Jorgelina Orfila

Jorgelina Orfila is an Associate Professor in 20th/21st Century Art History & Critical Theory at Texas Tech University's School of Art. She joined TTU in 2008 after earning a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a dissertation examining Paul Cézanne's role in shaping modern art historiography and museography.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park
  • Degrees in art history and museum studies from Argentina

Her research spans animation theory, modernism, and art historiography. Key areas include Animation and Social Engagement, intersections of animation with modern art, and museography during the interwar period. She co-founded Animationduo, a collective exploring animation-making's transformative potential in therapeutic and educational settings through data-driven methods.

Recent publications focus on Stop-Motion Animation and the Ethics of Care, surrealism in 1930s American animation, and cultural adaptation in media localization. Her work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) since 2020.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Lampadia Fellowship (1997-1998)
  • Chester Dale Exhibition Research Fellowship

Orfila coordinates the Undergraduate Certificate in Animation Studies at TTU, bridging music, theater, and visual arts. She collaborates with institutions like the Burkhart Center for Autism Studies and Center for Collegiate Recovery Communities to implement animation workshops in therapeutic contexts.