Bard Graduate Center is a research institute for advanced, interdisciplinary study of diverse material worlds. We support the innovative scholarship of our faculty and students as well as resident fellows, guest curators and artists, and visiting speakers.

Photo by Fresco Arts Team.

Our Public Humanities + Research department focuses on making scholarly work widely available and accessible through the coordination of the fellowship program and public programming that combines academic research with exhibition-related events. Across the institution—from the classroom to the gallery, from publications to this website—we utilize digital media to facilitate and share original research. This section outlines current programming and provides a repository for past scholarly content.

The Lab for Teen Thinkers (2017–2022) was a public humanities program that prepared rising juniors and seniors for future academic and professional success through civic development, mentoring, and internship opportunities. Participants had access to Bard Graduate Center’s research institute, study collection, and library with over 55,000 volumes. The program offered a behind-the-scenes look at how New York City museums function and gave teens the unique opportunity to study objects and artifacts with a variety of scholars, curators, and PhD students working in the fields of material culture, decorative arts, and design history. Participants conducted independent research and created dynamic digital projects with the support of our Digital Media Lab. Teen Thinkers contributed their research and scholarship with the larger academic community at Bard Graduate Center, influencing how others might learn and think about material culture.

Teen Projects

2020

Over the past thirty years, many scholars, students, and interested New Yorkers have worked to figuratively and literally unearth the history of Seneca Village and the experiences of its residents from archives and artifacts. This year’s Teen Thinkers built upon that research and created a digital exhibition to share their discoveries with you. Learn more.

2019

Teen Thinkers conducted independent research projects on the theme Design, Space, and the Everyday. Their research was informed by interviews in the field with Miko McGinty of Miko Books; Anita Perr of The NYU Ability Project; Mabel O. Wilson of The Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University; and Alida Jekabson of The Museum of Art and Design. Learn more.

What The Teens Say

“The skills that I have learned at BGC Lab for Teen Thinkers can definitely be applied to almost every single class I will take in the future because of the researching and presenting strategies that I have been taught. I know now how to do intense research, cite correctly, write scholarly papers, create dynamic presentations, etc. These are all skills that will come in handy one way or another in my future classes and just about whatever else the future brings me in general.”

“In a way it changed my entire perspective of museums. When I walk into a museum, I try to envision myself as a curator and try to dissect the layout of the exhibit. I also learned to enter a museum and become a critic, as I try to find the deeper meaning. As for material culture, I cannot help myself, I now question everything I come in contact with. The program has helped me see the power of objects.”

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FAQ

How do I apply to participate in the Lab for Teen Thinkers?
Currently the program is not accepting applications.