We know it’s hard to believe, but professors have whole lives outside of the classroom (wild, right?!). We sat down with some professors to give you a glimpse of the human behind the title and the syllabus. It turns out they have favorite foods and pets and hobbies, too. Professors… they’re just like us!
What part of your work makes you most proud?
Teaching, research, practice is really all about collaboration, learning together, making a difference. One of my colleagues who leads a new landscape program told me that as she builds her faculty, she is looking for people who launch others as we all have our own projects and work, but if we are here in a university, we have a primary mission to launch next generations. I agree with her in this and so I especially appreciate seeing the amazing contributions of our students as they advance in their work around the world.
What makes your day better?
Wonderful students and colleagues across the university
What is the most exciting thing happening in your field right now?
Significant research in built environment impacts on people, places and planet illustrates the urgency for architects, landscape architects, and urban designers to engage with communities and across disciplines to meet challenges and frame new futures
How do you recharge?
I go outside- our research group has focused on the benefits of greenness on health and wellbeing-- and if I see friends along the way, it’s a double recharge!
What is the most unusual food you have eaten?
I must confess that culinary adventures are beyond me; varieties of dark chocolate are about as unusual as I get and even then, it’s limited to the different variants of cocoa beans, definitely no other elements added!
What part of your work makes you most proud?
Helping students understand how architecture shapes everyday life—and how they can take part in shaping it with care and intention.
What makes your day better?
Seeing things take shape. A student’s project improving, a good conversation, or progress on a design we’ve been working through.
What is the most exciting thing happening in your field right now?
A shift toward architecture that’s both local and universal—work that responds to its place but also aspires to something lasting and meaningful.
How do you recharge?
By walking, reading, and spending time in beautiful places. A change of setting can bring clarity.
What is the most unusual food you have eaten?
Arroz con coco in Cartagena. Simple, rich, and completely memorable.
What part of your work makes you most proud?
When I witness a drawing become a reality or when I see a student have a breakthrough that allows them to grow as a person and as an architect. These moments are incredibly rewarding.
What makes your day better?
Good conversations—whether with colleagues, students, or friends. Also, a strong cup of coffee and a walk outside. Taking in the surroundings, whether it's a tree-lined street or a quiet courtyard, always refreshes my mind.
What is the most exciting thing happening in your field right now?
I’m excited about how architects are revisiting vernacular principles to create contemporary solutions that are not only functional but also beautiful and deeply connected to place.
How do you recharge?
Traveling, especially to places with rich architectural history. Also, sketching and writing—both help me process ideas and reconnect with what I find inspiring.
What is the most unusual food you have eaten?
Zompopos—large leaf cutter ants covered in chocolate. I was tricked into eating these by my remarkable friends. Surprisingly, they weren’t bad!
You’ve met the humans behind the syllabi—next up, meeting you! We’ll see you on campus soon!
