Hemali “Hemi” Patel is working toward her Master of Architecture at the University of British Columbia. She completed her Bachelor's degree in History and Theory of Architecture at Carleton University in 2019. Over the years, she has become acutely aware of the ecological impacts of architecture and how disjointed our built environment and communities have become from the ecology of the Earth. She has been pursuing new ways to design, make and rediscover our connection to the world and looking “in-between” the lines for inspiration. Through the MSRP program, she hopes to research the potential of mycelium in the field of architecture and continue developing a holistic design process to help chart a path of integrity, adaptability, and sustainability for our built environment and communities.  

See Project: Cultivating Myco-Insulation

Mariangel Meza Santiviago is a Fulbright scholar from Paraguay, an architect who graduated from the National University of Asunción (UNA) and a specialist in Sustainable Construction, Inclusive Design-Accessibility and University Teaching.

She is the author of the book “Tool for the Assessment of Accessible Itineraries. Application in Educational Institutions of Asunción, Paraguay”. A technical resource used to obtain a diagnosis of accessibility of the physical environment.

Throughout her career, she has served as a consulting advisor for accessible buildings and has held positions as an independent architect in various Architecture and Construction firms in which she has designed, executed large projects and led multidisciplinary teams of people.

Mariangel has also served as a teaching assistant in 'Risk Management and Disaster Reduction' instruction at UNA, contributed as a speaker at conferences and workshops on inclusion and accessibility, served as a jury member in national competitions for architecture and led the translation of complex community needs into Architectural Competition Guidelines.

At the MSRP, Mariangel aims to continue learning and generating inclusive and strategic solutions to offer opportunities for sustainable development and transmit to colleagues a conscious, empathetic and deep understanding of the social impact of architecture.

See Project: Exploring the Impact of Inclusive Architecture in Retail Design Beyond ADA Standards

Negar Saadat is a scholar and architect specializing in human-centered design and computational intelligence. Holding a Master's in Architecture from the University of Florence, she is currently a Researcher in a Master of Science in Research Practices (MSRP) program and a PhD in Architecture at the University of Minnesota. With over 10 years of professional experience in Iran and Italy, she is a seasoned architect and researcher.

Negar has published multiple papers focusing on aspects like human behavior, well-being, and computation approaches like Space Syntax and Shape Grammar. Negar is keen on leveraging AI and extended reality technologies, including VR, AR, and MR, to innovate in the field of architecture. Her work aims to enhance the quality of life through user-centric designs, positioning her as a pioneer in architectural research.

See Project: AI and XR in Human-Centered Architectural Spaces

I am Suhaila El Banna and I am pursuing my Master in Architecture (2024) and Master in Architecture - Applied Research in Practice (2025) at the University of Minnesota. I graduated from St. Olaf College in 2019  with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Environmental Studies. I am really interested in issues related to clash detection as well as ways to improve communication and collaborations among architects,  construction companies and contractors. Also, I am really interested in issues related to equity inclusion within design especially when it comes to community engagement and our responsibility as professionals towards the communities we work in.

Bahareh is a concurrent student at the MSRP and the Architecture Ph.D. program at the University of Minnesota. Her background is in architecture, and she has a Master's of Urban Design from the Art University in Iran. She is also a registered architect with over ten years of professional work experience in construction. Her core research interests rely on sustainability and the intersection of urban design and public health. Through the MSRP Bahareh hopes to discover ways to nudge people through a healthier life in urban spaces. 

See Project: Digital Twins

With a Bachelor's in Interior Design from the University of Minnesota, Joon is passionate about sustainability and research-informed design. Joon's work encompasses complex research projects, including an investigation into forced labor in the building material supply chain, the health impacts of the recycled carpet life cycle, and embodied carbon of interior finishes. With a commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable design, Joon hopes to raise awareness of complex issues in design and empower design professionals to make well-informed design decisions.

See Project: Calculating Carbon: Understanding the Impact of Interior Materials Selection

See Project: Forced Labor in the Building Materials Supply Chain

See Project: The Life Cycle and Health Impacts of Recycled Carpet

Michael Lekan-Kehinde is a concurrent student at the MSRP and at the Interior Design Ph.D. programs at the University of Minnesota.  Michael has a background in Architecture, with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) and Masters of Technology (M.Tech) degree in Architecture from the Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria. He has worked on projects ranging from mass housing design to resort design in Nigeria, which provided a creative framework for applying organic architecture to sustainable tourism development. Michael has participated in volunteer work and entrepreneurship activities to improve Nigerians' socio-economic, health, and well-being outcomes. Michael is interested in social justice, and his research is focused on improving the indoor environmental quality of learning spaces.

