Academic Research
© 2026 M.K. Barber Designs. All rights reserved. This unpublished research is shared for review purposes only. Do not distribute, cite, or reproduce without permission.
This page highlights selected research and academic writing across lighting design, performance technology, and architectural lighting. Each project includes a brief summary, with full manuscripts available upon request. As a whole, these works reflect an evolving practice that bridges technical craft, artistic inquiry, and scholarly investigation.
“A Bloody Electrician with Notions” – The Lasting Impact of Jean Rosenthal (2024)
Context: Graduate Research Paper — THEA 61000: Introduction to Graduate Study in Theatre
Instructor: Dr. Yuko Kurahashi
Abstract: This paper examines the artistic and historical significance of Jean Rosenthal, whose work transformed stage lighting from a technical necessity into a recognized design discipline. Drawing on Rosenthal’s own writings and contemporary accounts, the paper traces her development from her early collaborations with Martha Graham to her training under Stanley McCandless at Yale, and her groundbreaking contributions to both dance and Broadway.
Rosenthal’s innovations—including expressive sculptural lighting, symbolic illumination, and signature dance motifs such as “Martha’s Finger of God”—redefined the visual language of performance. The paper also explores Rosenthal’s role as a trailblazer for women in technical theatre, highlighting how her professionalism, technical mastery, and collaborative ethos opened doors for future generations of designers. Through this research, Rosenthal emerges as the foundational figure who legitimized lighting design as an artform and reshaped the expectations of the modern stage.
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Comparative Analysis of Moving Light Technologies – From Development to LED and Beyond (2024)
Context: Graduate Research Paper — THEA 65004: Lighting Design IV: Non‑Traditional Productions
Instructor: Professor Jakyung C. Seo
Abstract: This paper traces the technological and artistic evolution of moving light fixtures from their earliest mechanical origins to contemporary LED‑driven intelligent systems. Beginning with Edmond Sohlberg’s 1906 manually operated device and Herbert King’s 1928 patent for a fully automated projector, the paper follows key developments through the mid‑20th century, including George Izenour’s robotics‑based prototypes and Jules Fisher’s Mac‑Spot, which established the now‑standard 360° pan and 270° tilt conventions. The analysis then examines the explosive growth of automated lighting in the 1980s, catalyzed by Showco’s Vari‑Lite system and the adoption of the DMX512 protocol.
Through a comparative study of spot‑type and wash‑type moving fixtures, the paper highlights their differing artistic applications, technical mechanisms, and programming considerations. Finally, it explores the rapid rise of LED engines, pixel mapping, and wireless DMX, arguing that the future of moving‑light technology will demand increasingly sophisticated technical fluency from designers.
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Light Matters — Daylighting as a Driver of Academic Performance (2025)
Context: Graduate Research Paper — THEA 65005: Lighting Design V: Architecture and Interior Lighting
Instructor: Professor Jakyung C. Seo
Abstract: This paper investigates how daylighting functions as a critical determinant of student well‑being, engagement, and academic performance in contemporary educational environments. Beginning with a historical overview of schoolhouse lighting—from 19th‑century lamplight to post‑war fluorescent systems—the paper traces how evolving technologies shaped visual comfort and learning outcomes. It then examines the rise of human‑centric lighting and the biological impacts of full‑spectrum light on circadian regulation, alertness, and cognitive performance.
Through two case studies—the Jordan University of Science and Technology and the University of Pittsburgh’s Hillman Library—the paper analyzes how architectural daylighting strategies such as lightshelves, glazing, atria, and anidolic systems improve visual comfort, reduce energy consumption, and enhance student focus and retention. Ultimately, the research argues that natural light is not merely an aesthetic design choice but a measurable factor in academic success and a cornerstone of sustainable, human‑centered educational architecture.
