a2ru Emerging Creatives Student Summit

2025

Making Waves

Georgia Tech
March 13-16

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 Table of Contents
Welcome 3

Georgia Tech Sponsors and Acknowledgments 5

Places 6

Schedule 7

Emerging Creatives Student Bios 12

Walking Map: Coda to MODA 34

Expectations 35

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 Welcome

Dear Students:

Welcome to “RESONATE: Making Waves.” We are delighted to work with you all, in partnership with the team
at Georgia Tech.

We hope you make the most of this unique opportunity to collaborate with students from many disciplines
and many states. Your voices and ideas will resonate with one another here and now, and we cannot wait to
see how the wake of your experience here spreads across your neighborhood, your city, and your world. It
is our plan and hope that Emerging Creatives 2025 will resonate for years to come throughout your
careers, relationships, and lives. Thank you for being here.

-The Team at a2ru

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Welcome to Georgia Tech and to the 2025 a2ru Emerging Creatives Student Summit!

We are thrilled that you are here at Georgia Tech to participate in this year’s summit on the theme “RESONATE:
Making Waves.” We look forward to seeing your creative responses to the theme and hope that the backdrop
of our campus and of the city of Atlanta provides some inspiration for your work.

Georgia Tech has long championed the arts as essential to its mission, whether through academic and
research initiatives that bridge arts and technology, public arts programming through the Ferst Center for the
Arts and the Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking, or the hundreds of arts events each year that
showcase our students, faculty, artists in residence, and community partners. Georgia Tech has also recently
embarked on an ambitious expansion of the arts, including new academic programs that connect with the
state’s growing creative industries and a new arts innovation district that will expand the physical footprint of
our campus. We hope that these initiatives will resonate with future generations of Yellow Jackets, further
integrating the arts into the fabric of Georgia Tech.

We are grateful to a2ru for its leadership and support for bringing this summit to Georgia Tech, and more
broadly for its vision for deeply and meaningfully integrating the arts in higher education.

Best,
Jason Freeman
Professor, School of Music
Interim Associate Vice Provost for the Arts

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 Georgia Tech
Sponsors &
Special Thanks
Georgia Tech Sponsors:

College of Design

Office of the Associate Vice Provost for the Arts

Special Thanks To:

Georgia Tech’s a2ru Emerging Creatives task force: Danielle Willkens, Susan Gilstrap, and Michelle Powell

MODA Atlanta, and especially Laura Flusche, Susan Sanders, and Evelyn Stith

CODA at Tech Square, and especially Joy Bryant

Institute for People and Technology (IPaT)

Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education (SCoRE)

Ellen Bassett, Dean, College of Design

Larry Jacobs, Senior Vice Provost for Education and Learning

Emily Weigel, Senior Academic Professional, School of Biological Sciences

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 Places

Krone Engineering Biosystems Building (EBB), 950 Atlantic Drive

Coda, 756 W. Peachtree Street

Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), 1315 Peachtree Street NE

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 Emerging Creatives
Schedule

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 Thursday, March 13

3:00 pm Registration Opens EBB atrium

4:00 pm Kickoff EBB CHOA seminar room
4:30 pm EcoCommons tour depart EBB atrium
5:00 pm Georgia Tech welcome EBB CHOA seminar room
5:15 pm Panel Discussion EBB CHOA seminar room

Moderator- Shannon Fitzsimons Moen, a2ru

Panelist- Russ Clark, Institute of People and Technology
Panelist- Danielle Wilkins, School of Architecture
Panelist- Joycelyn Wilson, School of Literature, Media, and Communication

