“I had a little speaker playing [The Verve’s] “Bitter Sweet Symphony”–and I would say ‘hey, do you recognize this song? The band didn’t see a cent for 20 years because of five notes that they used from a version of a Rolling Stones song.’”

Although the intricacies of copyright law in the music industry may sound like an esoteric avenue of research for an undergraduate, Lubin Arts and Entertainment Management student Sadie Lorence ’23 had long been up for the challenge. In fact, it was an intersection of interests she’s had since as long as she can remember.

“My father’s a musician,” says Sadie. “Growing up, he was always pointing out the similarities between popular songs on the radio. That would always blow my mind as a kid, and I wanted to delve into that.”

I had a little speaker playing [The Verve’s] “Bitter Sweet Symphony”–and I would say ‘hey, do you recognize this song? The band didn’t see a cent for 20 years because of five notes that they used from a version of a Rolling Stones song.’

Her father’s musical influence was combined with an uncanny interest in the legal profession from an early age. Not many people can say they were voted “Most Likely to Become a Lawyer” by their third grade class, but it’s an honor Sadie remains proud of.

Thus, during her senior year, Sadie carried on the Pace tradition of undergraduates conducting unique and impactful research. Her project, It's a bitter sweet symphony: Licensing complexities and copyright law in the music industry explored why The Verve’s 90’s brit-pop hit “Bitter Sweet Symphony” was indeed bittersweet–how it was mired in copyright complication, which Sadie analyzed to explore the tension between ownership and accessibility under US copyright law, and ways in which interpretations of the US Copyright Act have significantly impacted the music industry.

Although this 1997 hit was the band’s biggest song by far and has racked up millions of dollars worth of royalties, Verve songwriter Richard Ashcroft was not granted songwriting credits, nor did the band receive any royalties on the song, until 2019. This was because Verve based the instrumentals of “Bitter Sweet Symphony” on a sample of a 1965 Rolling Stones song, “The Last Time,” by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra, which the Rolling Stones had obtained the right to use from copyright holder Decca Records. However, a lawsuit and contention from Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein meant that The Verve had to relinquish all royalties for the song, and the songwriting credits were subsequently given to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It wasn’t until Klein’s death in 2019 that the rights and future royalties were ceded to The Verve’s Ashcroft.

Yet, as Sadie explains, the onion can be peeled back even further. The Rolling Stones song “The Last Time,” features the chorus of a song “This May Be The Last Time,” from the gospel group The Staples Singers–creating an argument that the Rolling Stones song itself can be disputed in regards to its licensing. Additionally, the five notes that were so heavily contested in “Bitter Sweet Symphony” were credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards–but not the composer in the Andrew Oldham Orchestra, who is the one who arguably deserves the credit.

Listen While You Read:
Hit play to listen to our Spotify playlist of songs examined by Sadie through her research.

Suffice to say, the song’s history is…complicated.

“Researching this project was tough,” notes Sadie, after explaining the many intricacies of this specific case, and the aftershocks it created. “Because music is so abstract and subjective, everyone has their own opinions or thoughts. You can play two songs next to each other, one person thinks they’re entirely different, one doesn’t. Is there a perfect solution? I’m not sure, but there has to be a better one.”

To hone in on the legal complexities of this case, Sadie valued the expertise of her mentor, Lubin Professor of Business Law and Ivan Fox Scholar Jessica Magaldi, JD. Sadie had taken some of Magaldi’s classes early on in her undergraduate career–as Sadie jokes, her class was the only class she enjoyed attending on Zoom during the height of the pandemic–and knew that having her as a resource would greatly enhance the quality of her work.

“She is someone I’ve looked up to for a long time,” said Sadie “I was even nervous getting the courage to ask her to be my advisor. It was a really wonderful time working with her, actually presenting, seeing my work on a big poster board.”

Magaldi, having worked with many students over the course of her career, was particularly impressed with Sadie’s drive and enthusiasm to tackle such a complex topic.

"Sadie’s research fits into a long history of the law’s attempts to acknowledge and encourage the creativity of artists and to balance the rights of an original artist to be rewarded and acknowledged for their artistic creation with the rights of a artist who comes after who is inspired by that original work to make an original work of their own," noted Magaldi. "The law is always trying to navigate where the line is between inspiration and infringement.

