September_CollegeNews1

College of Fine Arts and Communication | 3 featuring Kimball and alum mentors discussing ritual and care in contemporary art. Kevin Jenkins presented two sessions at the 38th Interna- tional Society for Education through Art (InSEA) World Congress, held July 21–25 in Olomouc, Czech Republic. His first session, “Art-Integration through Interactive Digital Narratives,” explored the creative potential of combining technology and storytelling in art education. The second, “Allies & Accomplices: Educator Support for Trans and Nonbinary People,” addressed how educators can foster meaningful support for students, colleagues, and the public. Dr. Jenkins’s presentations offered valuable per- spectives on creative pedagogical practices and professional engagement in art and education. [2] Bethany Johnson received a Research Enhancement Program grant for fiscal year 2025 for her creative project "Iceland's Planetary Analogs: On Simulated Space Explora- tion and Longing." This project will result in an editioned artist book and accompanying exhibition. • Bethany Johnson was accepted into and participated in the 2024-2025 "What's Next? Charting Your Path" mid-career faculty development program at Texas State. This two-semester program offered guided project planning and was accompanied by a financial award to put towards her creative work. • Bethany Johnson was awarded a three-week artist residency with the Joshua Tree National Park Artist in Residence program in fall 2024, where she created work and conducted public programming. The result- ing artwork will be exhibited in a forthcoming exhibi- tion in Yucca Valley, CA. • Bethany Johnson's artwork was included in a spring 2025 group exhibition Wild America at Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, NY. This exhibition commemorates the work of American naturalist Roger Tory Peterson and his classic in environmental litera- ture of the same name. • Bethany Johnson's artwork was included in a summer 2025 group exhibition Terra Forma at Co-Lab Projects in Austin. The works in this exhibition address ques- tions of mapping, place, and the artist's relationship to the earth. Two of Brian Johnson's prints were selected to be includ- ed in the 2025 Cimarron National Works on Paper exhibi- tion. The exhibit runs from August 16th to December 19th and is held at the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art. Amanda Lee, an assistant professor of printmaking and drawing at the University of Minnesota, served as juror and selected 124 pieces from more than 600 entries. [3] • Brian Johnson has a print in the 29th Parkside Na- tional Print Exhibition in the Emile H. Mathis Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The juror, artist Nathaniel Russell, selected 79 works from among 536 submissions; the exhibit runs from August 19 to November 21. • Two of Brian Johnson's screen prints were selected to be included in the exhibition Original Prints: A Nation- al Printmaking Showcase , by juror Rigoberto Luna from over 600 submissions. The exhibit ran through the month of August at the Art Center of Corpus Christi. Sean Justice was recognized for presenting “An Expressive STEM Approach to Computational Thinking Teacher Professional Development” at the 2025 American Educa- tional Research Association annual meeting in Denver. His interactive poster highlighted innovative models for en- gaging teachers in computational thinking and advancing expressive, student-centered professional learning. Justice’s leadership continues to impact the field of STEM educa- tion. See more here. • Sean Justice was awarded a $1.89 million National Science Foundation grant for the Expressive STEM Centers (ESC) project in Central Texas. The proj- ect transforms informal STEM learning by building family-driven networks at local libraries and commu- nity centers, empowering families to connect robotics, coding, circuits, and environmental science to heritage stories and real-world challenges through hands-on, material inquiry. Over three years, ESC will host nearly 400 events across key community sites, generating new knowledge about imagination, creative confidence, and multimodal STEM literacies within intergenera- tional networks. This research, guided by participatory methodologies and community collaboration, creates a scalable model for accessible, family-focused STEM learning and supports NSF’s goal to broaden participa- tion and advance understanding in STEM education. • Sean Justice was recognized for his research spotlight, “Exploring Early Childhood Teachers’ Abilities to Iden- tify Computational Thinking Precursors to Strengthen Computer Science in Classrooms,” featured in Early STEM Learning by the Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE). This work highlights Justice’s commitment to supporting teachers