6:15 pm DINNER EBB CHOA seminar room

7:00 pm Collaborative activity EBB CHOA seminar room
8:00 pm Finish

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 Friday, March 14

8:30 - 8:45 am Arrive Coda ground floor plaza

8:45 am COFFEE AND PASTRIES Coda atrium (9th floor)
9:00 am Kickoff and Coda tour Coda atrium
9:30 am Team Formation Coda atrium
10:30 am BREAK
10:45 am Get to know your team Coda atrium
11:15 am Brainstorming 1&2 Coda atrium
12:15 pm LUNCH ON YOUR OWN Coda environs
1:15 pm Brainstorming 3 Coda atrium
2:15 pm Work session Coda spaces
3:15 pm BREAK
3:30 pm Depart for MODA (map p. 34) Coda ground floor plaza
4:00 pm MODA tour MODA
6:00 pm Finish

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 Saturday, March 15

8:30 - 8:45 am Arrive Coda ground floor plaza

8:45 am COFFEE AND PASTRIES Coda atrium
9:00 am Kickoff Coda atrium
9:15 am Work sessions, with breaks Coda spaces
12:00 pm LUNCH ON YOUR OWN Coda environs
1:00 pm Feedback sessions Coda spaces
2:45 pm BREAK
3:15 pm Check-in and work sessions Coda atrium
5:00 pm Finish

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 Sunday, March 16

8:15 - 8:30 am Arrive Coda ground floor plaza

8:30 am COFFEE AND PASTRIES Coda atrium
8:45 am Kickoff Coda atrium
9:15 am Work session Coda spaces
10:15 am BREAK
10:30 am Project Fair Coda atrium
12:30 pm LUNCH PROVIDED, Wrap-up Coda atrium
1:30 pm Finish

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 Students

Ivie Aiwuyo
Ivie Aiwuyo is a junior at Dartmouth College double majoring in Film and Media Studies and African &
African American Studies with a Theater minor. Born and raised in the South Side of Chicago, Ivie is a
multimedia storyteller with extensive experience in content creation and visual journalism, working
with organizations such as the NAACP and the Mayor’s Youth Commission of Chicago. Particularly
interested in the intersection of storytelling and media, Ivie recognizes the profound impact of
television and film on shaping societal perspectives and aspires to create films that promote
authentic representations of the African Diaspora and other related communities.

Max Ando
I am a senior studying Jazz Performance and Musicology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign. At Illinois, I play trumpet with several curricular jazz ensembles and play bass drum with
the University of Illinois Marching Illini. On campus, I work at the Champaign-Urbana Community Fab
Lab, an open-access makerspace. Outside of college, I currently teach at the Spirit of Atlanta Drum
and Bugle Corps as a brass instructor. As a researcher, my interests lie in 20th century Black
American music and how legal issues have affected its development. In my free time, I also enjoy
running and reading!

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Marjorie Justine Antonio

Marjorie Justine Antonio is a public historian of transnational Filipinx arts activism, visual culture,
community archives, and anti-imperialist social movements. As an Inaugural Arts for All Graduate
Fellow, Marjorie is conducting community-driven research to find ways to best document and archive
the political art and activities of contemporary grassroots Filipino organizers while keeping their
security and safety at the forefront. Marjorie is pursuing dual-master degrees in History, and Library
and Information Science at the University of Maryland, and is an American Conservation Experience
intern supporting Asian American Pacific Islander educational resources and intersectional historical
storytelling.

Daniela Arias Gallego

I am a violinist doing a doctoral degree in performance at UMD. I came from Colombia to study
Chamber Music in Ohio and now I live in the DC area. I am passionate about the power of music to
bring people together and I’m constantly looking for opportunities to bring chamber music to
communities, as well as to bring different cultures into chamber music. I am also a watercolor portrait
painter and love dancing!

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 Students

Richie Arndorfer
Richie Arndorfer is a composer pursuing a DMA in Composition at the University of Georgia. He has a
background as a concert oboist, jazz saxophonist, and singer-songwriter and this diversity of
experience is reflected in his music which incorporates different styles and often blends text,
technology, and theater.

