Faculty News & Kudos

Denise Sutton Publishes New Book on Fashion and Beauty Innovation

Denise Sutton (Business) explores how innovation is often shaped by historical, cultural, economic and socioeconomic influences in her new book, Fashion & Beauty: Case Studies in Innovation (Bloomsbury).

She draws on contextual elements and insights to examine a variety of turning points within the fashion and beauty industries, including the introduction of maternity and plus-size women’s apparel, new textiles, luxury streetwear, creative upcycling, new cosmetics markets and business models in beauty. The book cover was designed by Vivian Li ’24, Communication Design.

Read about it here.

Benito Mendoza-Garcia Named Inaugural NSF NAIRR AI Education Fellow

Benito Mendoza-Garcia (Computer Engineering Technology) has been selected as one of the 25 inaugural NSF NAIRR (National AI Research Resource) AI Education Fellows for 2026 through the Computing Research Association.

This national competitive fellowship recognizes his work at the intersection of AI, engineering education, and student success, including the TC2 Hub Microcredentials Program, the AI Nexus Lab, and other initiatives that help students engage with emerging technologies. Fellows will contribute to shaping the strategic direction of a national AI Education Research Coordination Network.

Despina Lalaki Presents at ESS, ASA, and ASKI Conferences

Despina Lalaki (Social Sciences) gave two conference talks — “Cold War Epistemologies, Expert Networks, and Liberal Internationalism” at the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS) in Washington DC in March, and “American Empire and Global Hegemonic Politics: A Peripheral Approach” at the American Studies Association (ASA) Annual Meeting in Puerto Rico in November — and an invited talk for the Archives of Contemporary Social History (ASKI) in January.

She gave a number of interviews for the Greek press this academic year, on topics including Mamdani’s mayoral victory and “The New McCarthyism at the American Universities.”

Maria Hitchings Opens Solo Exhibition ‘Rethinking Turf’ in Westchester

Maria (Genevieve) Hitchings (Communication Design) has a solo exhibition titled Rethinking Turf: Seeing the Invisible through Illustration at the Harrison Public Library in Westchester County.

The show focuses on selected species of fauna native to the North American Mid-Atlantic region, with a series of illustrated prints designed to advocate for more sustainable and pollinator-friendly land management practices, and to challenge notions of beauty in our natural urban and suburban landscape.

Exhibition runs through Friday, May 1, with an Artist Talk on Monday, April 27 at 4 pm.

Read details here.

Caroline Chamberlin Hellman Named 2026-2027 ACE Fellow

Caroline Chamberlin Hellman (English) has been named an ACE Fellow for the 2026-2027 academic year. Following her nomination by Interim President Milton Santiago and a rigorous application process, she was selected as one of 31 fellows.

The ACE Fellows Program is designed to strengthen institutions and leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing faculty and staff for senior administration roles through a distinctive, cohort-based mentorship model.

Read about it here.

Lubie Grujicic-Alatriste Mentors Student to Harvard Research Conference

Lubie Grujicic-Alatriste (English) mentored Laiba Zia, a student in Dental Hygiene, on a project about linguistic diversity via the CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP). They co-wrote a poster presentation that Zia presented this year at Harvard University’s National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC).

Professor Grujicic-Alatriste secured a grant from the Beitler Foundation which allowed Zia to travel to the conference. Their data showed that City Tech students wanted more language support and deemed it one of the key factors in college success.

Donna Grant Named NYACCE Educator of the Year

Donna Grant (Continuing Education) was selected as NYACCE‘s Adult Education Award recipient, Educator of the Year. She has worked at City Tech since 2018 and was at CUNY CSI for over 20 years, going above and beyond to support students (and staff!). She will be honored at the NYACCE Annual Conference on April 29.

Craig Graber Honored with CUNY Teaching Excellence Award

Craig Graber (Architecture) was honored with a Teaching Excellence Award by CUNY during its annual Celebrating Excellence in Teaching and Pedagogy ceremony on March 12.

Graber, an architect, sustainability consultant, educator and climate advocate with deep professional experience in sustainable design and construction, has taught Sustainability: History and Practice at City Tech for twelve years. Craig Graber was also awarded the City Tech 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year Award.

Read more here.