Two UCI Art Department MFA alumni, Sarah Ross and Jonas Becker, are joining the faculty at School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) this fall.

School of Arts Institute of Chicago is proud to announce 13 new full-time faculty members representing diverse artistic techniques, media, and practices that will focus on SAIC's indisplinary studies. Among these 13, are MFA alumini Jonas Becker and Sarah Ross joining the faculty. 

 Jonas Becker is an Assistant Professor in the Photography department. Becker is an interdisciplinary artist whose  projects span photography, video installation, sculpture, and community engagement. Their work explores how beliefs form around specific sites and geographies. Becker is interested in these landscapes as an intersection of personal identity, cultural mythologies, and political power. Becker’s most recent projects focus on rural America, questioning what is natural and the relationship between humans, technology, and the environment. Becker has a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College and a Master of Fine Arts from University of California, Irvine.

Sarah Ross is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Art Education. Ross’ work is centered on the politics of race, gender, class, and control. Since 2006, Ross has worked with incarcerated artists. In 2011, she co-founded the Prison + Neighborhood Arts Project, which brings together artists, writers, and scholars in and outside of Illinois’ Stateville prison to create public projects. Prior to joining SAIC as a full-time faculty member, she was a part-time faculty member at the School. Ross holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from East Carolina University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Irvine.