As technology advances and the lines between original works continue to blur, licensing issues in sampling will likely even become more pronounced, something Sadie hopes to further explore and follow in the future.

“So many great musical works have come out of sampling. What I learned is there should be protection both ways–both for the artist, who is licensing their work out there, and also for the recipient of the license, giving the green light, the ok, I feel like there should be more of an industry standard process. There are more provisions to go.”

As for Sadie’s future plans? Let’s just say Sadie’s third grade classmates and her father would hardly be surprised. The project has confirmed her desire to make an impact in entertainment law, where she has definitely found her groove.

Imagine a traffic intersection two decades from now. What might it look like? How might pedestrians, automobiles, bikes, and new technologies interact with each other? How can the intersection of the future be maximized to protect the safety of human beings?

This was the task that Seidenberg graduate students Susanna Lammervo ’23, Aastha Bhadani ’23, and undergraduate student Sachin Archer ’25 enthusiastically tackled via an ambitious initiative from the Design Factory Global Network. The New York City Design Factory housed at Pace University is part of a network of 37 innovation hubs across 25 countries, dedicated to creating change in the world of learning and research through global and multidisciplinary collaboration. Through Pace’s NYC Design Factory, Pace students are privy to cutting-edge initiatives and projects that enable students to collaborate within this robust global network–and sometimes even travel the world.

For this particular project, Pace’s team participated in the Design Factory’s Challenge Based Innovation A³ project: an initiative focused on developing innovative outcomes from CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research and ATTRACT technology, a project funded by the European Union to explore problem areas framed by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goal three, focusing on good health and well-being. Pace’s team, dubbed “Team Fusion'' embarked on a seven-month research and development journey, which included a team trip to CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, during which they learned how to tackle complex problems in a way that leads to innovative solutions. Their work was also presented by Susanna as part of the ATTRACT Academy Student Showcase in Bologna, Italy in June.

“You’re not just building with technology, you’re building with systems thinking, behavior change and future forecasting, trying to imagine how the world will look in 2040 or 2050. In the context of the curriculum,I find this exercise to be unique to this particular learning experience,” noted Seidenberg Clinical Professor and NYC Design Factory Director Andreea Cotoranu, who alongside Dyson Film and Screen Studies Chair Luke Cantarella served as the faculty mentors for this interdisciplinary endeavor.

You’re not just building with technology, you’re building with systems thinking, behavior change and future forecasting, trying to imagine how the world will look in 2040 or 2050.

Pedestrian safety is among one of the most pressing problems facing New York City today. In 2021, 273 people died in road traffic accidents in New York City, 50% of which were pedestrians. If you find yourself at any intersection in the city, you’ll likely see a cacophonous symphony of cars, bikes, e-bikes, buses, and pedestrians, some of whom might have their situational awareness compromised by the pull of a smartphone.

“NYC can have an individuality complex–everyone is out there for themselves,” said Sachin. “I took some time to look at myself and how I interact at an intersection.”

Resolving to improve pedestrian safety, Team Fusion got to work. Their goal? To employ a design-centered approach for improving pedestrian safety at New York City intersections, while reducing human error and enhancing decision-making for pedestrians. A vehicle-to-network (V2N), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) system called Auriel, a state-of-the-art solution that relies on object-based data and a number of advanced technologies to keep New York City’s intersections safe.

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Auriel, as shown above, would be installed at intersection corners across the city. From its screen, four visual animations (combined with three audio alerts) would be displayed to express different traffic scenarios and hazards–informing the pedestrian as to whether or not it would be safe to cross the street. This concept, as the team explains, gives more autonomy to pedestrians, while creating a simple system dedicated to keeping everyone safe.

“A lot of our design solution was based on our observations as to how pedestrians function in New York City—which is quite different from most other cities,” said Aastha. “When we were designing Auriel, we wanted to shift that traffic signal mindset to something that makes the pedestrian have the decision-making power in their hands.”

Equipped with a LiDAR-based sensor system, LED screen system, solar power system, and a communication system, Auriel would measure the speed, distance, and velocity of approaching vehicles, and identify the level of activity from the density of objects in the area. It also would employ a high speed information system with integrated AI to provide up-to-date traffic analysis and management.

All of this to say that the design solutions were often complex, and required a lot of deep thinking, and problem-solving from the team.

