Greenhouse Studios

Sam (he/him) is an undergraduate student studying computer science with a specialization in software engineering. He is actively studying web & devops technologies in order to increase the quality of his applications. Outside of school he spends his time playing & listening to music, going to the gym, and learning languages.

Kate (she/her) is an undergraduate student majoring in Political Science and Human Rights with a minor in Global Studies. She is particularly interested in foreign policy, political unrest, and the use of technology to suppress human rights. Kate believes that Greenhouse Studio’s innovative publication methods are the future of humanities research. In her free time, she likes to read, listen to music, and add to her vintage clothing collection.

Brian began writing code when he was eight years old. Today, he is an educator and software developer with an interest in progressive web apps (PWAs), DevOps, and agile development.

Cora Lynn specializes in editorial and children’s illustration. She is a member of the Society of Illustrators, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and Phi Kappa Phi. She participates in shows at the Society of Illustrators Museum of American Illustration in New York City, has served as a long time member of their Educators Symposium Committee.

Daniela (she/ her) studies the different constituencies of Mexico as a petrostate during the long Cold War. She is excited about the use of new technologies for teaching history. Daniela is trained as a historian but loves writing historical fiction as well. If you can't find her at the UConn office she can be found kayaking at the Farmington River, walking her mini dachshund doggy, or getting ready for the snowboarding season.

Mary Dougherty became director of UMass Press in July of 2014. Before coming to UMass, she was the publisher for history at Bedford/St. Martin’s in Boston.  She earned a PhD in American literature from Rutgers. Mary is interested in acquiring titles on African American history and culture, interdisciplinary work on the long American nineteenth century, general interest and scholarly books about New England, and titles related to feminism, equity, and social justice.

Anna Mae Duane’s work explores the intersections of childhood studies, disability studies and slavery studies. She is particularly interested in how metaphors can shape the questions we ask about the past and what possibilities we can imagine about future freedom and justice. Her most recent book, Educated for Freedom: The Incredible Story of Two Fugitive Schoolboys who Grew Up to Change a Nation, chronicles the lives of two enslaved school children who went on to change the scientific and political consensus of their time.

Mohammad has a background in graphic design, video editing, and 3D design. Passionate about UI and UX, he thrives on exploring new cultures and understanding how people interact with digital media. An avid fan of cinema, music, history, and video games, he’s always eager to connect, learn, and share his creative interests.

Victoria Ford Smith (she/her) explores cultural constructions of childhood, the lived experiences of children, and young people’s participation in the arts in the 19th and 20th centuries. In other words, she writes about children (mostly those who were living around 1900), the things those children did (like invent secret languages and draw pictures that the modernists tried to steal), and the ways adults write about the things those children did. She is an amateur but enthusiastic cyclist and avid cross-stitcher with very neat handwriting.

Brooke (she/her) enjoys big-picture thinking and dreaming up creative solutions to big problems. Though she is trained as a creative generalist, Brooke believes that her greater calling is in the development of the people around her, and is wholly energized by the successes of her mentees and peers alike. When she isn't at UConn, she is riding horses, chasing her toddler around, and asking if she can pet your dog.

Annie is an undergraduate Digital Media Design student with a concentration in Motion Design & Animation. She loves creating in diverse media, from animation, graphic design, fine arts, interactive media, and much more. She is also an environmental digital storytelling mentor at the Natural Resources Conservation Academy, creating community-based environmental projects. Driven by her curiosity to explore the world, she wants to travel and experience different cultures. In her free time she likes to stay active through rock climbing, volleyball and soccer.

Brian Halley has long been interested in interdisciplinary work that stretches across multiple humanities fields, and possibly beyond. At the Press, Brian manages the series American Popular Music; Studies in Print Culture and the History of the Book; Environmental History of the Northeast; and Native Americans of the Northeast. In addition, Brian acquires in the fields of gender and sexuality studies, environmental studies, and studies in race and ethnicity. A longtime Boston resident, he is also interested in urban studies and books about the Boston region.

1. Humility & Conviction in Public Life 1

Wes is interested in how traditional pedagogy can be augmented by using digital technology at scale, and enthusiastic about the ways that conventional scholarship can be transformed through diverse collaboration and the application of the principles of design thinking. He specializes in British and Irish literature of the long eighteenth century.

Sara works to integrate academic research libraries into university teaching, researching, and learning. She works to build collaborations with stakeholder communities to support student and faculty success. Sara is an animal lover who enjoys exploring New England across all four of its glorious seasons.

Constance Holden (she/her) studies the history of race and representation in Latin America. Her dissertation explores conceptions of Blackness in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Argentina. Interested in using digital tools to connect humanities research to wider audiences, Constance values the use of innovative technologies to publish, produce, and circulate knowledge. In her spare time, she can be found watching television, reading novels, or listening to audiobook productions of celebrity memoirs.

Michael assists cultural organizations in preserving and making accessible their content to share with a broader audience. As a geographer, Michael also enjoys opportunities to explore and make accessible content from a spatial perspective. Michael has 20 years of experience engaged in the intersections of GIS, data, and digital archives.

Isabel (She/Her) is an undergraduate student majoring in Digital Media Design, and concentrating in Motion Design/Animation, with a double minor in Writing and Puppet Arts. She is eager about all kinds of jobs in the entertainment industry and loves the idea of moving people with her work. She also has a passion for environmental and animal sciences, and would love to incorporate themes of conservation and sustainability into what she creates. Additionally, she fills her free time with all kinds of artistic hobbies such as writing, drawing, painting, crocheting, and more. She’s also practiced martial arts for nearly her entire life, and rode horses for a few years.

