Arts Administration, Education and Policy PhD candidate Noor Murteza has been named the 2024 Manuel Barkan Dissertation Fellowship Award recipient for her dissertation Developing a Fractal Mindset: Leveraging the biophilic effects of nature in a community-engaged action research study. Noor received her BA in Interior Architecture from the University of Sharjah in the UAE and her MFA in Design Research and Development from Ohio State. Noor researches, teaches, and publishes on the intersections of education, design, fractal patterns, and psychological well-being. Her dissertation research utilizes a transdisciplinary lens and a codesign methodology to develop a fractal mindset for Design pedagogy. She has worked with arts organizations nationally and internationally, including Art Dubai (UAE) and the Dublin Arts Council (USA), to develop and implement educational programming. Noor will be recognized and present on her research at the 2024 Barkan and Marantz Award Ceremony on April 19, 2024.

The Manuel Barkan Dissertation Fellowship was established in 1995 in the name of the first chair of the department by his wife, Toby Barkan Willits. This competitive award supports the academic and living expenses of a doctoral candidate in Art Education who is completing his/her dissertation.