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Queering Light — Examining Jean Rosenthal Through the Lens of Queer Artistry (2025)
Context: Graduate Research Project — THEA 51115: LGBTQ Theatre
Instructor: Dr. Caitlin Kane
Abstract: This in‑progress research explores Jean Rosenthal not only as the mother of modern lighting design but as a queer cultural figure whose artistry and personal history invite a re‑examination through the queer theatrical lens. The paper investigates how Rosenthal “queered” light itself—transforming an intangible medium into a tactile, expressive force that “touches” bodies and space—while also situating her within early twentieth‑century lesbian histories in New York City.
Drawing on queer theory, theatre historiography, and biographical sources, the project examines Rosenthal’s professional relationships with women such as Nananne Porcher and Marion Kinsella, her private personal life, and her navigation of male‑dominated technical spaces. By bridging Rosenthal the artist with Rosenthal the person, the research argues that her contributions to lighting design and her lived experience as a queer woman are inseparable, revealing a lineage of queer innovation embedded in the foundations of American theatrical design.
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Color Vision Deficiency in Theatrical Design — Challenges and Innovations (2025)
Context: Digital Research Poster — USITT 2025 Conference, Columbus, OH
Role: Primary Researcher & Presenter
Abstract: This research investigates the experiences, challenges, and creative strategies of color vision deficient (CVD) practitioners working across theatrical disciplines. Through an online survey distributed via social media, responses from two dozen self‑identified CVD designers, technicians, and performers were collected and analyzed. The study examines how CVD affects artistic communication, color interpretation, and workflow in production environments, highlighting issues such as low‑contrast labeling, misaligned color expectations, and social stigma within the industry.
Respondents also identified key areas for improvement, including increased awareness, clearer labeling systems, and more inclusive design processes. The project contextualizes these findings within the science of CVD, noting that red‑green deficiencies are most prevalent and that existing assistive technologies—such as filters, apps, and specialized eyewear—offer inconsistent results due to individual perceptual differences. The research proposes best practices for fostering equitable participation and integrating CVD‑inclusive strategies into theatrical design workflows.
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Abstractionism in Lighting Design — Impacts on Public Artwork (2017)
Context: Undergraduate Research — Summer Undergraduate Research Awards (SURA), University of Pittsburgh
Role: Primary Researcher & Presenter
Abstract: This research project investigates how abstractionism and theatrical lighting design principles can be adapted for public art installations, culminating in the conceptual development of a piece entitled Where Do You Call Home? Conducted through the University of Pittsburgh’s SURA, the study examines how abstract visual languages—shapes, color fields, and gestural marks—can be translated into lighting‑based public artworks that evoke emotion and spatial interpretation.
Drawing on influences such as James Turrell, Andrea Polli, and contemporary muralists in Chicago and Philadelphia, the project analyzes how urban environments function as microcosms for public engagement with light‑based art. The report outlines inspiration, field observations, and early implementation strategies, including projection design, site selection, and technical challenges related to outdoor installation. Ultimately, the research argues that abstractionist lighting design can reshape public space by transforming architectural surfaces into expressive canvases that explore identity, place, and belonging.
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An Analysis of the Lighting Design for Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (2026)
Context: MFA Thesis — Kent State University, School of Theatre and Dance
Degree: Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Design & Technology
Advisor: Jakyung C. Seo, M.F.A.
Abstract: This MFA thesis analyzes the artistic, technical, and collaborative processes behind the lighting design for Kent State University’s 2025 production of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella. The document examines the unique challenges of designing for a large‑scale musical, where heightened color, dynamic cueing, and fairytale spectacle must coexist with emotional clarity and grounded storytelling.
Central to the design was the artistic problem of balancing “pure, theatrical stage magic” with the director’s pop‑up‑book concept, which required lighting to shift fluidly between Ella’s reality and the fantastical world she enters. The thesis details research, visual inspiration, cueing methodology, and interdisciplinary collaboration with scenic, costume, and technical teams. It also reflects on leadership within an educational production environment, emphasizing mentorship, communication, and problem‑solving.