CRIT Scholar is a research-based fellowship program funded by the AIA in partnership with several prominent architecture firms. The program aims to support student research and serves as an exclusive opportunity for students to receive further guidance in their own research. The long-term objective is to encourage students to be actively involved in furthering architectural innovation in support of the design profession through mentored research projects embedded in academia and practice. CRIT Scholar will be the third program included in the AIAS CRIT brand portfolio, alongside CRIT Journal and CRIT Live.
WHAT?
The program is targeted towards students in B. Arch 4/5 and M. Arch 1. This ensures that the pool of applicants have a concise focus and a goal-oriented agenda. Keep in mind that you do not need to have a completed project in order to apply. We will review applicants that are in various stages of research. Once the grantees are selected, they will receive $1,000 in funding for their research. In addition, they will also be personally matched with an architect mentor who is specialized in their topic area of research. Research mentors will be from the following firms: Payette, HKS Architects,Sasaki. Those interested in applying must be an active AIAS member.
MENTORS
Andrea Love, AIA, LEED Fellow
Payette
BIO:
Andrea has received a Master of Science in Architecture Studies in Building Technology from MIT where she was the recipient of the Tucker-Voss Award, and focused her thesis on the thermal performance of facades. She is also a Lecturer at MIT in the Department of Architecture’s Building Technology group where she teaches a class on building envelope performance. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter, on the national USGBC Chapter Steering Committee and Education Steering Committee and is a member of the COTE Advisory Group to the Board.
Dr. Upali Nanda is a published author, speaker, and researcher with extensive experience in designing, spearheading and implementing research projects in design practice. Her research focuses on the impact of design on human health, organizational effectiveness and systemic well-being. She is the Director of Research for HKS, responsible for spearheading and implementing research projects globally. She also serves as the Executive Director for the non-profit Center for Advanced Design Research and Education. She is a member of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) Advisory Council, the AIA Research Advisory for Design& Health, and the AAH research council. Her doctoral work on “Sensthetics” has been published as a book available on Amazon.com, and she has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and main stream media. Her research has been awarded the European Healthcare Design Research Award and two EDRA CORE awards, and she has been the recipient of numerous national grants. In 2015 Dr. Nanda was recognized as one of the top 10 most influential people in Healthcare Design for research, by the Healthcare Design Magazine.
Colin Booth is a Designer and Director of Sustainability at Sasaki, contributing to a number of award-winning teams since joining Sasaki in 2006. His diverse experience ranges from graphic branding, to architectural design and construction, to campus and urban planning. As an Associate of Sasaki and as the Chair of the Hideo Sasaki Foundation, Colin coordinates interdisciplinary research initiatives internally and with external partners. Colin teaches Advanced Comprehensive Architecture Studios at the Boston Architectural College, and has previously taught workshops or lectured at institutions including MIT, Harvard, Tufts, Wentworth, MassArt, as well as institutions in Zhuhai and Guangzhou, China.
Tate Walker is the Director of Sustainability at OPN Architects and leads projects and initiatives across the firm’s four offices. His experience is rooted in the architectural design process, but also includes program and project management, and the development of technical guidelines for high performing buildings. He has served many organizations over the course of his career, including cities and universities, AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE), and the USGBC’s Energy & Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group. Tate firmly believes that the nexus between architecture and energy provides leadership opportunities for architects as creative problem solvers, particularly for those willing to stretch their practice beyond its traditional boundaries.
Please complete the application above by 11:59 pm EST on Monday, November 27, 2017.
Participant Value & Expectations
Value to Students
Direct mentorship from top research experts
Direct funding ($1,000) to further research
Opportunity to see how research can be applied in practice, beyond university
Opportunity to publish and present research project/paper through multiple platforms — wide exposure
Expectation of Student
Hold first communication call in January
Set up a calendar for regular communication with mentors and progress reports
Meet sprint deadlines set by mentor
Grant funding is allocated directly towards student research
At the conclusion of the program, final research project/paper will be: published in AIAS CRIT Journal, published through AIA Research, presented by student at host firm, and presented by student at AIAS CRIT Live: Research Symposium
*Disclaimer: Student retains all intellectual property rights and ownership to their research project/paper
Mentor Value & Expectations
Value to Firms & Mentors
Opportunity to see the trends of research within universities
Showcase the value of research in practice, and how it is applied to ongoing projects
Interface with leading architecture students and research faculty
Expectation of Mentor
Hold first communication call in January
Regular communication and direct mentorship based on the need of the student
Guide research process, provide resources, etc.
Mentors should provide milestones for students (Mid-review in March/April, Final review in July)
Support students in process and production of deliverables
At the conclusion of the program, student’s final research project/paper will be: published in AIAS CRIT Journal, published through AIA Research, presented by student at host firm, and presented by student at AIAS CRIT Live: Research Symposium
Mentors are invited to attend AIAS CRIT Live: Research Symposium (Oct. 2018) and AIA A’19 Conference on Architecture (June 2019)
