Furnishings World Information Desk on
8/15/2025
The Academic Basis (EF) of the Worldwide Furnishings and Design Affiliation (IFDA) has introduced the recipients of its 2025 skilled grants. This yr, the Basis awarded $30,800 to assist design-focused analysis, schooling, and improvement tasks throughout the furnishings and inside design industries.
“We’re honored to current the grants for a various array of tasks,” mentioned Karen Dzendolet, Chairman of the Board of the Academic Basis of IFDA. “The grant winners’ abilities and initiative in endeavor new challenges are spectacular and every exemplified the targets of the award they had been granted, whether or not common design, historic preservation, the development of inside design packages or skilled improvement by way of analysis initiatives and increasing horizons.”
Earline Feldman, FIFDA, Director of Scholarships and Grants, added, “Although the judges had been challenged in deciding on winners, each was very deserving of the award.”
Grants had been awarded as follows:
Irma Dobkin Common Design Grant ($2,000)
Dr. Hessam Ghamari, Affiliate Professor at California State College Northridge and Fulbright Analysis and Educator Scholar, will develop a digital actuality simulation device to reveal spatial challenges for people with various bodily, cognitive, and sensory talents. The undertaking is predicated on Dr. Ghamari’s analysis into common design and its influence on well being and consumer expertise.
Ina Mae Kaplan Historic Preservation Grant ($2,000)
Cyndi Parker, Inside Designer and Assistant Professor at Mississippi State College, will research ongoing restoration efforts at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Her area analysis will assist her instruction in historic preservation and convey sensible insights into supplies and restoration strategies to her college students.
Elizabeth Brown Grant to Inside Design Applications ($2,500)
Dr. Rosa Otero, Professor of Design and Director of Design and Visible and Performing Arts at Salem Faculty in Winston-Salem, N.C., will apply the grant towards increasing academic initiatives at Salem, the place she additionally curates the SIDE Chair Library. Dr. Otero’s expertise spans structure, educating, and program improvement throughout establishments in North Carolina and New Jersey.
Tony Torrice Skilled Improvement Grant ($1,500)
Hugo Nakashima-Brown, a furnishings maker and educator at Rhode Island College of Design, will analysis Ming dynasty joinery strategies to tell sustainable, glue-free furnishings development. His work consists of creating a educating archive of CNC-compatible joinery, geared toward supporting design schooling centered on sturdiness and cultural craftsmanship.
Valerie Moran Memorial Grant (as much as $3,000)
Heather Hill of Hill Material & Design, Phoenixville, Pa., and IFDA Philadelphia Chapter member, will attend the Customized Workroom Convention in Kingsport, Tenn. With greater than 25 years within the area, Hill makes a speciality of window therapies and brings collaborative, fabric-focused experience to her consumer work.
Along with these particular person grants, the Basis gives annual funding to assist IFDA chapter occasions and outreach, together with 5 $1,000 Chapter Grants. For the fourth consecutive yr, EF will even sponsor the Future Designers Summit on the Bienenstock Furnishings Library in Excessive Level, N.C., masking tuition for 5 college students to attend the occasion from September 24–26, 2025.
Concerning the IFDA Academic Basis
IFDA Academic Basis is a non-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) group. Its 9 scholarships assist each full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate college students in inside, inexperienced/sustainable, product, and textile design. As well as, the Basis affords grants to assist skilled improvement for IFDA members and different design professionals, assets for design colleges, and IFDA packages for chapters and members. For extra info, go to ifdaef.org.
