Author: Jenna Spevack

In Fall 2022, City Tech’s COMD Futures Collaboratory, conceived by Prof. Jenna Spevack to support faculty and student research in emerging technologies, collaborated with Membit co-founder and CEO Jay Van Buren.

COMD Futures Emerging Scholars worked on the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art’s “Say Their Names NYC” memorial project, a digital AR monument remembering 200 African Americans killed by police brutality and racist violence. It was created in Membit and was visible in Central Park, where Seneca Village once stood.

The exhibition ran from Sept 16 – Oct 15 in Central Park and was also presented at an event at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem.

City Tech’s COMD Futures Collaboratory, conceived by Prof. Jenna Spevack to support faculty and student research in emerging technologies, will continue to collaborate with Membit co-founder and CEO Jay Van Buren to engage COMD students and faculty in augmented reality research and academic projects.

Say Their Names NYC

This fall, we are looking for students to work with Membit as ambassadors to the Say Their Names NYC memorial project, a digital AR monument remembering 200 African Americans killed by police brutality and racist violence, which runs from Sept 16 – Oct 15 in Central Park.

Students at all levels with skills/interests in storyboarding, image editing, 3D modeling, video editing, experience design, or just an interest in augmented reality are welcome to participate.

Students are encouraged but not required to participate via the Emerging Scholars Program, which provides a $500 stipend for full-time students and a $250 stipend for part-time students for conducting research with a faculty member. First-year students receive additional funding through the Robinhood Foundation Grant.

In Spring 2022, Emerging Scholars students worked on several exciting AR projects, including artist Richard Humann’s “Ascension” on the High Line, “Eggventure,” a promotional virtual Easter Egg Hunt at the Shops at Hudson Yards, and “WELCOME TO COMD,” an AR introduction to the COMD Department for prospective students.

If you know a student who might be interested in this initiative, please send an email to Prof. Jenna Spevack, or use the contact form on this site.

Thank you!

City Tech’s COMD Department and the COMD Futures Collaboratory are excited to announce a partnership with Membit.co, a geolocative augmented reality (AR) storytelling platform. The COMD Futures Collaboratory, conceived by Prof. Jenna Spevack to support faculty and student research in emerging technologies, will collaborate with Membit co-founder and CEO Jay Van Buren to engage COMD students and faculty in creative augmented reality research and academic projects.

Our inaugural research project will be an augmented reality exhibition that introduces viewers to the COMD Department through a virtual tour of student work with testimonials from current students and recent graduates using existing assets from recent BFA and Senior Project Shows and other promotional videos produced by COMD students and faculty. The AR exhibition will be geolocated in the COMD Department (Pearl Building), The Society of Illustrators’ MoCCAfest, and Hudson Yards, and will be viewable anywhere using the Membit app.

With support from Prof. Sara Gómez Woolley, City Tech Grace Gallery Director, we are looking for students of all levels to participate in this project via the Emerging Scholars Program which provides a $500 stipend for full-time students and a $250 stipend for part-time students for conducting research with a faculty member. First-year students receive additional funding through the Robinhood Foundation Grant. Students with skills/interests in storyboarding, image editing, 3D modeling, video editing, experience design, or just an interest in augmented reality are welcome to participate.

If you have a student who might be interested in this initiative, please send an email to Prof. Jenna Spevack, Prof. Jay Van Buren, and Prof. Sara Gómez Woolley or use the contact form on this site.

Thank you!