University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Jessica Ciarla is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Division of Textiles and Apparel at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Ciarla enjoys mentoring students from diverse disciplines and continues to develop partnerships with industry leaders for collaborative learning experiences. She spearheaded the TXA 341E Accessory Design, Development and Merchandising course built in collaboration with the design team at Kendra Scott to bridge disciplines from across campus in an experiential learning environment. Dr. Ciarla strives to bring technology into her courses and educate students from both an artistic and entrepreneurial perspective. As a founding member of the WEL Institute’s Academic Committee, she is dedicated to empowering women across campus. She is the faculty mentor for the winning team of the 2019-2020 President's Award for Global Learning, researching sustainable embellishments for the fashion industry in partnership with academic and industry leaders in Copenhagen. She received a PhD at Iowa State in Apparel Merchandising and Design with an emphasis on sustainable materials at Iowa State. Through April 2026, her patented sequin material is on display in a fashion exhibit titled, Particles of Color: Where Science Meets Fashion at the Texas Science and Natural History Museum.

www.particlesofcolor.com