Zoe Russian Moreno

Originally from Venezuela, Zoe Russian Moreno moved to the United States to pursue an education at FIU. When Zoe arrived in the United States, her English was limited. As a freshman, she hadn’t expected how difficult it would be to adapt to a new country. The political situation in her home country was on her mind, adding to her stress. There were semesters in which Zoe found it difficult to move forward, economically and psychologically.

However, she had help from many who believed in her. She credits Professor David Rifkind, for whom she worked as a graduate assistant, as her mentor throughout her educational career.

Zoe has tirelessly supported many architecture department projects as co-leader and member of the fabrication team for the exhibitions “Force Frames,” “Seven,”  “Symposium 2050,” and “Multi.” “Multi,” which Zoe worked on with Professor Eric Goldemberg, has gone to several countries, including Japan and Russia, and continues to garner international attention. Zoe also was one of the first to adopt the idea to create 3D printed follies for the “Morris Lapidus” exhibition, as part of a team of students under the mentorship of professors Henry Rueda and Claudia Bush, and it became a highly acclaimed exhibit at the Miami Beach Urban Studios.

After graduation, Zoe hopes to explore the movie-making industry and pursue another degree in art direction to combine her knowledge of architecture and apply it to creating set designs for films.