classes explore the intersections of technology, music, art and design and collaborates on community projects in the nonprofit sector.

My artwork is part of permanent collections at Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Oakland Museum of California, Griffin Museum of Photography, and Photography Museum of Lishui, China.

What would you bring to a deserted island?

A satellite phone

Frank Cost I am celebrating my fortieth and final year on the faculty of the College of Art and Design. For those forty years, manna has fallen from the sky in the form of a paycheck every two weeks.

I have done my best to store enough of it away to keep the lights on and nutrients flowing in whatever time we have left to dwell in the promised land of retirement, where I will not be required to be rated or to rate another human being on a numerical scale ever again.

Teaching would be a wonderful job, if not for that one constant nagging requirement.

What are your words of wisdom?

It’s as easy to be five minutes early for everything in your life as it is to be five minutes late. The former will lead to happiness and success, and the latter to woe and misery.

Daniel Hughes I am currently serving as the Chair of the Photographic Sciences department at the RIT where I teach photography, video, technology, and workflow practices. When I am not engulfed in the media arts, I spend time attempting to fix something around the house, drink coffee, or imagining what it would be like to travel for pleasure again. Along with Eric Kunsman, I have become the Shot co-coordinator of the signature RIT Big Shot project.

What would you bring to a deserted island?

100ft roll of 7mil plastic, a multi-tool, a magnifying glass, and my Yeti coffee mug

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Thank You and Acknowledgements Still with us? We know that was a lot, but if you have made it this far… congratulations! You have just completed your first steps into finding out what exactly the Media Arts and Technology program entails!

The students from the 2021-2022 school year would like to acknowledge and thank all of those who helped contribute to our class’s journey throughout the year. Our time here is defined by what we learned and who we learned it from, and we cannot thank them enough for sharing their perspectives and offering kindness thoughout the past 10 months.

Firstly, we would like to thank the program’s faculty and the capstone advisors that took the time out of their hectic schedules to mentor some of our capstones. We will take the guidance and wisdom you all have passed down to us into our future aspirations, and we appreciate all of your efforts into cultivating a safe and comfortable environment for all of us to thrive in.

In addition, we would like to thank Kelly Sorensen and Aaron Garland, who were able to provide feedback to lead our editing team in the right direction for how to make this magazine all we wanted it to be and more.

We would also like to thank InterVol – specifically Nicole Jones, Dr. Ralph P. Pennino, and Jean Marc Brissau – as their cooperation and guidance helped build our RIT Students for Students semester-long fundraising campaign into fruition. We also would like to thank the Gannett Endowment for sponsoring the creation of the magazine, the sticker sheets of MAATie, and all of its related events.

Special shoutout to Michael Peres, who is completing his final year as Program Chair for the Media Arts and Technology Masters of Science program. It has been evident to all of us that Michael’s dedication to the program and us is seen in every outlet of success in the program. You have made this adventure what it is today and touched all of our lives in unforgettable ways. Thank you for everything, Michael.

We also want to give a shoutout to our fellow peers! Thank you for your friendliness, desire to learn, and overall welcoming environment. It has definitely been an experience that we will cherish moving forward as we embark past our time in this program.

Thank you to family, friends, and everyone else who has encouraged us to be the best versions of ourselves and to keep pushing through this school year. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without your support!

And last but not least, thank you for taking the time to read through our experiences over the past 10 months being in the Media Arts and Technology MS program. The journey we went on this year was nothing short of amazing, and we hope we were able to represent that in its most genuine form to you all.

Signing off, Billy Lawren ce Ashley Somc hanhmavong Rebekah Gre enberg

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Thank you to our Interpreters!!

Jennifer Riccardi Curtis Borst Jase Rivera Nadia Shrum Amanda Dole Beth NagelHarris Kathleen Darroch Rebekah Matos Mairead Rowan

• • • • • • • • •

Rachel Seaton Cassandra Flores San Lamar Elizabeth Butcher Hannah Holland Stephanie Ferris Jennifer Jess Dawn Swanson Carlton Velasco Mangonon

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SIGNATURES

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