The College of Fine and Applied Arts is proud to announce the appointment of three new faculty members in the Department of Art: Dr. Bruce Leigh Myers, Dr. Noah Randolph, and Dr. Prashant Kotkar. Together, they bring decades of acclaimed academic research, deep industry expertise, and dedicated mentorship to the university’s growing creative and technical programs.
Bruce Leigh Myers, Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Thomas W. Reese Distinguished Endowed Professor, Graphic Communications Management
Dr. Bruce Leigh Myers brings over 40 years of extensive printing industry and academic leadership to Appalachian State. He holds a Doctorate in Training for Managers and Supervisors in Corporations and Industry (Graphic Communications) from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Dr. Myers previously served as an Associate Professor, Department Chair, and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Graphic Media Science and Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he taught color management, quality assurance, materials, and ink formulation for 15 years. His higher education career also includes faculty roles at Kean University and NYU. Beyond academia, Dr. Myers spent 14 years at X-Rite, Incorporated—serving as Global Sales Training Manager—and 11 years in technical and management leadership at Agfa Corporation.
Dr. Bruce Myers
Noah Randolph, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Art History
Dr. Noah Randolph joins the faculty with research focusing on the intersections of monuments and public art with memory, race, and politics. He holds both a Ph.D. and an M.A. in Art History from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University, as well as a B.A. in Art History from the University of Louisville.
Dr. Randolph’s scholarship has been featured in leading publications, including Public Art Dialogue, Arts, Ruckus Journal, Journal of Historical Geography, and Transatlantica. Prior to his arrival at App State, he taught courses at Temple University, West Virginia University, Ursinus College, and Moore College of Art and Design.
Dr. Noah Randolph
Prashant Kotkar, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Graphic Communications Management
Dr. Prashant Kotkar brings more than 18 years of cross-disciplinary experience bridging sustainable packaging, paper science, advanced materials, and printing technologies. He earned his Ph.D. in Paper and Printing Science from Western Michigan University, specializing in sustainable materials and circular economy solutions.
Dr. Kotkar’s career includes high-level engineering and research roles with global industry leaders such as Graphic Packaging International, RR Donnelley, and Hewlett-Packard Inc. An active industry contributor, he has served as Chair of the TAPPI Printing and Converting Committee and as a Technical Steering Committee Member. At App State, Dr. Kotkar’s work focuses on bio-based coatings, sustainable fiber packaging, and preparing students to drive technological innovation in manufacturing and graphic communications.
Dr. Prashant Kotkar
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