“I am familiar with the design thinking and how the design process goes, but for me, the most unexpected thing was how much workload there was–in a good way. We dug into the smallest little details and then had to scale out and think about how it would work on a macro-level,” said Susanna. “Scaling from the smallest details to a global aspect was very inspiring. It's good practice to do that.”

For the problem-space exploration phase of the project, the team traveled to IdeaSquare CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. While at ideaSquare the team met and collaborated with other students from across the world , and proudly represented the NYC Design Factory and Pace on the global stage.

The two-week immersive experience at IdeaSquare CERN was amazing,” said Susanna. “I don’t think I've ever learned that much about anything in two weeks.”

Upon returning from Switzerland, the team continued to collaborate to create the final concept, and a white paper (a research-based report) that lays out Auriel, its technical details, and an implementation plan in exhaustive detail. Honing in on everything from how Auriel would positively impact climate-friendly initiatives, to future-forecasting how scenarios like carbon-taxation might impact street design, the paper was lauded extensively by the team’s two faculty advisors, who admired the team’s ability to rise to this ever-complex challenge.

I don’t think I've ever learned that much about anything in two weeks.

“I’m very proud of all the work that the team has done,” said Cantarella. “When you’re working on a project like this, we don’t know the answers to the test. We have some skills, some insight, but we’re really together as a team to pull this all together. To me, that's such a refreshing and rewarding way to teach and learn.”

“We also need to recognize the students for their ability to step out of their comfort zone, '' added Cotoranu. “They found themselves in high-pressure situations, rapidly learning new things within tight timeframes. Their journey was filled with significant discomfort. I believe it is this discomfort that lies at the core of their remarkable growth.”

For Aastha, Susanna, and Sachin, the experience not only furthered their professional and technical skills, but was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which they’ll look back fondly upon for many years to come–at which point, they might also be looking to cross the street by way of an Auriel-esque infrastructure.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” said Sachin. “It really changed my perspective and opened my eyes to the fact that there’s more to the world than just North America. And the fact that I can represent Black men in the tech world, that was touching for me.”

“I’ve been involved with a few Design Factory projects, but this is the best one,” said Aastha. “It was the highlight of my Pace journey.”

About CBI A³

CBI A³ is a Design Factory Melbourne (DFM) initiative, developed for the Design Factory Global Network (DFGN), in conjunction with IdeaSquare, CERN. It builds on earlier Challenge Based Innovation (CBI) that focus on design innovation to propose solutions that connect CERN’s deep technology with societal needs. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide the framework for the CBI A³program and guide user-cantered research and design to focus on areas of high sustainable impact. This year CBI A³ brings together teams from Swinburne Design Factory Melbourne (AUS), New York City Design Factory (USA), Inno.space - Design Factory Mannheim (DEU), Warsaw Design Factory (POL) and Pratt Institute (USA).

CBI A³ 2022-23 & 2023-24 editions include projects funded by ATTRACT Academy. ATTRACT has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101004462

Teaser and Hero Photo Credit: Aaron Down, CBIA3

People want to be in attractive spaces. They want to be in compelling spaces. They want to be in spaces that honor their place in a community. They want to be in spaces that represent a significant investment in the work they’re doing inside those walls.

“Universities, like any enterprise, at the end of the day are either growing and evolving or shrinking. And Pace is growing and evolving; it's a big commitment,” surmises Jonathan Hill, DPS, Dean of the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. “Pace is going to be at the top of the game for an urban university in terms of how we use space. We have designed an amazing launchpad for our students and faculty and staff to use New York City as the amazing campus environment that it is.”

With the impending opening of our new modern, sustainable, and welcoming campus building at 15 Beekman and the soon-to-start renovations of One Pace Plaza East, Pace has big plans for downtown.

Simply put: Pace is building.

15 Beekman: At the corner of opportunity and visibility

New library? Check.

New dining hall? Check.

New classrooms and student spaces? Check and check.

Our favorite feature: the cafe in the lobby.

This fall, Pace will open its newest building, 15 Beekman, a 26-story mixed use vertical learning hub on the corner of Beekman and Nassau streets. This new addition to Pace’s NYC Campus will be home to classrooms, student life spaces, the main dining hall, first-year student housing, administrative and faculty offices, the Birnbaum Library, and the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

“15 Beekman will provide a ‘fresh face’ for Pace University—a state-of-the-art facility that combines living and learning. The building establishes a strong public presence and affords access to views and natural light throughout, so it will be an experience for all who use it,” explains Ibi Yolas ’97, vice president for University Campus Planning and Facilities. “I am always amazed how quickly these spaces get inhabited and put into full use. I think the lobby area with several different seating arrangements, a café, the interconnecting staircase, and the sense of the street-level bustle will create a dynamic space that will be exciting not only to the Pace Community but to passersby.”

