Jacob Sussman

About Jacob

Jacob Sussman was born and raised in south Florida and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics. They are a nationally exhibited artist, an inaugural Somerson Sustainability Innovation Fund grantee, and a 2022 Hyundai X RISD Research Fellow.

They are a queer, Jewish sculptor whose work critiques expectations, stigma, and social archetypes (both religious and secular) to transform narratives, symbols, and meanings. They utilize traditional building methods, hybridized with novel technologies like 3D-scanning and 3D-printing, to create conflicting and entropic spaces.

They worked as the Hyundai Biomaterials Assistant at the Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab and were awarded the Graduate Student Employee of the Year and Innovation award for this role at Rhode Island School of Design. In this position, they taught and guided students, faculty, and Hyundai/KIA designers directly in sustainable thinking, developing bio-based materials, and utilizing digital fabrication technology.

They have a passion for ceramic material sciences and novel material development. They have pushed the boundaries of the material fields by focusing on sustainability through reducing energy consumption, renewable material sourcing, and practical biomaterial development.

As an educator, I believe in providing students with a welcoming, inclusive space where they can focus on learning, experiencing, and achieving their goals. By providing a diverse curriculum that centers around feedback, skill sets, and content, I work to develop critical thinking, build community, and prepare students beyond the classroom. While teaching, I rely on principles of understanding, patience, honesty, and communication to support my students in their growth and well-being. I work to meet students where their interests are so that they can have the confidence to reach higher and explore their ideas.