Venus Bayat
Venus is an M.F.A. candidate in Art with a concentration in Photography at The Pennsylvania State
University. She holds an M.A. in Mass Communication and Media Studies from Texas Tech University
(2024). Her research explores human connection, human loneliness and media dependency, and film
studies. Venus has co-authored studies on urban ethnography and local media, including a chapter in
the book Across the Canyons: Transdisciplinary Approaches to Divisive Communications in West
Texas and Beyond (2025). She is also the author of the book FILMFARSI (2017). Her artwork has been
exhibited internationally, including the NEW TALENTS 2020 exhibition in Berlin. She has held solo
exhibitions (Bubbles, 2020; Street Flânerie, 2025) and participated in 23 group photography
exhibitions worldwide.

Hailey Becker
Hailey Becker is an MFA student in the department of Art, Art History, and Design and a PhD student in
the department of Forestry at Michigan State University. Her research includes uses artist-generated
research questions and social science methodologies to build installations related to sustainable
materials, speculative fiction, and natural resource management which work to understand
environmental behavior and affect.

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 Students

DeAnte Bernard
I am a senior transfer student pursing a degree in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in business
management. With an extreme interest in design innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Anna Boezi
Hi, my name is Anna and I am a third-year Biomedical Engineering student at Georgia Tech. I want to
use my degree to design and test new medical devices to better the medical world. Though the arts
don't directly work their way into my major, my connection to the arts comes from their heavy
presence in my childhood. I played a few instruments, sang in multiple choirs and musicals, and loved
it all. Happy to be here!

Jessica Brown
Jessica Brown is a dancer and artist from Solvang, CA. She currently attends George Mason University
and will be graduating in May with a BFA in dance and a minor in well-being. She is a teacher, writer,
and researcher, who has experience studying audience interactions with contemporary dance
performance. Brown is dedicated to combining her studies in well-being with her dance-making, in
order to promote positive atmospheres for dancers and the public alike. She is excited to meet her
creative peers!

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 Students

Grace Burton
Grace Burton is a percussionist and composer from Midland, TX. She currently studies Music
Performance and Technology at Texas A&M University. Grace is currently focused on writing
percussion compositions with the incorporation of electronic elements such as backing tracks made
in Digital Audio Workstations, live electronic circuits, digital music programmed in PureData, and
much more. She is also determined to find new ways to combine different fine arts disciplines to
create original and exciting works that fall under the umbrella of "inter-arts performance."

Luisa Chavarria
I am a third year PhD student in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Michigan
State University, specializing in mineral physics. My research focuses on studying minerals under
extreme conditions in planetary interiors, with current projects investigating the sodium cycle in the
lower mantle. I hold a B.S. and M.S. in Geology and Earth Sciences from Colombia. Over the years, I
have studied various areas of planetary science and geology, including meteorites and the formation
of mountain ranges. I am interested about connecting art and science to explore creative
perspectives for enhancing learning and communication in Earth Sciences.

Leah Cho
I am Leah Cho, a junior at the University of Alabama. I am majoring in Apparel Design and minoring in
Art, and I am hoping to go into costume design after school. Creativity has always been really
important to me, and I am excited to be a part of this summit!

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 Students

Laura Coelho
First year master student at the art history department. My research examines the intersection of art,
architecture, and patronage during the Baroque period in Turin, Italy. I focus on the influence of
patrons such as Giovanna Battista di Savoia on the architectural works of prominent figures like
Juvarra and Guarini. By analyzing these relationships, I seek to explore how political power and
patronage shaped the urban and architectural landscape of the time.

Rafael Collado
I'm a first-year master's student and Adobe GEM Fellow at Georgia Tech in the Music Technology
department, originally from Miami, FL. Previous to that, I graduated from Princeton University, where I
majored in Computer Science with a minor in Vocal Performance. I am passionate about finding ways
to apply computer science to music, and have lots of experience in software engineering,
musicianship, and education. Visit my website! https://rafael.directory

Hadassa Cruz-Aguilar
I am a Mexican-American artist living in the south that experiments with textiles and performance
work. My work revolves around issues of my personal life along with my experience with
intersectionality and immigration. I do, however, enjoy knitting and crocheting in my free time and
spending time with my cat.