While creating new space for members of the Pace Community was a necessity, the new building is more than just amazing architecture and swaths of natural light and cityscapes—it puts the academic experience at the fore. As a shining example of Pace’s Strategic Plan made tangible, this isn’t fluff remodeling, but rather a concerted effort to drive home Pace’s dedication to experiential learning.

“One of our big priorities in the Strategic Plan is to really emphasize experiential education and to be at the forefront of what people can do outside of the classroom while they're earning their education at Pace,” says Vice President for Strategy and Partnerships Jean Gallagher. “Learning, all types of learning, doesn’t just happen in the classroom and the new spaces are really bringing that to life with new laboratories and learning spaces, especially for Seidenberg.”

One of our big priorities in the Strategic Plan is to really emphasize experiential education and to be at the forefront of what people can do outside of the classroom while they're earning their education at Pace.

There’s immersive learning, and then there’s immersive learning the Seidenberg way. Students and faculty of Seidenberg thrive on collaborative exploration of the world around them, through advancements in cybersecurity, design and tech, and much more. Seidenberg’s new contiguous, three-floor home at 15 Beekman is going to support and advance the work done by their community.

“Physical space has such an impact on the way people learn. If you shut them up in a dark room, it's going to impact their ability to be open to what's being taught and be open to interacting with their faculty and their fellow students,” asserts Seidenberg Dean Jonathan Hill, DPS. “We're students of design thinking and being thoughtful and intentional in how you lay out a space to be together. People talk about space design, they talk about Feng Shui, but ultimately it all comes together in creating a space that is not just pleasant to be in, but also turns on all the switches—all the receptors—so that you're really ready to listen and learn and interact.”

“This is really an academic investment, making our programs to be as cutting edge and up-to-date as possible,” says Gallagher. “And more than that, it's an investment in our faculty and staff to give them the kind of places so they can do their best work. This constantly rethinking and updating and refreshing our spaces is just really critical for Pace to maintain a competitive advantage in what is an extraordinarily competitive market.”

People talk about space design, they talk about Feng Shui, but ultimately it all comes together in creating a space that is not just pleasant to be in, but also turns on all the switches—all the receptors—so that you're really ready to listen and learn and interact.

That sentiment is echoed by Student Government Association Executive President Aman Islam ’24. “Seidenberg is one of the hottest schools here at Pace and I am so glad they are getting to move into, what looks to be, a gorgeous and innovative space on our campus,” he says. “I am also extremely impressed with the design of the building, allowing for academics to be at the forefront of its use as the bottom half of the building while still ensuring epic views for all of our residential students.”

Topping out 15 Beekman will be a 12-story residential tower primarily dedicated to first-year student housing, complete with a total of 484 beds, a common fitness center, meeting and dining commons, and an independent residential entrance. This new residential space will temporarily take the place of Maria’s Tower, the soaring (but sorely outdated) space at One Pace Plaza East.

“The residence hall at 15 Beekman will primarily feature suite-style living, wherein most suites have between 7 and 10 students in mostly double and triple rooms, surrounding a shared common space,” explains University Director of Housing Operations and Assistant Dean for Students Patrick Roger Gordon. “This will give our NYC students the opportunity to develop small cohorts of friends within their suite, while also being part of a floor, a building, a community.”

One Pace Plaza East: A Major Pacelift

Also on the horizon is a new downtown destination, not just for the Pace Community, but for FiDi as a whole. In late 2022, the University announced plans to transform One Pace Plaza East to include new academic spaces, a modern upgrade to Maria’s Tower, and a new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center that will serve its performing and creative arts programs and act as a central gathering space for our community and our neighborhood. This spring, the University announced even bigger news—the creation of the Sands College of Performing Arts, named in recognition of a $25 million gift from Pamela and Rob Sands, JD ’84.

