New York University ITP

PRojects 2026

Inoculation Station

FINALIST PROJECT

Bronze Medal Recognition for Narrative

Chuan Tsai, Ran Xu, Laurel Fang, Jerome Huang, Sophia Collender

This project speculates a biotechnology system that repurposes the invasive spotted lanternfly as a carrier for plant health. Using the fungus Beauveria bassiana, an inoculation station infects lanternflies so they can temporarily distribute beneficial fungal agents through vineyards before dying naturally. Rather than eradicating the species, the system reframes it as a short-lived ecological tool. The project challenges how organisms are valued, questioning shifting boundaries between pest, resource, and agricultural infrastructure within managed ecosystems.

Instructors 2026

Nikita Huggins is a creative technologist, researcher, and educator with diverse experiences in emerging technology, production, design, food, linguistics, machine learning, and cultural preservation. She brings an interdisciplinary approach to every challenge, using her skills to create things with social impact and for self-exploration. Nikita is an adjunct arts professor and production fellow at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, where she also completed her master’s degree. She is also a member of NEW INC, the New Museum’s tech and design incubator.