ESU Honors Distinguished Professor

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania presented its annual Distinguished Professor Award to Darlene Farris-LaBar, professor and chair of art + media + design, at an All-University Meeting on Tuesday, September 2.

Farris-LaBar has been at East Stroudsburg University since 2006. She has an A.A.S. in Digital Media Arts from TCI College of Technology, a B.F.A. in Sculpture from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and an M.F.A. in Sculpture from SUNY Purchase College.

Internationally recognized for 3D printed botanically inspired sculptures, Farris-LaBar’s work emphasizes nature’s fragility, biodiversity and endangered species encouraging ecological stewardship. She exhibited in over 100 exhibitions worldwide, including the Whitney Museum; New York Hall of Science; Athens Onassis Cultural Center; 3D Printshow (Paris, London, Pasadena, and Dubai); EcoVisionaries (Madrid); Assam Museum of Art (India); Tomorrows (France); Waterlines at UBC (Vancouver); and Botanification at the Philadelphia Flower Show. She exhibited extensively in Brazil and is a member of the Amazon: F.L.O.W. artist collective.

Some solo exhibitions include Worlds Within Worlds at Shanghai Normal University; A Planet that Dreams at Millersville University; and Field Guides to the 3rd Dimension at Columbus University. At ESU’s Madelon Powers Gallery, she presented At Last Which Thrives, A Symphony on Shallow Waters, and Internal Structures of Nature. The rigor, research, and conceptual depth of establishing an exhibition far exceed traditional academic scholarship.

Farris-LaBar delivered over 45 presentations, including the British Museum’s Royal Anthropological Society, International Conference on Art and Nature, TIPE International for Women in 3D Printing, SECAC, Sapienza University of Rome, and the International Environmental Communication Conference (England, Vancouver, Sweden, Colorado). Keynotes include the William Bartram Trail Conference at the University of Georgia. Some of her published work include The Surrounding Planet: Planetary Dreams and Data, and When the Planet Blooms. In 2026, she will also be published in the prestigious Antennae Magazine’s Realisms.

Her work was featured on WVIA Keystone Edition: Modern Renaissance Minds and #SuccessIn60. She secured 32 grants for over $530,000. Honors include the Faculty Innovator of the Year Bizzy Award, Monroe County Image Award, 3D Pioneer’s Special Mention, and recognized as one of the Top 30 Most Influential Women in 3D Printing.

She transformed the department by embedding cutting-edge technologies into the arts. She established a first in the region 3D Printing Program, co-founded New Mind Design, a student-run agency offering real-world experiences, and curated exhibitions that connected students with artists, fostering meaningful cultural exchange and professional growth. Her service and leadership on committees and initiatives is extensive, including the SITE Fellowship (2017–2019), where she advanced cross-disciplinary innovation. She demonstrated commitment to the community, most notably by leading 3D-printed PPE medical supply production during the pandemic.

Farris-LaBar expanded offerings, integrated technology, and forged partnerships that secure valuable opportunities and hands-on learning at ESU. She led the merging of art + media + design into a unified program that expands opportunities for students and equips them with the skills needed to thrive in today’s most creative industries.

For these accomplishments and her lasting impact, she is awarded Distinguished Professor.

For more information about the Distinguished Professor Award, contact the APSCUF office by calling (570) 422-3278.

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