“We are becoming the premiere school for performing arts in New York City. Our programs and faculty have always attracted top students and collaborators, but the state-of-the-art facility will make us a leader in advancing the field of performing arts,” says Jennifer Holmes, PhD, executive director of the new Sands College. “The new facilities will create more opportunities for innovation, experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration, plus the naming of the Sands College will give us stronger brand recognition nationally and internationally.”

We are becoming the premiere school for performing arts in New York City. Our programs and faculty have always attracted top students and collaborators, but the state-of-the-art facility will make us a leader in advancing the field of performing arts.

Reconstruction of the lower floors of One Pace Plaza East, will create an inviting and modern building with classroom and creative arts spaces, collaboration spaces, and a Performing Arts Center that will include a proscenium theater to replace the Schimmel Center plus other theater and support spaces. This provides the up-to-date instructional, creative, and performance spaces that a robust Pace experience requires, and it keeps our large gathering space—used by the entire University and the broader community—at the center of our campus.

“Pace, as an institution, is very outcome-focused; we want students to be learning in environments that are like their work environments are going to be. You can't really put someone in a 50-year-old classroom with a chalkboard at the front and expect them to go on to excel in some really high-tech professional environments,” explains Gallagher. “We want to give our students the space and tools they’ll need to envision themselves where they want to be after graduation.”

“These changes and physical improvements expand possibilities for creativity and innovation for our faculty, guest artists, and students,” Holmes says, noting that the renovation of One Pace Plaza East will create new opportunities for immersive theater, student-led productions, and creative experimentation. “We want spaces that inspire artists to create, the possibilities are endless and the flexibility in these spaces is an important aspect of our planning.”

Building on the previous reimagining of the West side of One Pace Plaza, work that was completed in 2018, is this new vision to create a more connected campus community. With the addition of 15 Beekman to Pace’s footprint downtown and the overhaul of One Pace Plaza East, Pace will in a sense be bringing our community closer together.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing much more of a campus feel, even though we're in the center of the city, than we have previously,” Gallagher says. “And that's been a long-held strategic ambition of ours on the Lower Manhattan campus. And to see it really finally coming to fruition is super exciting.”

One of the key components to re-envisioning a university space is not just the way a building is constructed, but accounting for the ways in which it will be used, really used, by the people who inhabit it. “Our team is very focused on creating better connectivity between the East and West sides of One Pace Plaza to improve circulation, wayfinding, and accessibility,” adds Yolas. “We’re keeping in mind how visitors and the outside public may use our facilities and how we may separate some of the functions to create more of a ‘public-private’ divide.”

Meeting the Neighbors

These renovations, expansions, revitalizations…they’re wonderful for the Pace Community, but even more importantly, we want the changing shape of campus to be wonderful for our neighbors downtown.

“A university should be a community resource. We want to be seen as that by employers, other businesses in the community, and also by people who live here,” asserts Gallagher. “We want our downtown neighbors to know that Pace does events, we do have an art gallery, we do offer performances.”

These changes on campus position us to be kind of a partner-of-choice in the neighborhood, she says, noting that there is the continued expectation that people will come to Pace because they know not only do we have great spaces where we can host great events, but we're able to accommodate them. In essence, not only will the physical changes to campus strengthen this revenue source for Pace, but also serve as a place for community engagement and pride.

For me, the most exciting part of Pace’s transformation is seeing how Pace is growing on a national scale. Pace is becoming a household name and we honestly deserve the recognition!

“For me, the most exciting part of Pace’s transformation is seeing how Pace is growing on a national scale. Pace is becoming a household name and we honestly deserve the recognition!” says Islam. “Pace is such a bold and dynamic community, and as we grow, more and more people will be able to see, and experience it.”

Yolas agrees with the sentiment, saying, “I believe the investment we are making in our campus is a clear indication of our commitment to improve not only the Pace Community experience, but also the experience of the wider community, our neighbors, and Downtown New York City. I firmly believe we can be the leading destination for the arts in downtown.”

See the Progress

While 15 Beekman will be opening this fall, One Pace Plaza East is still in the works. Stay connected with progress, updates, renderings and so much more.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are constantly in the headlines, from advancements in access to ethical concerns about the impact on human labor and specific groups. For computer science experts like Christelle Scharff, PhD, the focus lies less on what AI can and will do and more on its current limitations, especially when it comes to incomplete datasets that illustrate bias in these AI systems.

