Two Pratt graduate students have been selected for the second year of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellowship program, which creates opportunities for climate change scholarship in design and architecture at Pratt.
Made possible by the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Foundation, chaired by Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, the annual Fellowship is awarded to two first-year incoming graduate students, one in the School of Architecture and one in the School of Design, based on the strength of their portfolios of work addressing the impacts and challenges of climate change.
Madelyn Townsend, MArch ’26, and Leslie Trotter, MFA Communications Design ’25, have been chosen as the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellows for 2023. The inaugural fellows of 2022 included Race Calderin, MFA Interior Design ’24, and Tarin Jones, MS Historic Preservation ’24, both of whom are continuing their studies at Pratt.
The first class of Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellows have been working on a range of projects centered on climate resilience and sustainability.
Jones has conducted environmental, cultural, and architectural research in Brooklyn, focusing on communities in Greenpoint and Red Hook threatened by climate change. His insightful analysis of strategies for preserving a historic park, while also mitigating the impacts of increased flooding, was well received by community stakeholders. He has also hosted and participated in public dialogues on campus that explore the intersection of architecture, ecology, and culture.
Calderin took on a leadership role for his model building team in the INT602 Core studio, which developed designs with recycled and upcycled materials. His drawings for the project are featured on The Noguchi Museum’s website landing page for the Noguchi + Pratt 2023 Virtual exhibition.
The application window for the third class of fellows is open and graduate student applicants for the Schools of Design and Architecture are invited to apply. Recipients for 2024 will be notified in advance of the next academic year. For more information on the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Fellowship program, please contact Natalie Capannelli, director of graduate admissions, at ncapanne@pratt.edu. Learn more about graduate programs in the School of Architecture and School of Design.