Artists in Universities

Our collaboration, facilitated by Boris, has been truly transformative. Boris said "yes!" to Gudrun’s ideas when most people were saying, "no." He was not afraid of this complex, multi-layered project and understood that relationships must be allowed to evolve over time. Boris supported Gudrun in thinking big and making connections that have led to exciting opportunities, including contract negotiations with a multinational rail company to revitalize train yard edges in Minneapolis. 

He then collaborated with Paige on the NSF grant proposal that created a new graduate program in circular economy within the Civil, Environmental and Geo Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota, with the multi-year artist-in-residence position for Gudrun embedded in it. Boris applied the novel concept of 'impact identity', brilliantly using it to connect personal, creative and professional perspectives. This has been instrumental in incorporating artistic viewpoints into how students see their engineering work and potential impact in sustainability.

Our collaboration across art, engineering, and environmental science, made possible through Boris's vision and facilitation, has opened up new avenues for interdisciplinary learning and problem-solving. It's allowing us to approach critical sustainability challenges in innovative ways by bridging the arts, teaching, technology and policy. We're excited to see how this integration of diverse perspectives will continue to shape our work and inspire our students.

Gudrun Lock, Artist
Prof. Paige Novak, Department Head and Chair in Environmental Engineering, University of Minnesota