The Texas A&M College of Architecture’s Tenth annual faculty research symposium will be held Monday, Oct. 27 at the Langford Architecture Center on the Texas A&M campus.
The daylong research showcase, which begins at 8;30 a.m., features a series of faculty presentations previously delivered at scholarly venues around the world. This year's symposium includes invited or refereed presentations and papers from the 2007-08 academic year.
“The individual sessions comprising the symposium reflect all aspects of the designed environment,” said Lou Tassinary, associate dean for research at the College of Architecture. “The categories were not predetermined, but rather reflect themes that have emerged in the work of faculty over the past year.”
The symposium features more than 60 presentations divided into diverse categories and delivered in several concurrent sessions. The presentations examine ongoing research in studio pedagogy, architectural theory and design, art, healthcare architecture and planning, disaster planning and mitigation, 3-D modeling and animation, sustainable urbanism, historic preservation, construction science, visualization, energy conservation, housing, land development and facility management.
The annual symposium was established a decade ago to underscore the influence research on teaching and practice. It also serves as a catalyst for research-informed teaching in the College of Architecture’s four undergraduate and nine graduate degree programs. And, because many of the faculty presentations were originally delivered at scholarly venues abroad, the event also showcases the global influence of research conducted by college faculty.
This year, the event is open to the public and there is no fee, but due to limited seating registration is required. A lunch and refreshments will be served to all symposium registrants. Registration deadline is Oct. 22.
For registration forms (84K PDF), schedules and additional information contact Trisha Gottschalk at trishag@tamu.edu or stop by the College of Architecture’s dean’s office in Langford A 202.
Highlighting the 2008 symposium will be a keynote address, “Design in Flux,” by Alex McDowell, an internationally acclaimed production designer known for his integration of digital technology and traditional craft. McDowells work can be seen in such Hollywood blockbusters as “Fight Club,” Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and Steven Spielberg's “Minority Report.”
“This talk," McDowell said, “will offer insight into the future of a creative process blended with technology and narrative, illustrated from recent work.”
To facilitate the symposium and encourage student participation, the College of Architecture will suspend all scheduled classes and studios on the day of the event.