Scharff has been at Pace for 22 years as a professor of computer science, and she’s currently associate dean of the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. When she began exploring AI as a PhD student, she described her work as mostly “theoretical”, working on theorem proving problems. She was fascinated with studying how a computer can understand mathematical and logical concepts like deduction rules, equality, commutativity, and associativity. As AI technology developed, so did her interest in machine and deep learning and also in mitigating potential biases in AI. Scharff’s research has been focusing on Africa since 2009 when she received a grant to work on entrepreneurship and mobile app development in Senegal. Since that time, more opportunities to study AI in Africa arose and now Scharff and her students are continuing to explore how to ensure AI keeps up with growing global inclusivity.

As AI technology developed, so did her interest in machine and deep learning and also in mitigating potential biases in AI.

Two of her most recent projects with PhD students, Kaleemunsia and Krishna Bathula, center on African fashion. The first sought to expand the scope of a popular fashion dataset called Fashion MNIST. Datasets are the pillars of the AI movement, and safeguards are required to create and use datasets.

While Fashion MNIST is able to identify certain garments, fashion items that fall outside its very limited descriptions (which mostly fall under Western terminology and trends) are easily misclassified. “If you ask this dataset to recognize a sari, it’ll probably tell you it’s a dress,” Scharff says as an example. She explains that like with the sari, this dataset doesn’t know how to identify specific African fashion items. “Because I worked in Africa as a Fulbright Scholar, I focused this project on African fashion and involved graduate students from Senegal.” The plan was to create a dataset to address African fashion and recognize two popular Senegalese garments: boubou and taille mame. To put the importance of incorporating a wider, more global language into these AI models, Scharff explains, “If you were to go to the tailor and say, ‘I want a dress’ the tailor wouldn’t know where to start.”

"The other step in any project related to AI is that you need to ask the subject matter experts."

—Scharff

The other African fashion project Scharff and her team worked on is likely more tangible to those outside of the AI community. They worked to recreate a popular pattern in Africa called wax—a colorful, geometrical pattern that is often shined with wax.

The team collected a dataset of around 5000 free wax patterns and created new, satisfying patterns that are AI-generated. From there, the team printed select patterns and partnered with local artisans in Senegal to create fashion items including bags. The dataset was built to generate a variety of patterns. To get a proper sample, one needs upwards of 10,000 different images, Scharff estimates. If a dataset had mostly blue patterns, the generative patterns would stick mostly to blue, or if there weren’t enough floral images, they would need to add those images to the dataset to get them. The very nature of exclusion changed what the AI could produce, demonstrating the need to expand these datasets to reflect the world as it is, not just what has been inputted thus far.

Her students are hard at work, building out that dataset and corresponding models to generate interesting wax patterns.

"My biggest concern is diversity biases. But I think right now the discussion is much more open, at least everybody is aware of the issue. So, then it's a question of having the policies, tools, processes, practices to make it completely happen."

—Scharff

And for those worried about the AI takeover of jobs? “The other step in any project related to AI is that you need to ask the subject matter experts,” Scharff says. She explains that once these patterns were created, they need to be reviewed by fashion experts to understand what was working and what wasn’t. A computer can create a pattern, but it can’t (as of yet) also categorize it as what is fashionable for everyday wear, artistic, or what kind of aesthetic category it belongs to.

Scharff is excited for where AI is going, and how ubiquitous it’s becoming. Her greatest concerns are exactly what her work is doing, balancing datasets to be representative and diverse. “My biggest concern is diversity biases. But I think right now the discussion is much more open, at least everybody is aware of the issue. So, then it's a question of having the policies, tools, processes, practices to make it completely happen.”

What makes a book worth publishing? Whose stories are being told? Over the past several years, diversity in publishing has become a national conversation, and Dyson College of Arts and Sciences alumni working in the industry are invested in moving the field forward.

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“That’s what excites me most about this industry: the new directions it’s going in and all the opportunities to make sure young readers see themselves in what they’re reading,” said Alma Gomez Martinez ’22, ’23, who completed a combined degree in English and Publishing from Pace and now works as an editorial assistant for Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

While at Pace, Gomez Martinez double minored in women’s and gender studies and critical race and ethnicity studies, underscoring her deep-rooted beliefs in representation and social justice. “I like to think that as I’m working toward being an editor, I’ll eventually play a significant role in steering my little corner of publishing in a diverse direction,” she said.