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 Students

Teja Davis
Hi! My name is Teja (like Deja Vu, but I promise you've never met anyone like me!). I love all things
artistic and environmental and how they can go together, especially through poetry. If you see me
around, please come my way because meeting new people and sharing ideas is my vibe!

Nhi Dong
I'm a 4th-year Business Analytics and Marketing student at the University of Cincinnati, I enjoy
analyzing data and understanding how businesses grow and make decisions. At the same time,
photography is a creative outlet that allows me to capture moments and perspectives in a different
way.

Hang Duong
I am a fourth-year student majoring in Pre-Occupational Therapy at the University of Cincinnati. I'm
going to pursue a doctorate in Occupational Therapy for my future career of working with NICU
patients. I enjoy watching horror movies, eating good food, and going to hot Pilates in my free time
with friends.

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 Students

Bathschèba Duronvil
I am a second-year graduate student at Rochester Institute of Technology for the Film and Animation
Program. After I graduate, I want to be a multidisciplinary experimental artist working in the film
industry. I love being out in nature, whether hiking, fishing, kayaking, birdwatching, or sightseeing. I
like watching animated films, reading comic books, and doodling. I love creating storylines for my
doodle characters and also exploring clothing design.

Mythili Emani
Mythili Emani is a graduate student in the M.Des program at the University of Cincinnati with a
background in industrial design and user-centric research. Her work explores human factors,
problem-solving, and emerging technologies to create innovative, human-centered solutions.

Eliana Gelman
Eliana is a technologist and artist studying cognitive science and artificial intelligence at the
University of Georgia. She is currently researching folk computing systems and computational
creativity. She works on building software and experiences that expand human connection, awe, and
imagination.

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 Students

Natalia Guerrero
Natalia Guerrero is an artist and astronomer pursuing a PhD in Astronomy and an MFA in
Art+Technology at the University of Florida. She studies the orbits and rotation of extrasolar planets
and the impact of a day-night cycle on a planet’s capacity to sustain life. Her multimedia artistic
practice explores themes of scientific intuition, embodiment, and identity via performance, text, and
installation. She previously worked in various technical and leadership roles for NASA's Transiting
Exoplanet Survey Satellite at the Massachusetts institute of Technology. She graduated from MIT in
2014 with a bachelor's degree in physics and a minor in writing.

Lauren Kang
Lauren Kang is a senior at Dartmouth College, majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Human Centered
Design. She does art and design for Spare Rib—an intersectional feminist publication at the college—
and costume design for student-run theatre troupe Displaced Theatre Company. Furthermore, she is
a Hopkins Center for the Arts Producing Fellow, helping to facilitate the arts on campus along with a
cohort of other student-fellows. She lives in Delmar, Maryland but hopes to further pursue the arts
and fashion abroad post-graduation.

Daksh Kapoor
I am a master's student in Digital Media at Georgia Tech. My passion lies in crafting interactive
installations and experiences that invite people to reflect on design as a powerful medium for
storytelling and conveying messages. I am also deeply interested in exploring art through AI,
investigating the role of AI as an artist, and its potential to redefine creative expression. With a
background in video production, graphic design, and 3D animation, I bring a multidisciplinary
approach to my work, drawing inspiration from the world around me.

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 Students

Julian Leff
Lead Artificial intelligence Researcher for the Design Innovation Hub. I also run the computer heavy
parts of our lab. I find joy in the woodshop and outdoors. Entrepreneur at heart, although I am
studying Computer Information Systems and Business Analytics, debating a Masters in Ed.s in School
Psychology. I am a Junior currently.

