My name is Cameron and I’m an undergraduate research assistant. I’m studying art with a concentration in industrial design along with digital media and design. This year I’m a senior, so I’m excited to start working on my BFA project and Honors thesis. As part of these projects, I hope to learn more about applications of augmented reality as well as sustainable practices in exhibit design. Recently, I’ve been researching various biomaterials, such as mycelium. Mycelium is a fungal network that has diverse applications, including packaging, insulation, furniture, and leather and foam substitutes. I’m interested in how far I can push the materials and their uses. I especially wonder how mycelium materials would hold up in a high traffic exhibition space. Will the fact that it’s biodegradable mean that it is unable to withstand visitor traffic? Are there durable ways to finish it without using plastic-based finishing products? What’s the best way to deactivate mycelium in large-scale projects that don’t fit in an oven — the usual appliance used to dry out mycelium forms?

Right now at Greenhouse Studios, I’ve been working on building and texturing models for the Courtroom 600 project. As I continue with this project, I hope to learn more about the entire virtual reality development process. I also look forward to finishing the Greenhouse Studios process model animation. I’ve been on the process model animation creative team since the beginning of the project. Together with my collaborator Cara Tracey, I worked on pre-production, asset development, animation, and editing. We were largely given the reins to drive the project, which grew my confidence in my abilities immensely. Working on the process model animation was one of the most fulfilling projects I’ve worked on at Greenhouse Studios and I’m excited to have a finished product to share.

At the moment, I aim to go into exhibit design when I graduate. Although my mind could change between now and graduation, I really enjoy creating environments that people can explore and interact with. I hope that I will be able to combine what I’ve learned in industrial design and digital media and design to create these spaces in an engaging, sustainable, and accessible way.
When I’m not doing work for Greenhouse Studios or my courses, one thing I do for fun is roller skate. I’m fairly new to roller skating, and thus fall a lot, but it’s a super fun way to get outside into the fresh air while also pushing myself to learn new tricks. Right now I’m working on crossovers, backwards skating, and pivot transitions. When I feel more like chilling inside, I usually crochet. I’m currently making a blanket in preparation for fall and winter. I recently calculated how many stitches I’ve made so far and the total was over 23,000. Once I finish the border, the stitch count will be over 30,000!