Department of Art & Art History's Assistant Professor Joshua Graham and MAT-FA graduate Meghan Allen presented their research at the 2026 National Art Education Association (NAEA) Conference in Chicago.
Meghan Allan, who is currently a full-time visual arts educator at Kerns High School was selected to present her research at the prestigious National Art Education Association (NAEA) Conference in Chicago in March 2026. Conference presentations go through a rigorous peer-review selection process and year’s event drew over 5,000 attendees. Meghan presented the research she conducted as part of her thesis in the MATFA program under the guidance of her committee chair, Assistant Professor Joshua Graham. The MATFA program brings faculty from across the CFA to teach and mentor graduate students in the arts. This collaborative and interdisciplinary program represents the vision of its founder, Associate Dean for Arts Education & Community Engagement, Kelby McIntyre-Martinez.
Joshua Graham shared his recent findings on the impact of place-based observational drawing on students' development of resilience and innovative problem solving across disciplines in higher education. This ongoing project is the result of a multi-year collaboration between Professor Graham of the Department of Art and Art History, Professor Phillip Bimstein of the Honors College, and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.