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LEWISVILLE, N.C. —The Educational Foundation of the International Furnishings and Design Assn. (IFDA) has announced the winners of five of its professional grants. This year, the funds awarded totaled $27,000, granted to professionals working in the interior design or furnishings-related fields.
“Congratulations to the winners we are proud to have in our profession,” said Helen Wagner, chairman of the board of the Educational Foundation of IFDA. “Their skills and initiative in undertaking new challenges are impressive and each winner exemplified the goals of the award they were granted, whether research, universal design, professional development or the advancement of interior design programs.”
The five grants awarded are:
Elizabeth Brown Grant to Interior Design Programs — $2,500
Dr. Saman Jamshidi is an assistant professor of Interior Architecture and Design at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He holds a PhD in Interior and Environmental Design from Texas Tech University. He is currently examining the effect of environmental factors on human wayfinding. His research has resulted in several peer-reviewed papers published in journals such as the Journal of Patient Safety, Frontiers in Psychology, Health Environments Research and Design, and Frontiers of Architectural Research. He is NCIDQ- certified and has more than 10 years of experience in research, practice and teaching.
Irma Dobkin Universal Design Grant — $2,000
Dr. Christine Wacta, assistant professor in the college of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Human Ecology, Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. Dr. Wacta is an African-born French architect; D.P.L.G Paris-la-Defense. She also holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Minnesota. Her research interests expose her to new techniques in urban approach while affording her a rather unique position to deal with challenging topics as a reflection of the complexity of our environment. Her interest in intelligent cities and resilience led her to co-founding Geospatial Design Enterprise and designing curriculum support structures to bring application and testing-based processes into design education and practice.
Tony Torrice Professional Development Grant — $1,500
Luke Kwan is a seasoned project manager, interior designer and educator with more than 25 years of professional experience. He is a senior project manager at IA Interior Architects Inc. and an adjunct faculty at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design and San Francisco State University. The awarded grant project will go towards the graduate certificate in the Planning and Design of Healthcare Environments program through Ball State University. Kwan hopes this program will help him build a holistic view of healthcare designs beyond his current perspective. He looks forward to sharing this journey with his collegiate and future interior design students.
Ina Mae Kaplan Historic Preservation Grant — $2,000
Beth Miller, PhD, is a professor and the head of the Department of Interior Design and the Master of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation at Mississippi State University. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Mississippi State University, a Master of Education from Mississippi University for Women and an Interior Design Bachelor of Fine Arts from Louisiana Tech University. She served as Interim Associate Dean of the College of Architecture, Art and Design and was a faculty member for CCSA (Cooperative Center for Study Abroad) teaching a History of Interiors and the Decorative Arts in London, England for four summers. Most recently, Dr. Miller was selected for the Attingham Trust/Royal Collection Studies 2022 (one of 30 selected worldwide). She has personally restored five historic structures dating from 1830 to 1930 and worked as a designer on more than 100 historic properties throughout Mississippi and Louisiana.
Valerie Moran Memorial Grant — $3,000 for IFDA members
Kayne Wilk of the New York Chapter, plans to learn wholesale antiquing at the Déballages in southern France. Her goal during this visit is three-fold:1) Establish connections with sellers through Toma and her team. As many know, the best way to source flea market items and antiques is through established connections. 2) Catalogue vendors and their specific offerings for future reference. 3) Get a full understanding of pricing, one-off and bulk purchasing, shipping and selling of these items, as well as shopping for clients during these visits.
