E-news letter for Archtecture

SEPTEMBER 2017

Category 4 Hurricane Harvey bears down on the Texas coast on August 25.

College responds to Harvey with service, research and teaching

As tens of thousands of Texans undergo a long, difficult recovery from Hurricane Harvey, numerous faculty and student initiatives at Texas A&M University are helping individuals and communities learn how to emerge from the damage and mitigate the effects of future disasters.

College profs analyze Harvey flooding in print, on radio, TV

As Harvey’s record-setting rainfall inundated wide swaths of coastal Texas, expert researchers at the Texas A&M College of Architecture described how land development practices exacerbated the flooding and prescribed actions to mitigate future flood damage.

19th annual faculty research symposium set for Oct. 23

The 19th annual College of Architecture Research Symposium, “Natural, Built, Virtual,” is set for Oct. 23 in the Langford Architecture Center’s Preston Geren Auditorium. It showcases research and creative work by college faculty and doctoral students.

RESEARCH

Francis Quek, a visualization professor, leads a workshop at Texas A&M.

Quek's micro-manufacturing initiative earns NSF Convergence Award

To investigate the viability of micro-manufacturing in the United States, the National Science Foundation tapped Francis Quek, professor of visualization at Texas A&M, as one of 23 recipients of a $100,000 Convergence Award.

Prof earns CELA scholar award for finding vacated urban space solutions

For a diverse research agenda that includes finding smart solutions for vacated urban spaces, assistant professor Galen Newman earned an Excellence in Research and Creative Scholarship Award from the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture.

Hazard center director advising Congress on windstorm policy

Walter Gillis Peacock, director of the Texas A&M Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center, is one of 15 experts serving on a committee established by Congress to review efforts to reduce life and property loss from windstorms, the nation’s costliest natural hazard.

Effort aims to protect patient privacy in health data analysis

A team of Texas A&M scholars is investigating how health science researchers can accurately analyze troves of available patient data from various sources while maintaining patient privacy.

Study seeks to visualize computational reasoning

Researchers at Texas A&M are working to illuminate the computational reasoning process, why algorithms reach the conclusions they do, as part of a four-year, $1.6 million project funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Viz professor to join National Academy of Sciences board

André Thomas, a visualization professor, who is leading an effort to establish video games as an educational tool in universities and high schools, has been tapped to join the advisory board of the National Academy of Sciences’ Koshland Public Engagement Program.

Architecture prof pens work on 1960s design group Archigram

In a new book about 20th century architecture, associate professor Sarah Deyong, writes about Archigram, an influential avant-garde group of London architects who were inspired by the space program, science fiction, pop art and youthful idealism.

Ph.D. student designs concept facility for senior health care

A Texas A&M doctoral student’s concepts for a senior residential facility that encourages resident’s physical activity, lowers their risk of disability and increases their social engagement, earned her a $10,000 grant from the American Institute of Architects.

OUTREACH

Local elementary school teachers work on circuits at a teacher making workshop held at Texas A&M.

Visualization hosts teacher 'making’ workshop fostering STEM education

Local elementary school teachers were stocking up on hardware supplies and brainstorming new lesson plans after learning basic programming, electronics and 3-D printing at a three-day workshop hosted last June by Texas A&M Department of Visualization.

Faculty taught 20 eager educators the basics of the “maker movement,” a recent phenomenon that encourages people of any age or technical proficiency to explore engineering-oriented activities like prototyping and invention. The teachers learned how making can be used to better teach science, technology, engineering and math concepts.

Students, residents in Houston to combat neighborhood toxins

Residents of Sunnyside, a Houston area neighborhood beset by water and air pollution and prone to flooding, will collaborate with College of Architecture students to develop plans to improve their community and create a roadmap for future growth.

Project transforms shipping containers to specialty clinics

Texas border region residents will soon have access to two specialty medical clinics converted from shipping containers into vision and hearing diagnostic and treatment clinics by students at the Texas A&M College of Architecture.

Colonias residents receive military health assistance

A pop-up medical clinic in south Texas served hundreds of colonias residents over a two-week period through Operation Health and Wellness by providing vision, dental and health care services in an initiative coordinated by U.S. Army and Navy reservists and the Texas A&M Colonias Program.

Colonias Program provides children with school supplies

This fall, more than 1,400 students in economically distressed areas of South Texas are carrying free backpacks stocked with school supplies provided by the Texas A&M University Colonias Program in an effort to aid low-income family with back-to-school expenses.

ACADEMICS

Patrick Suermann takes the helm as head of the Department of Construction Science.

Former Air Force Academy educator heads construction science dept.

Patrick Suermann, who led numerous, large-scale military construction projects around the world and excelled as an educator during a distinguished 20-year career as a U.S. Air Force officer, is the new head of the Texas A&M Department of Construction Science.

Program provides alternative track to architecture career

Aspiring architects hailing from a wide range of disciplines have used an alternative track to enter the masters program at the Texas A&M College of Architecture for decades. Through the Career Change program, an undergraduate design degree isn't necessary to excel as an architect.

Wells endows professorship for architecture department head

After 40 years as a prominent educator and administrator at the Texas A&M College of Architecture, Ward Wells, who stepped down as head of the Department of Architecture in 2016, endowed a $150,000 professorship to continue his support of the department.

Students create recycled backdrop for fashion show

Guests at the Trash Makeover Challenge, a unique Austin fashion show, posed for selfies and other photos in front of a giant, interactive backdrop fashioned by Texas A&M environmental design students from recyclable cups, bottles, cans, plastic bags and other refuse.

Jurors select year's best architecture masters project

Overcoming tough competition from her peers, a Master of Architecture student’s biologically-inspired Japanese subway station design wowed a distinguished panel of jurors to earn best-of-the-best honors at the Department of Architecture’s 2017 Celebration of Excellence held May 11.

