J. Thomas Regan, dean of the Texas A&M College of Architecture and Michael Murphy, associate professor of landscape architecture, were named among the 2008 Most Respected and Admired Educators, in the 9th Annual 2008 Education Survey and Rankings published in the November/December 2007 issue of DesignIntelligence.
DesignIntelligence asked professional practice firm presidents and managing directors to nominate the most admired and respected educators based on their recent experiences with colleges and universities. The elite group of 25 were chosen from the disciplines of interior design, interior architecture, architecture, design, architectural engineering, industrial design and landscape architecture.
The top five reasons cited for the nominations were: balances practice, theory and technology; inspirational and engaging; innovative and visionary; leadership that attracts and retains top talent, and agents of change.
Regan joined the Texas A&M faculty in 1998 as dean of the College of Architecture. During his tenure, the college became the largest college of its kind, with one of the most advanced research agendas of any U.S. architecture school.
As dean, Regan greatly expanded the global influence of the college and promoted interdisciplinary collaboration in research and education between faculty in the college’s four departments. He is committed to international study and research as a catalyst for global collaboration in issues related to the built and virtual environments in both education and professional practice.
Prior to this appointment, he served as dean of architecture colleges at three major universities — Auburn University, North Carolina State University and the University of Miami.
“I am honored to be at the helm of the college with the best faculty, staff, students and former students in the nation,” he said.
Michael Murphy’s lasting influence on students was illustrated in 2005 when his former student, George W. Seagraves II ’80, established a $25,000 endowed scholarship in his name. Murphy taught several of Seagraves’ landscape architecture design courses.
“Professor Murphy challenged his students, though I probably didn’t appreciate it as much then as I do now,” said Seagraves, president of the Midwest region of D.R. Horton Inc., a nationwide residential homebuilding company.
Also in 2005, Waveland Press Inc. published Murphy’s landmark book, “Landscape Architecture Theory: An Evolving Body of Thought,” which has been cited as an important addition to the very small body of literature that synthesizes the broad and varied theories upon which landscape architecture depends.
“’Landscape Architecture Theory’ is among the handful of books that every landscape architect should own, read, discuss, and then periodically read again,” said Lake Douglas, associate professor and graduate coordinator at the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture at Louisiana State University. “This book speaks to everyone in the profession,” he continued. “It should provoke meaningful discussion, inform the way we teach and practice our profession, and influence the design challenges with which the profession is now engaged.”
DesignIntelligence is a bi-monthly newsletter published by Greenway Communications LLC, for the Design Futures Council, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that explores trends, changes and innovation in the architecture, engineering and construction industry.
