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June 17, 2024 College Celebrates Faculty Research

The College of Architecture and Design strives to reinforce faculty in establishing and maintaining a record of strong research, scholarship, creative achievement and engaged scholarship. In an effort to grow the college’s research portfolio and support faculty, Dean Jason Young established the Research Development Program which aims at cultivating, supporting, leveraging and encouraging faculty at all stages of their research development. 

This spring, Dean Young recognized 11 faculty members with one of the four college awards during the College of Architecture and Design’s State of the College address. 

The Alma and Hal Reagan Research Seed Award was established to help kickstart shorter-term, high impact research projects or the beginning stages of potentially longer-term projects. These projects target categories that address the college’s strengths and strategic priorities. This year’s awards were presented to… 

  • Jennifer Akerman, Associate Professor of Architecture, Critical Practice in Architecture 
  • Liz Teston, Associate Professor of Interior Architecture, and Catty Dan Zhang, Associate Professor of Architecture, The Weather Holds: Atmospheric Thresholds in the New South 
  • Scott Wall, Professor of Architecture, 100 Maps of Finland: Selective Cartography 

The James Musgraves Research Award supports faculty with research projects in later development stages that would benefit from additional funding to complete them. This year’s awards supported… 

  • Gregor Kalas, Associate Professor of Architecture, Eternal City of Compassion: The Reuse of Ancient Architecture for Charity Centers in Late Antique and Early Medieval Rome 
  • Marshall Prado, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Composite Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Process (CHAMP) 
  • Rutenberg, and Avigail Sachs, Associate Professor of Architecture, The Mechanized Landscape: Statecraft and Environment in the Tennessee Valley 

The College of Architecture and Design Grant Writing Program Award assists faculty in identifying and developing proposals for external funding in support of longer-term research agendas. Faculty recognized for this year’s awards included… 

  • Kalas, Structural Resilience and Architectural Restoration in the Aftermath of Postmodern Crises 
  • Hojung Kim, Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture, Mekong Delta Handicraft: A Blueprint for Mang Thit’s Cultural and Architectural Heritage 
  • Zhang, Non-Smoking Architecture: Synthesizing Digital Design Workflow, Smart Technologies, and Domestic Weather Forms of Contemporary Living in the East Tennessee Region 

The Faculty ReCharge Program was established to refresh faculty members’ own learning, rejuvenating them and their future students. The stipends enable faculty to travel, reflect on and develop teaching priorities, new courses and pursue other academic endeavors. This year’s program supported five awards. 

  • Carl F. Maples Faculty Development Award: Akerman for her proposal to travel to the Pacific Northwest to develop a journal article. 
  • Lindsay and Maples Faculty Award: Mark Stanley, Assistant Professor of Architecture, for his proposal to travel to Japan to study the fallout of the US history of nuclear materials. 
  • College of Architecture and Design Fund Award: Wall for his proposed travel to Lapland while he is in Finland this summer. 
  • Architecture Faculty Award: Prado for his proposal to attend the RobArch 2024 Conference in Toronto. 
  • Dean’s Excellence Faculty ReCharge Award: David Fox, Associate Professor of Architecture, for his proposal to initiate research for a book on the Thorncrown Chapel by E. Fay Jones, FAIA. 

Faculty research profoundly impacts students’ courses and industry knowledge by infusing cutting-edge findings and innovative practices into the curriculum. As faculty engage in diverse research projects, they bring fresh insights and contemporary perspectives into the classroom, enriching the educational experience. 

The Research Development Program aligns with the college’s forthcoming vision and strategic priorities, including a robust research program.