Ji Eun Lim
I studied Studio Art with a focus on photography and sculpture at Indiana University. After
graduating, I gained experience working at photo studios and a stagecraft company in South Korea. I
then moved to London, where I earned a Master's degree in Furniture Design. My diverse background
includes experience in graphic design, furniture design, interior design and teaching, all of which
contribute to my goal of enhancing people's experiences. This passion led me to Boston University,
where I am deepening my research in Art Education.

Grace Littler
My name is Grace Littler, and I am an architecture student passionate about inclusive design and
accessibility. My research focuses are designing equitable healthcare spaces to promote healing and
developing navigation systems to assist disabled individuals in complex urban environments. I also
help lead an on-campus organization that supports and advocates for our disabled students. I am
passionate about design’s potential to drive social change and excited to build community with like-
minded students.

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Karen Lopez
Howdy! My name is Karen Lopez, and my hometown is Houston Texas! I am a student at Texas A&M
pursuing a major called Visualization (Arts but STEM). I am interested in expanding my understanding
and knowledge of different art forms! My favorite so far is XR, interactive designs, photography and
film/video game making! I have competed in Texas A&M's Game Jam, XR workshops including a live
generated performance with AI and a VR multi-interactive play performance.

Gabrielle Malbrough
Gabrielle is a dedicated Scenic Artist and Designer based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Her
work includes notable positions at Theatre Three and Theatre Arlington, as well as the Betty
Greenberg Center for Performing Arts in Southeast Texas. Currently pursuing a BFA in Design and
Technology at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), Gabrielle has significantly contributed to
numerous UTA productions, including Head Over Heels, Night of the Living Dead, Cabaret, Sweeney
Todd, and Bright Star. Her work on Bright Star earned her the Excellence in Assistant Scenic Design
Award from The Kennedy Center Region 6.

Gabrielle is currently serving as the Scenic Designer for Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
and Associate Scenic Designer for On the Town and as the Scenic Designer for UTA’s 2024-2025
season.

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 Students

Maija Mallula
Maija is a Master of Landscape Architecture candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana
Champaign. She was initially drawn to the field of landscape architecture for its unique integration of
large-scale systems analysis, historical context, and community engagement to create context-driven
and impactful urban interventions. Through the course of the degree, her view of landscape
architecture has grown from a strictly pragmatic and technical pursuit to a methodology of critique
and expression. With a background in scientific publishing and microbiology, her work combines
rigorous research with the creative process to examine, question, and change our relationships with
the built environment.

Jeanne Marie Martineau

Jeanne Marie Martineau is a French-American transdisciplinary artist, based in Athens, GA, who
weaves various mediums of object making, dream tending, writing, song and sound meditation into a
unified peace practice and experiences of artistic self-discovery for others. Through reincarnating
found plastic waste into adornment and ritual objects Jeanne Marie aims to expand our personal and
collective capacity for love and acceptance. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts at the
University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art.

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 Students

Rowan Martnishn
My name is Rowan! I was born in Philadelphia and attend Virginia Tech where I study machine
learning and natural language processing. I focus on real world issues using large-scale language to
construct metrics for innovative solutions to pressing, real-world issues.

Gauri Menon
Gauri Menon is a freshman at Georgia Tech majoring in Computer Science with a focus on Media and
Information Internetworks. Passionate about the intersection of technology and art, she explores
human-centered computing, UI/UX design, and data-driven storytelling. Beyond digital mediums, she
also has extensive experience in traditional art, specializing in portraits and surrealism using acrylics,
charcoal, and chalk, to name a few. Additionally, she is dedicated to creative outreach, mentoring
students in STEM and digital arts. Inspired by her multicultural background, Gauri strives to develop
innovative projects that empower artists and communities through the fusion of technology and
artistic expression.