Prior to working for the Digital Experience Group, Brian worked as a web developer for University Communications at UConn, where he created and managed WordPress websites such as the premier news website UConn Today. Brian was also the principle web developer for a live-streaming video startup where he created web and native mobile applications, and worked extensively with emerging cloud technology.

Esther specializes in 3D motion and interactive media design. Born in South Korea and raised in Thailand, Esther’s multicultural background fuels her passion for sharing diverse and immersive narratives. Hoping that her work will serve as a bridge between people and cultures, Esther integrates culture, art, and technology into captivating immersive experiences, while continuously expanding the boundaries of multimedia design and storytelling.

Tom Lee (he/him) is a Technology Strategist at UConn’s Greenhouse Studios. He draws from a range of experience in the arts, engineering and design to generate and apply creative approaches to the domain of scholarly communications. Tom enjoys working with web, interactive and digital art technologies to create informative and engaging experiences that deliver innovative forms of scholarship to new audiences.

Michael (he/him) is a philosopher with interests in truth, democracy and the ethics and epistemology of technology. His most recent book, Know-it-All Society: Truth and Arrogance in Political Culture, won the Orwell Award in 2019, and his other books include The internet of Us: Knowing More and Understanding Less in the Age of Big Data and the New York Times Sunday Book Review Editor’s Pick, True to Life. His work has been discussed in The New Yorker, Washington Post, New York Times and he's given talks at SXSW, the US Mint and TED.

Spuddy (he/him) concentrates on couches and television. His research interests include remote controls and potato chips. He prospers in the collaborative environment of Greenhouse Studios because he enjoys being cuddled by diverse groups of researchers.

Hannah studies how the brain understands spoken language, with a specific emphasis on how people are able to understand each other when listening is challenging. She is passionate about science communication and has worked with museums and community groups to bridge the gap between science and public curiosity. When she isn’t at UConn, she enjoys being outside as much as possible whether that be hiking, rock climbing, cycling, backpacking, or gardening.

As a budding software developer, Quincy has honed his coding skills as a member of the Digital Experience Group and an officer of the Husky Developers Club, where he has led workshops and collaborative projects. He has also worked on large-scale software systems designed to help monitor the nation's power grid as an intern at an electrical company. In his free time, Quincy enjoys skiing, hiking, and any excuse to explore the great outdoors. He hopes travel to Japan someday, both to visit places like Tokyo and to ski in Hokkaido.

Zoe is a Digital Media and Design student passionate about creating immersive user experiences and compelling work that makes a difference. She believes that thoughtful design has the power to make the world a little brighter, and is interested in graphic design, UI/UX, web design, and more. On campus, Zoe is the President of Leading Women of Tomorrow, a club focused on advancing women's leadership and empowerment. In her free time, she loves trying new restaurants and petting any cat she sees.

Ben (he/him) is a student majoring in History and Latin American Studies, particularly interested in foreign policy, state-formation, conflict, and human rights in the Western Hemisphere. Ben believes that through public and personal channels, history can be communicated in, and thus confronted with, in a more intimate manner. In his free time, he likes to study language, history, and travel across the world.

Abbie (she/her) is an undergraduate dual-degree student working in both Digital Media and Design and Communication. She loves all things social media, especially digging into the analytics and how to optimize social media use for businesses. Outside of school, she enjoys skiing and rock climbing, or just any activity that gets her outside.

Christian (He/Him) is a 3D artist with a love of history and learning about other people. He studied Game Art & Production at Drexel University in Philadelphia before coming to the University of Connecticut, where he hopes to learn everything he can about 3D art and design. He hopes to apply his skills to games and projects with a historic and cultural preservation focus. As someone of Irish and Ecuadorian descent, Christian takes a keen interest in the plight of marginalized groups, which he aims to both advocate for and raise awareness of.

Stephen (he/they) collaborates on game and instructional design projects. They study storytelling, play, and learning, and they are a Co-PI on Courtroom 600, a virtual reality experience centered on legacies and histories of the Holocaust. Stephen teaches courses like Game Systems, Interactive Storytelling, and Learning Theory. Separate from their other ventures, they co-own and operate an educational game development and consultation company, The Pericles Group, LLC, with colleague Kevin Ballestrini.

Isabell (she/her) is a PhD candidate in German Studies. In her research on narratives of Germanness, (national) identity and belonging she brings together different voices from across culture, arts and media. As a first-generation student, Isabell is passionate about diversity and social justice in higher education. She is the co-founder of the Decolonizing Area Studies initiative, and a strong advocate for the humanities. Isabell would like to explore new and innovative ways to communicate humanistic research and the value of the humanities to a broad audience.

Ken worked in the game industry for eight years before coming to UConn. His work in the video game industry has received a Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Award for best video game, Indie Game of the Year, and Innovation Awards from industry publications. He works with students on creating engaging gameplay experiences and pushing the boundaries of play.

Twofy (he/him) helps organizations foster clean and inviting collaborative workspaces through his specialty in, you guessed it, vacuuming. Twofy is always smiling, but he will stop at nothing to eat as much trash as possible, even if that means pushing Greenhouse Studios members out of the way.

Fiona Vernal is a native of Trelawny, Jamaica and grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. She earned her BA in history with a certificate in African American Studies from Princeton University in 1995 and her MA and PhD from Yale. After completing her doctoral work in December 2003, she served as director of African Studies at Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Since 2005 she has taught at the University of Connecticut’s Department of History where her courses focus on precolonial, and colonial Africa, the history of South Africa, slavery, and the African diaspora. Since 2015, her teaching pedagogy has shifted to incorporate inquiry-based learning and human rights practice, yielding the exhibits: “Children of the Soil: Generations of South Africans under Apartheid” (April 2016) and the upcoming “Child Labor and Human Rights in Africa” in 2018.

1. Hartford Bound
2. Indigeneity