Class Notes

Art installation 'Can You Read My Lips?' for Burning Man 2026, shown here at dawn in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Five rows of the 15-by-7-foot LED sign repeat a question Deaf people are asked their whole lives, with an ask on the last line.

Name: Will Johansson

Class Year(s): 2009

Note: Will Johansson ’09 (GCCIS) has created an art installation titled "Can You Read My Lips?" at Burning Man 2026. He shares his experience: "As a Deaf person, I’ve spent my whole life reading lips — it’s exhausting, imprecise, and something hearing people rarely think about until they’re asked to do it themselves. The fact that Bad Lip Reading exists just cements the point. "Can You Read My Lips?" flips that experience. This piece invites burners to try reading the same words I’ve read a few times too many, and then, on the sixth line, asks whether they can read my hands instead. I’ve been attending Burning Man for many years... and it wasn’t until this year I had a complete idea for an art installation there. This art installation combines my Deafness with my passion for art and technical background. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first art installation at Burning Man by a Deaf artist."

Submitted on: September 18, 2026

Name: Howard Petote

Class Year(s): 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992

Note: Howard Petote ’92 (FAA) has published his second novel, The Angel of Pleiku: Searching for her father in Binghamton, NY, a disgraced school teacher is swept into the troubled life of a Vietnam vet.

Submitted on: September 18, 2026

Name: Lawrence Christensen

Class Year(s): 1973

Note: Lawrence Christensen MS ’73 (CCE) wrote his novel NEXUSES, a novel set in the post-World War II United States and South America featuring three recent immigrants to the US who struggle to find their way to survive in and be of service to their adopted country. They become entangled with counter-intelligence actions against former Nazi leaders who are using the German Enigma encryption communications to plan the rebirth of the Reich in the Americas. Their individual war-time experiences make them uniquely qualified for the assignment. This novel is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Submitted on: September 16, 2026

Deseree Arzu, Communications Specialist with the Resilient Bold Belize GEF-8 Project at the Belize Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit

Name: Deseree Arzu

Class Year(s): 2016

Note: Deseree Arzu MS ’16 (CLA) is excited to share that she has stepped into a new chapter in her professional journey. She is now serving as Communications Specialist with the Belize Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit, supporting the Resilient Bold Belize (RBB) GEF-8 Project, after a decade as Communications Coordinator at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Belize. Her ten years with WCS provided an incredible foundation for her career in conservation communications. She is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside passionate colleagues, conservation practitioners, communities, government partners and stakeholders, while learning how effective communication can help connect people with the importance of protecting Belize’s natural resources. Her work helped to bring me recognition by the European Union as the Gamechanger in Education and Human Rights in April 2026. In her new role, she will continue building on that experience, with a focus on communicating the work, results and lessons of the Resilient Bold Belize Project and the broader Blue Bonds program. The work brings together two areas she has become deeply passionate about throughout her career: conservation and communication. She is particularly looking forward to working with coastal communities and partners to tell stories that highlight the connection between healthy marine ecosystems, sustainable livelihoods and Belize’s long-term economic and environmental wellbeing.

Submitted on: September 15, 2026

Project Completed in 2025 - Heritage Reimagined

Name: Zarna Shah

Class Year(s): 11,13

Note: Zarna Shah MS ’14 (CCE) is honored to announce a major international achievement. Her project has been selected as one of the top six projects worldwide (out of over 300 entries) for the prestigious INTBAU Grassroots Grant Award 2025. This highly competitive award includes a £5,000 grant to support the project "Heritage Reimagined: Resilient Bamboo Dwelling," located in Majuli, Assam, India. This initiative aims to reimagine traditional bamboo housing to strengthen resilience against annual flood threats and climate change while honoring the cultural identity of the Mishing community. The innovative design uses locally available bamboo to create durable, low-cost, and thermally comfortable dwellings. This achievement underscores MAATI’s commitment to creating models for climate-adaptive living that safeguard cultural identity and generate future livelihoods. You can find the full feature on the INTBAU website: https://www.intbau.org/intbau-grassroots-grants-programme-2025-grantees/

Submitted on: September 15, 2026

Announcement of Andrew’s exhibition at the Buffalo Science Museum.

Name: Andrew Davidhazy

Class Year(s): 1966, 1969

Note: The Buffalo Museum of Science displayed 30 of Andrew Davidhazy ’66, MFA ’69 (FAA)’s scientific and technical photographs in their North Hamlin hall from January through August 2026.