Aarya More
I am an MS in Urban Design student at Georgia Tech and the founder of Studio Aangan, an NGO
dedicated to community-driven design. With a background in architecture and urban research, I focus
on creating sustainable and inclusive urban solutions. My work integrates GIS analysis, urban
infrastructure, and environmental resilience to address contemporary challenges. As an active
member of YOUNGO UNFCCC, I contribute to global conversations on sustainable cities. Through
research, design, and advocacy, I strive to create dynamic urban spaces that foster connection,
equity, and positive social impact.

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 Students

Nicholas Myers
Nicholas Myers is an aspiring medical professional currently in pursuit of a Biochemistry degree at
the University of Georgia. He has a deep interest in the power of the power of the spoken word and
intends to promote elder care through research and practice.

Gabriel L. Newvine
Described as engaging, emotional, and thought-provoking, Gabriel L. Newvine’s (b. 2000)
(He/They) music explores the personal experiences and intricacies of living through theatrical
narratives and kaleidoscopic sound. Gabe’s works have been performed domestically and abroad,
by ensembles and soloists such as Loadbang, CAMP, VICE quartet, Lee Hinkle, Velvet Brown, and
many more. Based in State College, PA, Gabe is currently pursuing a masters degree in composition
and theory at Penn State with Dr. Baljinder Sekhon and Dr. Sarah Genevieve Burghart Rice.

Jacob Nicholson
Originally from Lancaster Ohio, Jacob is studying Visual Communication Design, Web Development
and User Experience Design at Kent State University. He is passionate about art and technology, and
the ways we can use them to tell unique stories. Jacob is a part of the Design Innovation Fellowship,
enjoys camping and backpacking in his free time.

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 Students

Nora O'Connell
I am a business major at Georgia Tech graduating this May. I am incredibly passionate about art and
creativity. I love working with textiles, primarily crewel embroidery. I started a crafting organization
at Georgia Tech. I also work as a professional photographer.

Adwar Oguttuh
Adwar Oguttuh was born and grew up in Kenya. He Holds a bachelor's degree in Linguistics, A master's
degree in education and currently pursuing a master's degree in Fine Arts at Penn State University,
specializing in drawing and painting. Adwar has teaching experience in General and Special education
of learners with Autism, Traumatic Brain Injuries and neurological disorders. Prior to joining Penn
State, Adwar taught in the English Studies department at the University of Cape Verde and the
University of Santiago in Cape Verde.

Lisa Abena Osei

Lisa Abena Osei focuses on Postcolonial Studies and African Literature, and specifically on Black
Speculative Fiction. Lisa Abena Osei holds an MA in Comparative English Studies, Literature and
American Culture from Heinrich-Heine Universität, Düsseldorf, and an MPhil in English Literature from
the University of Ghana. She has published peer-reviewed articles on Black speculative fiction,
specifically Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism, in The Journal of African Literature Association (JALA),
Critical Studies in Media and Communication journal and the Global Africa Sciences. She is also the
winner of the Best Graduate Student Essay Award at the 2022 African Literature Association
Conference. She is also an MLA Edward Giuliano Global Fellow 2024 awardee. Overall, she is
interested in the ways Postcolonial African literatures can be used in transformative ways to explore
and challenge the complexities of race, identity, and power.

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 Students

Talitha Pam
Talitha Tukura-Pam was born and raised in Nigeria. She holds an M.Sc. from Michigan State University
and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the interdisciplinary doctoral program in Anthropology and
History at the University of Michigan. Her dissertation focuses on northern Nigerian diasporic
communities in the U.S., examining how conflict, migration, identity, and media influence shape these
communities. Her interdisciplinary approach, which combines ethnographic fieldwork, archival
research, and multimodal engagement, provides a framework for addressing the complexities of
migration and identity. Talitha also enjoys teaching, reading and writing fiction, eating popcorn,
practicing yoga, and caring for her plants.

