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2026 | 1 Season

The Gothic style of architecture emerged in France almost 900 years ago and gave birth to the great Gothic churches and cathedrals of Saint Denis, Sens, Notre Dame, Chartres, Reims, Amiens, and more. Their soaring architecture and incomparable stained glass have lifted hearts to God and illumined souls seeking grace down through the centuries. They have also provided an intriguing architectural mystery for the ages: How did the Gothic architects, builders, and artists achieve such great height, beauty, and permanence using the most rudimentary of tools and materials?

Join engineering professor Dr. Justin Greenly and art history professor Carl Fougerousse as they delve into the scientific and artistic mysteries embedded in the great Christian architectural heritage of the Gothic churches of France.

Dr. Greenly and Professor Fougerousse taught Height and Light in the House of God at the Kartause Maria Thronus Iesu, a former Carthusian monastery in Gaming, Austria, which is itself home to a church originally designed in the Gothic style. The course was part of Franciscan University’s three-week Austria Summer Experience, which is held annually at the Kartause, Franciscan’s semester abroad site. For information on upcoming courses in the Austria Summer Experience, visit austria.franciscan.edu/austria-summer-experience.

Carl G. Fougerousse

Artist Carl G. Fougerousse graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with his bachelor’s in philosophy then earned his MFA in figurative painting at the New York Academy of Art. Noted for the sacred art he has created for parishes and dioceses across the United States, Professor Fougerousse now teaches art history and painting with Franciscan’s study abroad program in Gaming, Austria, while continuing to take on painting and sculpture commissions through his workshop, Red Fern Art Studio.

Dr. Justin Greenly

Dr. Justin Greenly is a professor of mechanical engineering and chair of the Department of Engineering and Computing at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He earned both his master’s degree in chemical engineering and his doctorate in chemical engineering and biomolecular engineering from Cornell University and his bachelor’s in chemical engineering from Bucknell University. A dedicated teacher, Dr. Greenly was honored with a Franciscan University Excellence in Teaching Award and a St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award.