While the conversation of diversity in publishing has picked up steam in the national media recently, Mae Martinez ’20, ’21, notes that it’s not a new concept within the industry. “I think it’s important to acknowledge that this conversation has been around for a while, and largely championed by BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] authors, publishing professionals, and of course, readers,” she said.

If it’s the same group of college-educated, primarily white American, heterosexual, cisgendered people choosing what books ‘deserve’ publication, or ‘deserve’ the limelight, clearly the bookstores and libraries would be uninviting—and frankly boring—places to be.

Martinez, who also completed the English and Publishing combined degree program, is currently working as an editorial assistant for Ballantine Bantam Dell at Penguin Random House. “My job largely impacts what content is published out in the world, and I think all editors have a personal responsibility here,” she said. “My editorial practices are built with an intersectional foundation, meaning that inclusivity, mindfulness, and intention are always at the forefront.”

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“For my own part, I try to help those looking to break into publishing by sharing my own journey as a woman of color navigating this world,” said Sabeen Aziz '16, English, a senior editorial assistant at Wiley. “And at my work, we are very particular about finding diverse reviewers and making sure a book has diverse contributors.”

Asante Simons ’17, English, an editor at Harper Collins, noted that increased diversity in the publishing industry is crucial for representation—but also that diversity helps make reading, put simply, more interesting. “If it’s the same group of college-educated, primarily white American, heterosexual, cisgendered people choosing what books ‘deserve’ publication, or ‘deserve’ the limelight, clearly the bookstores and libraries would be uninviting—and frankly boring—places to be.”

At Pace, students enrolled in both the English and Publishing programs dive deep into themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their coursework and beyond. In the English program, students explore whose voices have been amplified throughout the history of literature and whose stories have mostly gone untold.

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Associate Professor of English Sarah Blackwood, PhD, chair of the English department, noted in articles for The New York Review of Books, Inside Higher Ed, and The Chronicle of Higher Education that, despite a systemic divestment in the humanities nationwide, enrollment in Pace’s English program continues to grow because of the department’s commitment to keeping students engaged—often through experiential lessons devoted to challenging traditional ways of thinking.

“Studying English teaches you how to critically analyze concepts and create persuasive arguments—skills useful in any position,” said Aziz, who noted that her English professors at Pace, who were passionate and engaging, challenged her to be a better thinker and writer.

In the publishing program, DEI is purposefully woven throughout the curriculum, including in courses such as Book Design and Production, taught by Adjunct Professor Peggy Samedi, senior production manager at Penguin Random House. She said, “DEI is not only for departments with editorial functions. A representative workforce that mirrors the needs and values of our changing customer base is essential for all parts of our industry. Non-editorial colleagues are sometimes the book's first readers and can become their biggest advocates.”

Adjunct Professor James Perry, who teaches the Financial Aspects of Publishing graduate course and works as vice president and director of finance at Random House Children’s Books Inc., added, “One of the goals of DEI is for everyone to have a seat at the decision-making table. An important part of being at the table is understanding the economics of the publishing world. The more informed we are on financial aspects, the better chance we have of making sound analytical choices that are both profitable and equitable for all. In the Financial Aspects of Publishing course, the students have resoundingly and organically achieved this in both theory and reality.”

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Through courses like Samedi’s and Perry’s, the professors in the MS in Publishing program ensure that students are well prepared for careers in a changing industry.

“We incorporate DEI in everything we do, ensuring that diverse books and authors are included in any discussions about the industry,” said Manuela Soares, MFA, director of the MS in Publishing program. “Our guest speakers and faculty are drawn from diverse publishing professionals, so all of our students can see themselves in those role models.”

In response to the 2022 Economic Impact Survey (PDF) on the publishing industry in New York City, the first survey of its kind, Soares emphasized Pace’s unique role in connecting future publishing professionals to the industry in the city. The survey underlined progress the industry has made regarding diversity, while underscoring areas for continued improvement and offering suggestions for actionable steps within the field. In alignment with the recommendations, Soares highlighted Pace’s commitment to educating publishing students on diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and on making quality education accessible to all.

Aziz applauded the notion that these important conversations are continuing to happen in the industry, but noted that “if you look at the current data, there is still a long way to go.”

Martinez added that it’s not just those working in the publishing industry who can help push the movement forward: “If anyone is interested in getting involved, a good starting point is to read widely from authors who have experiences that are not your own.”