Ruben Reynoso
Hi, I'm Ruben Reynoso, a senior double majoring in Film and Television and Information Science. As a
writer, programmer, artist, and queer leftist activist, I champion uncensored creative spaces. I focus
on increasing access to zines—self-published booklets that give artists freedom to express
themselves and experiment with printing and multimedia techniques. While Tucson has a vibrant zine
culture and annual Zine Fest, these works aren't available online. My project creates a digital archive
of Tucson zines, bridging together the physical and digital worlds so anyone can explore our city's
rich zine history.

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 Students

Carter Roberts
Carter Roberts is a composer and producer from Virginia Tech. He specializes in film score
composition and sound design, but genres extend to hip hop, synth pop, edm, ambient, classical and
beyond. He is a senior studying the creative technologies concentration in the Virginia Tech Music
major.

Kenzie Jean Roberts

Mackenzie Roberts is an MFA candidate in dance at the University of Arizona, specializing in inclusive
movement practices and jazz-inspired choreography. She is the founder of "Harmonizing Movement",
a project fostering accessibility and collaboration between abled and disabled dancers improv to
sideline cheer performance. With a background in collegiate dance teams and professional
choreography, Mackenzie blends technique with improvisation to create meaningful artistic
experiences. Her research explores the intersection of dance, culture, and community engagement.
Passionate about mentorship and accessibility in the arts, she aims to inspire future generations
through education, performance, and advocacy for inclusive dance spaces.

Leah Rosenhack
Leah is pursuing her masters degree in Sustainable Systems at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Having a background in the social sciences, Leah is interested at working in the intersections between
the social sciences and STEM. Leah is also an avid rock climber and backpacker.

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 Students

Jason Salazar Tobar

I am a student at RIT’s School of Individualized Study, specializing in immersive technologies such as
AR, VR, Motion Tracking, and Projection Mapping. My goal is to work in the music industry after
graduation. Currently, my two favorite projects are motion tracking dancers for a live performance of
The Nutcracker, where their movements will influence particle systems, and serving as an Augmented
Reality Developer for the Finger Lakes Virtual Museum. I also love staying active and keeping busy. I
am excited to meet and connect with new people!

Jessica Sathongnhoth
A second generation American, I am proud to represent my Lao heritage and hometown. I am a senior
Studio Arts major who is also pursuing a minor in Art History from the University of Memphis. As a
Memphian, my city is the heart of my current practice.

Valeri Sazonov
Valeri Sazonov is an undergraduate at the University of Alabama majoring in computer engineering
and mathematics. Their past research has spanned computational musicology, radio-frequency
sensing, and human-computer interaction, presenting at conferences such as the International
Society of Music Information Retrieval. They also have experience with building instruments and
audio circuitry. Their latest work has focused on using neural music synthesis to expand the
accessibility of music composition to underprivileged composers and music students.

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 Students

Adina Shaikh
Adina Shaikh is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in neurobiology and
percussion performance with a minor in science communication. As a member of the First Wave Hip
Hop & Urban Arts Program, she has been honing her artistic voice through musical, visual, spoken
word, and collaborative arts projects. In addition to art, Adina researches zebrafish and is the editor-
in-chief of the Journal for Undergraduate Science and Technology on campus. Pluralism and activism
are at the core of all her endeavors; she hopes to integrate her passions for art, science, and social
justice into a comprehensive career.

Kriti Singh
Kriti Singh is a visual designer, UX researcher, new media artist and a dot-connector. She is a master's
student in the Human Computer Interaction program at the University of Maryland, College Park. Kriti
has created arts-integrated research projects that engage with the intentional and unintentional
archives that people generate, digital memorialization, and digital afterlife. A creative problem solver
focusing on speculation, she attempts to give shape to different ways our world(s) could be. Her
speculative proposals are always embedded within everyday reality—however far-fetched they may
seem—mixing and recombining different kinds of reality. She believes in and has worked with many
forms of storytelling: sculptural, experiential, data-driven, embodied, indigenous or performative.
After graduating, she plans to work with agencies that focus on visual forms of knowledge
production, translating research into compelling visual narratives.

