John Stuart, AIA, Distinguished University Professor in Architecture, Associate Dean for Cultural and Community Engagement and Executive Director of Miami Beach Urban Studios is an architectural historian and a visual artist developing collaborative research projects on complexity, community, identity, technology, the environment and public space with funding from Van Alen Institute, The National Endowment for the Arts, The National Science Foundation, The National Endowment for the Humanities, and The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts.

Jacqueline (Jacqui) Thompson, Program Manager, oversees the Urban Studios as well as the CARTA Innovation Lab. She is a trained MakerBot technician, ensuring students, faculty, and guest have support on any special 3D printed projects. She also oversees the administrative operations of MBUS to ensure its success. Jacqui has an associates degree in Urban Planning from University of Technology in Jamaica and a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from FIU. Jacqui has worked in the CARTA family for 7 years.

Colette Mello, Senior Special Events Manager,  oversees all events and manages social media and marketing for exhibitions and programming at Miami Beach Urban Studios.  She provides administrative support for budgets, grants and personnel issues.   She holds an MFA in Curatorial Practice from FIU and has taken MBA courses at Nova Southeastern.  She is active in the art community and has curated several exhibitions in Miami and Broward.

Sergio Aquino, a General Maintenance Mechanic for the Miami Beach Urban Studios and for CARTA | Mana Wynwood, supports every aspect of the technology and facilities at FIU CARTA.  During the pandemic, he worked with the team that 3D printed parts for and assembled 10,000+ face shields for front-line and health care workers and small business owners.

Eric holds a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. He started his practice in Argentina as part of Estudio STAFF, a firmed founded by Jorge Jose Goldemberg and Teresa Bielus de Goldemberg, specializing in social housing with over 20,000,000 s.f. of built work, all resulting from winning competitions. For Professor Goldemberg’s CV, CLICK HERE.

Michael is a member of the Amernet String Quartet; FIU’s Ensemble-in-Residence. A dedicated teacher, Klotz is Senior Viola Instructor and Artist-in-Residence at Florida International University in Miami, where he teaches viola and chamber music. Klotz is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the Performer’s Certificate. In 2002 he became one of the few individuals to be awarded a double Master’s Degree in violin and viola from the Juilliard School. At Juilliard, he was the recipient of the Tokyo Foundation and Gluck Fellowships.

Nick, Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture at the College of Communication Architecture + The Arts at Florida International University and is the principal of his own design office based in New York. Gelpi’s practice has been producing a diversity of projects from experimental structures and pavilions, to commercial retail design, and high-concept furniture and prototypes. Gelpi’s research is concerned with materials and representation, often incorporating procedures of fabrication and the conventions of testing through Mockups. For Professor Gelpi’s CV CLICK HERE.