IESNYC Shining Stars at IES Annual Conference
There was no absence of our New York City section members at the IES Annual Conference held in Louisville, KY this past August!
IESNYC member, Megan Carroll from NY Digital was the IES Conference Chairwoman and played a huge role by arranging and coordinating VIP guests, EP events, tours, keynotes and speakers, 21 accredited seminars, and a tabletop exhibit at Churchill Downs, among many other tasks too long to mention! She appeared on stages and podiums to introduce speakers and keynotes, and on hand to moderate or wrap things up.
Cheers to Megan for her contributions to the huge success of the IES Conference!
“Getting to experience our volunteers and sections coming together to promote the values of our Society and the lighting industry at large, is one of the most rewarding feelings I have experienced as Executive Director of the IES. The IESNYC Section has been a strong advocate for engaging students and emerging professionals, and at the 2019 IES Annual Conference their support was immeasurable. As a Society we rely heavily on our local sections to help further our mission and grow the IES, and we would not be in the great position we are in today without the IESNYC Section. Thank you to our largest and one of our most reliable sections for your continued support, for all you have done for our industry, and for all of the amazing things that I know you will continue to do in the future.”
—Timothy Licitra, Executive Director, Illuminating Engineering Society
Our New York City Section hosted the Emerging Professionals (EP) & Student Lunch. IESNYC President Mike Barr, IESNYC VP Pete Jacobson, and Board of Managers Caleb McKenzie (past IESNYC president) and Joe Belfer volunteered their time to support the EP’s and organize this event on behalf of our section.
IESNYC member, Brett Andersen, principal designer at Focus Lighting, gave EPs a first hand tour of the Old Forester Distillery (famous for being the first bottled bourbon) which Focus designed the lighting. Brett also won two 2019 Illumination Awards of Merit for OCEAN WONDERS: SHARKS! (INTERIOR + EXTERIOR) and CANADA’S NATIONAL HOLOCAUST MONUMENT.
Rinkinson Gohel, MIES, LEED Green Associate, who is a project designer at Bliss Fassman and an active member of the IESNYC, was one of two EPs selected to co-lead the EP Town Hall. The goal of the Town Hall was to give insights into what EPs can do at their local sections to get the most out of what is offered them. In the presence of close to 100 attendees, Rinkinson shared his story about how he first became interested in lighting, his involvement with the IES while attending school, his projects at Bliss Fassman, his observations about working in the industry, and his experience as a volunteer on the IESNYC Lumen Awards and Program Committee. He shared his experience about how to make the most of being and IES EP and becoming one of tomorrow’s industry leaders.
Other members who held presentations were Jason Livingston, principal of Studio T+L; Xingying Peng from The Lighting Practice; Thesis Prize recipients: Aldo Jacques Espina, Jessica Collier, and Ukwatte L. Indika U. Perera
Shown left is Ukwatte L. Indika U. Perera, a 2016 IESNYC Thesis Award Winner presenting his thesis "3D Printing: Can It Work for Lighting?"
IESNYC Member Craig Bernecker presented seminars and paper sessions at the conference. As a previous IES president, he also attended the Past Presidents luncheon. Mr. Bernecker — a respected and admired leader of lighting education — is director of the MFA Lighting Design Program and Associate Professor of Lighting Design at Parsons School of Design.
Left: Craig Bernecker with EP first time attendees including Seoyeon Park from OneLux Studio and 2019 Thesis winner, Aldo Jacques Espina from Parsons School of Design at The New School
As committee members of the IES Progress Report, Peter Jacobson, IESNYC Vice President and IESNYC Member, Kenneth Schutz, principal designer at Focus Lighting, presented the accepted products for their 2019 report. The mission of the Progress Committee is to keep in touch with developments in the art and science of lighting throughout the world and prepare a yearly report of achievements for the Society. Acceptance is based on an impartial judging process used by the committee to evaluate each submission on its uniqueness, innovation and significance to the lighting industry.
There were also many New York City IES Illumination Award Winners.
To view the list of New York City’s award-winning lighting designers, visit iesnyc.org/blog/IES_Awards
To view all the IES Illumination Award Winners winners visit ies.org
An Illumination Award of Distinction was awarded for extraordinary achievement in lighting design was presented to the Suzan Tillotson, Ellen Sears, and Katherine Lindsay from Tillotson Design Associates for GATEWAY ARCH MUSEUM, St. Louis.
Left: An Illumination Award of Excellence for an exceptional contribution to the art and science of light was presented to Susannah Gilbard and her team from Lightcraft for HEARST DIGITAL MEDIA, New York City
Left: Designers Chiming Lin, Xin Tian, Chao Chen from Brandston Partnership, Inc. also received an Illumination Award of Distinction for SUNAC SALES CENTER in Shanghai, China