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 Students

Yariane Soto
Hi, I’m Yariane Soto a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in Advertising with a minor in Entrepreneurship.
I’m passionate about creativity—whether through graphic design, branding, or bringing ideas to life
through art and illustration. I love thinking outside the box and exploring new ways to tell stories
visually. This is my first time at a2ru 2025 Emerging Creatives Student Summit, and I’m excited to
meet, learn, and collaborate with everyone!

Ming Tang
4th year CS major, game design minor. Interested in game soundtrack composition and programming
language design. they/them.

Emma Vejcik
Computer Science & Digital Arts student, working in exhibition design and installation light show art.

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 Students

Brendan Wiederien
Forest science student at UW-Madison and a First Wave Scholar, from Bellevue, WA. Somewhere
between hip-hop, DJing, and keeping plants alive, always looking for new ways to connect art and
nature—just figuring it out along the way.

Taryn Williamson
Taryn Williamson is a fourth-year BA student at the University of Arizona, majoring in music with a
minor in screenwriting. A JustArts Fellow—an honor awarded to five students annually—she uses the
arts to drive social change. A non-traditional student, she transitioned from corporate life after self-
producing Mind Over Fatter, a documentary that found online success and launched her into
entrepreneurship. Before pursuing her true passions in music and film, she built careers at T. Rowe
Price and in live television closed captioning. Now, she blends storytelling and performance to create
impactful, thought-provoking work.

Selin Yalcin
Hi, I’m Selin! I’m super excited to participate in this summit. Although I was born in Georgia, I lived in
Turkey for a few years. My time in Turkey heavily impacted me and now I’m majoring in architecture,
focusing on integrating Islamic designs with modern ideas. In my free time, I like to read and crochet. I
also like to go to Paper and Clay, the ceramics studio on campus.
A fun fact about me is that I have four cats, a parakeet, and seventeen chickens! I love chatting about
my animals :)

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 Students

Chris Zatarain
Chris Zatarain is a second-year Master's student in the Applied Intercultural Arts Research Graduate
Interdisciplinary Program at the University of Arizona. His primary interests are in the environmental
arts and humanities, and in particular ecomusicology and econarratology. Trained in the western
classical music tradition, he performs professionally across Southern Arizona on oboe and English
horn. Chris also works as a photographer and videographer, primarily working with artists, stage
productions, and community-based arts events.

Jason Zhang
Jason Zhang is a composer, pianist, and programmer from Michigan whose work seeks to connect the
dots and draw squiggly lines between seemingly disparate disciplines, ideas, and fields.
Zhang is studying Composition and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, under Roshanne
Etezady, Evan Chambers, Michael Daugherty, and Bright Sheng. He has collaborated with ensembles
such as Hub New Music, the Bergamot String Quartet, the San Francisco Symphony, and the
University of Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra.
Outside of music, Zhang has also co-authored a research paper for a novel audio alignment algorithm
and has written reviews for the Michigan Daily.

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 Map
Coda to MODA

Walking directions from Coda to MODA, 1315 Peachtree Street NE

Head east on 4th St NW toward W

Peachtree St NW, 20 ft

Turn left onto W Peachtree St NW, 0.9

mi

Turn right onto 15th St NE, 433 ft

Turn left toward Arts Center Way NE,

262 ft

Turn right toward Arts Center Way NE,

56 ft

Turn left onto Arts Center Way NE, 325

ft

Turn right onto 16th St NE

Destination will be on the right

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 Expectations

As part of the summit, you will be drawing on your individual skills, talents, and experience to
benefit team efforts. In attending the summit, you commit to showing up for your team, for every
group session, and arriving on time. Plan to attend the entire summit – starting March 13 at 3:00 pm
and staying through the conclusion of final presentations on March 16 at 1:30 pm.

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