Faculty

FIDM Instructor and Flat Pattern Maker Part of U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundations #LightaSpark Campaign

Fashion Design Instructor and pattern maker Angela Fuentes, who is the Co-Founder and CEO of FortyTwentyAM, was chosen as one of five women to be part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s #LightaSparkCampaign, which inspires girls to pursue their STEM interests by offering them new ways to see a future in the science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. In the U.S., women make up just 24 percent of the STEM workforce, far below most other sectors.

Designed to honor the women who inspire and shape future careers, the #LightaSpark campaign profiles five women, including Angela, who have found success applying their STEM education in what might be considered unconventional STEM careers. As a pattern maker in the fashion industry, Angela uses STEM in her daily work, whether she’s employing a grid system to design a red carpet gown or incorporating electromagnetic engineering to create a one-of-a-kind dress that changes colors with movement. 

Most people don’t equate fashion with STEM, but the FIDM Instructor knows otherwise. “There’s a lot of work in measurements, mathematics, and depending on the materials they use, it’s engineering, and depending on color and washes, it’s chemistry,” said Angela, who has developed cutting-edge, highly technical creations, such as working with nanotechnology-driven “smart fabrics” for the military and medical fields. “I really love mathematics; being a math nerd is not a bad thing.”

Angela will be in New York City on March 5, 2020 for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 10th annual International Women's Day Forum event. She’ll be speaking at a session entitled, “Succeeding in STEM,” along with Abbott Mechanical Engineer Rosie Carrion and Abbott Divisional Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition Vildan Kehr. The panel will explore how first hand experiences in STEM can create a career pathway for young women.

Angela Fuentes is an Outstanding Faculty Award Winner, an award given by the student body to outstanding faculty members.

For more information, visit lightaspark.org.

Categories:  Fashion Design Faculty