The Provost’s Office of Research and Strategic Partnerships (ORSP) is seeking proposals from Pratt community members to participate in Pratt’s 2026 Research Open House (ROH).
The Research Open House is a celebration of interdisciplinary research at Pratt Institute, and a flagship event for Pratt community exhibition. It is designed to create a space for exchange among Pratt exhibitors, industry partners, and higher education counterparts, providing an opportunity for multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration and partnership.
In an open gallery of posters, demonstrations, interactive exhibits, and more, the event features scholarship that broadens disciplinary fields and addresses pressing areas of inquiry, including work aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Presenters from across the Institute are invited to share their work with a robust and diverse audience; attendees include the Pratt community, visitors from other academic institutions, funders, elected officials, community groups, alumni, and industry and civic leaders. This year, the ORSP will again invite participants from industry, community-based organizations, and other academic institutions to join Pratt faculty and students in exhibiting their work.
ROH 2026 will take place at Pratt’s Research Yard, a 20,000-square-foot space located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The Research Yard is the home to the Provost’s Research Centers, IDC Research Accelerator Hub, and co-working and makers spaces.
We invite submissions of many types of exhibition materials, from posters and material installations to real-time audio and visual demonstrations. Proposers may submit materials that have already been produced and exhibited, as well as works in progress.
Research Open House will take place on Friday, April 17, 2025. Proposals are requested by 10:00 AM on Monday, March 16, 2026.
Dedicated exhibition space in the Research Yard
Automatic entry into an awards competition among contributors for outstanding research
Networking within the Pratt community
Promotional materials and media support to amplify participant work
Opportunities to meet funder, government, industry, and academic collaborators
Response to identified research themes
Development of scholarly research
Scholarly contribution in an area of study
Engagement with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and/or potential for research to make tangible social, environmental, and/or educational impact
A jury will recognize outstanding research contributions in several categories. Awards will be based on innovation, research quality, thematic alignment, impact potential, and presentation excellence. Winners will be announced at the Research Open House.
ROH 2026 will be organized around four broad thematic research areas. Participants are encouraged to consider the themes broadly, and to respond to one or more areas in their proposal. Projects will be grouped by thematic area in the Research Yard, and projects that engage multiple areas will be located at the intersections between spaces. In order to coordinate with Pratt’s participation in the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Hub Network, we have indicated where three of the thematic areas align with a UN SDG or priority. Curricular and educational projects, interests, and ideas are expanded to span each and every research area.
Art and Public Spaces: Art transforms how we move through the world. How can different types of public space affect how art is experienced? What roles can art and design have in built environments? Practitioners and researchers who develop everything from digital and physical objects and installations, to buildings and urban spaces, are encouraged to respond.
Technology and Ethics: Technology can shape many aspects of creative practice, from traditional techniques to emerging tools. What role does technology play in curriculum, art, or research? How are traditional forms of art (e.g., printing, painting, woodworking) and new technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, virtual reality, robotics) being combined, and what are the ethical implications of using them? Participants investigating or leveraging technology in their work, broadly defined, are encouraged to respond. This area is aligned with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
Materials and Fabrication: The materials and methods we use determine the possibilities for a more resilient future. What new materials and ways of building are being explored to mitigate climate change? What is the future of creating, building, and scaling? Participants who work in alternative materials, product research and development, and academic-industry-government partnerships are encouraged to respond. This area is aligned with SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
Planning and Policy: Planning, policy, and practice can address the most pressing challenges facing our communities. How can art, architecture, and design advance community development, resilient design, and housing equity? How do research and policy-making shape one another? Participants who work in planning, building design, and technology, and/or who employ participatory and community-engaged processes are encouraged to respond. This area is aligned with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
With respect to limited space and resources, we welcome creative approaches to sharing your work. Participants can exhibit their work in the following ways:
1 table (72″ x 24″) OR 1 pedestal (17″ x 19″) for displays and/or demonstrations
A 3D object or non-poster display
A virtual and/or interactive experience
Any combination of these models
At your discretion, we are able to print posters on your behalf. We are also able to provide you 1 table OR pedestal, and a limited amount of space. Please briefly describe your plans or possibilities for exhibition in your proposal.
Submissions due: Monday, March 16, 2026 10:00 AM
Selected proposals announced by: March 31, 2026
Exhibition setup: April 14–16, 2026
Research Open House: Friday, April 17, 2026, 1–5 pm
Proposals should include a project summary, illustrative images, and a description of space and technology needs.
Submissions will be reviewed, and ORSP will reach out to selected participants to facilitate printing and finalize details for their display space.
