JC Garber Student Grant

$2,000 Student Grant

A program of The Illuminating Engineering Society; Portland, Oregon Section

The JC Garber Student Grant Competition will not be held in the calendar year 2018. Watch this space for the Announcement of the 2019 JC Garber Student Grant.

Program Overview:

Who: The JC Garber Student Grant Competition is open to full-time students enrolled in an accredited College or University within the State of Oregon in a program of the Building Arts & Sciences or Theatrical Lighting. Building Arts & Sciences include but are not limited to the disciplines of Architecture, Interior Architecture, Lighting Design, Engineering, Interior Design, Industrial Design, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, and Construction Management. These students are the future of IES and the lighting, building design, and construction industry.

What: Students are asked to design and construct a prototype luminaire based upon criteria as developed by the Portland Section IES and our educational partners. Students may work as individuals or in teams of no more than three individuals. Teams will share any grant awarded. At their option, institutions may incorporate this competition within a course of study. Upon completion within the deadline, the student projects will be judged based upon the criteria, a concept description, photometric performance, illuminated and non-illuminated appearance.

Why: IES Portland Oregon is sponsoring this competition and grant to promote lighting education within the State of Oregon. Through the competition and the Student Grant, IES and our sponsors are partnering in the education of the next generation of industry professionals.

The Details: Award winners will be granted IES Student Membership for one year and a $2,000 grant will be awarded. A one-week internship with a lighting professional may also be available.

Grant winners will have the responsibility for a presentation to the IES, Portland Membership at a regularly scheduled meeting or other suitable events.

The initial competition was held in Spring Term, 2017 and occurs annually thereafter.

Submittals will consist of the following elements:

Initial Online Concept Submittal:

  • Concept Description - no more than 350 words, minimum 14-point text, double spaced. This can be a stand-alone document or can be incorporated into the Concept Images.
  • Concept Images - images to illustrate the concept. These may be photographs, drawings, or renderings. Photo headings are included in the word count.
  • Submittals shall be a single, multi-page PDF with a maximum file size of 3MB, delivered prior to any announced deadline.

Finalist Submittal:

  • Full size, operational prototype of the luminaire. Provide 120-volt cord & plug.
  • Single, physical 24” X 36” image/storyboard. Vertical Orientation.
  • Revised Concept Description & Images as supporting data to the storyboard. 8-1/2” X 11” paper format.

Projects will be judged based upon:

  • Design: Appropriate to the concept, scale, object quality, economic use of materials.
  • Level of craft and professional presentation.
  • Illuminated and non-illuminated appearance.
  • Performance: Energy efficiency, appropriate light distribution, brightness control.
  • Incorporation of the Concept Theme into the design concept of the luminaire.

Concept Theme:

The design of the luminaire should incorporate elements of or be inspired by this theme. Present your thought process in the concept description.

Teachers, professors, and students should contact the Portland IES Section:
Jeff Schwartz
[email protected]

JC Garber, Biography

James C. Garber (1914 – 1998) was a Portland lighting designer, custom manufacturer, and dealer. He started his career as an apprentice electrician in the late 1930’s, later working for Fredrick Baker at the F.C. Baker Company. Baker saw something more in the young electrician and he eventually became Baker’s primary assistant working in design, architectural sales and eventually directing manufacturing.

He eventually left the employment of his mentor to start the J.C. Garber Lighting Company where he would carry on the tradition of custom lighting for architecture. He shifted his focus from the traditional cast lighting forms of the F.C. Baker Company to the more contemporary forms of the time. He continued with the business until 1996, just two years prior to his death. During his working life he had a major influence in the lighting of buildings, counting among his clients’ generations of the area's most talented Architects, Engineers and Lighting Designers of the time. His client list reads like a Who’s Who of design in the Pacific Northwest.

Mr. Garber was committed to quality, good design and business integrity. His high level of integrity was the stuff of legend. He was always straightforward in his dealings and expected the same from his clients and customers.

He was passionate about his work and if he believed in a person, he was very generous with his time. He carried on Baker’s tradition: If he saw talent, dedication, and desire in a person, he would spend the time to educate them. In the process, he mentored many of our finest designers in the art of lighting. Today they continue to pass his lessons along to the next generations.

Upcoming Events