Tier One Program funds extraordinary and diverse learning experiences

This fall, students will design building envelopes from auto assembly line waste, research problems facing communities on the Texas-Mexico border, and create a virtual reality platform to test engineering designs.

Project to develop improved technique for casting concrete

Envisioning cityscapes renewed with stylish, custom-designed concrete structures, a group of Texas A&M design and engineering faculty and students will collaborate to develop a low-cost method for quickly casting complex, concrete forms.

ARTS / VISUALIZATION

Weiling He, the new Texas A&M art academy director, in front of her recycled art installation, "Plactic Poetry."

TAMU art academy director aims to enhance outreach, funding

The Texas A&M Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts’ 2017-18 season is heading for new heights under the direction of Weiling He, associate professor of architecture who is expanding the academy’s visibility and funding efforts and hosting an array of exhibits and art happenings aimed at attracting great art and art opportunities to campus.

Viz students reach final round in global design competition

Video games and virtual reality environments developed by former Texas A&M visualization students contended for top prizes in the final round of “The Rookies,” a global competition for young designers, creators, innovators and artists.

Arch prof’s drawing selected for L.A. gallery exhibition

A drawing by Alejandro Borges, an architecture faculty member at Texas A&M, is part of an August 8-26, 2017 group exhibit at a Los Angeles gallery that will celebrate contemporary and modern art by emerging artists.

Entrepreneurial Vizzer creates, runs eclectic record label

From emo-punk to Arkansas space rock, unassuming music impresario Jonathan Lee Gonzales, a visualization major with his own record label, Sunday Drive Records, represents 17 unique bands. He also provides clients with graphic design, branding, music distribution and touring services.

HONORS

An award-winning project by Zixu Qiao ’17, addresses flooding problems in coastal League City, Texas.

Landscape architecture student’s concept earns national ASLA award

A design for a coastal League City, Texas development that includes natural and engineered solutions to prevent flooding earned its creator, Zixu Qiao ’17, a highly coveted 2017 award from the American Society of Landscape Architecture.

Construction science prof earns excellence award for transformational teaching

For his mentorship work and transformative teaching practices, Gary Boldt, a senior lecturer in the Texas A&M Department of Construction Science, earned a 2017 teaching award from the Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence.

Roldán's firm honored for converting Barcelona fire station into museum

The transformation of a landmark, picturesque Barcelona fire station into a museum showcasing the city’s firefighting history, earned a firm co-led by Miguel Roldán, adjunct professor of architecture, an award for adaptive reuse of an existing building.

Visualization professor honored by Smithsonian for essay on Minimalist artist

An essay spotlighting prominent artist and critic Donald Judd’s use of sculpture and prose to elevate architecture in Kansas City, earned its author, Susanneh Bieber, visualization assistant professor, recognition from the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Arch prof honored for faculty mentoring by women’s network

For ably guiding the teaching and research of faculty and helping them succeed in the promotion and tenure process, Anat Geva, professor of architecture, earned the Outstanding Mentoring Award from the Texas A&M Women’s Faculty Network.

EVENTS

More than 200 students competed at Chillennium 2016 to design games in 48 hours.

Registration underway for giant, student-led 48-hour game jam

Student video game designers vying for coveted prizes will create games from scratch in just 48 hours at Chillennium 2017, an Oct. 13-15 competition hosted by the Texas A&M Department of Visualization.

Wright Gallery hosts Swiss landscape architecture exhibit

The richness, diversity and complexity of Swiss landscape architecture will be showcased Oct. 23 - Dec. 1, 2017 at the College of Architecture’s Wright Gallery, which reopens in a new location on the second floor of Building A of the Langford Architecture Center.

Art demonstration, discussion to launch women’s art show

Art by Felice House, assistant professor of visualization, will be part of the Oct. 18 – Dec. 16 "Women Painting Women: In Earnest" exhibit at the J. Wayne Stark Galleries in the Memorial Student Center on the Texas A&M campus.

CLASS ACTS

The College of Architecture will honor nine former students as 2017 Outstanding Alumni: (top row) Brian Kralyevich, Caesar “Skip” Alvarado, Aan Garrett Coleman, Charles Graham, Debra Dockery, (bottom row) Mark Hatchel, William Raba, Luis Jauregui and Nunzio DeSantis as Outstanding Alumni.

College to honor nine Outstanding Alumni at Oct. 26 ceremony

Nine former students from the Texas A&M College of Architecture, distinguished humanitarians and leaders in their respective fields, will be honored as outstanding alumni at a Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017 banquet in College Station.

MSC war exhibit honors storied former student Peña, fellow World War II Aggies

A multimedia exhibit honoring five World War II Aggie heroes, including William Merriweather Peña ‘42, an Outstanding Alumnus of the Texas A&M College of Architecture, runs through Dec. 16, 2017 at the Memorial Student Center’s J. Wayne Stark Galleries.

Visualization grad creating cutting-edge 3-D couture

Futuristic bridal gowns, haute couture costumes and tech-inspired fashion accessories, all made with 3-D printers, have garnered international recognition for Rachel Nhan ’11, who crafts costumes suggestive of avant-garde armor and shows them worldwide.

Class Acts: Former students share news with classmates

The College of Architecture encourages former students to submit news for its Class Acts reports featuring professional achievements, marriages, retirements, bucket list accomplishments or whatever else they care to share. See what others have been up to and share your own news.

Fashion statement

An interactive backdrop created by first-year environmental design students led by Weiling He, professor of architecture, adorned the reception area of a Sept. 16 runway fashion show in Austin. Photo by Alejandro Borges, associate professor of the practice.