See Project: Occupant Satisfaction in B3 Workplace Buildings

See Project: Acoustics in K-12 Learning Spaces

Mady is working toward her Master of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota. During her time in the program, she has rediscovered a love for socio-historical research but also learned new research methodologies by engaging in the design process. The academic projects she has found most rewarding have involved engaging a larger community through blending research and design, and bridging connections between architecture and policy. Coming from an undergraduate degree in biology -- originally interested in pursuing healthcare and public health fields-- she considers well-being on many scales, including the intersection of socio-spatial and climate change. Through the MSRP, she hopes to continue developing and merging her evolving design process, empathy, and socio-historical research in service of collective goals for better-designed futures and lived experiences.

See Project: Pre- and Post- Occupancy Evaluation

See Project: Secondary Lumber Networks

See Project: Embodied Carbon during Schematic Design Phase

Malcolm completed his M.Arch. at the University of Minnesota and BS Architecture at the University of Michigan. His current research focuses on the role architects can play social and environmental justice with special attention paid to historic sites. Other work centers on how community engagement is implemented in infrastructure projects and how community voice is present in design decisions. Through the MS-RP, Malcolm hopes to discover alternative and interdisciplinary ways to practice architecture that uphold justice and sustainability. 

Damilola holds a Master’s and a Bachelor degree in Architecture from the Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria (2011)  Prior to that he had his Polytechnic education in Architecture from the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos (1999). Damilola is a hands-on guy! His experience of over fifteen years spans various aspects of building construction from renovations to residential projects, offices, banks, churches, hotels and various recreational developments. He is the CEO and Project Director of Megastructures Limited- a design and build firm he started in 2005 with a partner in Lagos, Nigeria. Damilola’s core strength is in the area of property development, building construction and site safety technology. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Research Practice at the Department of Architecture, University of Minnesota. He is well-traveled and a member of the Emirates Green Building Council UAE since 2012. He is married to Mojirayo and they are blessed with children.

See Project: Sustainable Zero Carbon Cities

See Project: Construction Site Safety

Java is interested in bringing design, research, and innovation together to find creative solutions for environmental issues and social equity. Her design approach focuses on systems thinking, looking at things as a part of a bigger whole. Java is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Master of Architecture degree and has been a researcher at the Minnesota Design Center concentrating on future streets with autonomous vehicles and post-pandemic design. Java is also working with MSR Design to research embodied energy and its impact in the built realm.

See Project: Embodied carbon during schematic design phase

See Project: Furniture embodied carbon

Currently working towards earning her M. Arch degree from the University of Minnesota, Noor has been involved in academic and industry research over the last three years, ranging from building thermography, energy performance analysis, energy-saving game and activity design, to social circular economy. Her academic design work is influenced by her interests in informality, impermanence, cultural, and socio-political dimensions of architecture. In addition, she applies parametric methods and thinking, such as spatial analysis and data visualization, to develop iterative architectural proposals.

See Project: Social Loops in the Circular Economy

See Project: Visualizing Residential Energy Performance

Ebtehal obtained her B.Sc. degree in Architecture from Alexandria University, Egypt. She is currently a student at the Master of Architecture program, as well as at the MS-RP program at UMN. Since 2016, she has participated in academic and industry research projects that focus on biophilic architecture, designing for wellbeing, and equity and inclusion. Additionally, she has teaching experience for several semesters both in Egypt and at UMN. Her diverse professional experiences and interest in cultural and social issues inspire her design projects to have a human-centric approach. By designing research and researching design, she works on proposing sensible and timely design solutions.

See Project: Strategies to Identify and Engage with Project Stakeholders

See Project: Designing For Wellbeing: The Role of Architecture in Addressing Social Equity in Response to COVID-19

See Project: Navigating Spatial Disruption

Nima obtained a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree from the University of Colorado Boulder along with a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Colorado Denver. Dedicated to academics, he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. The son of a mechanical engineering professor and a humanities lecturer, Nima enjoys combining his love of analytics with his passion for art by practicing architecture and is in pursuit of his professional licensure. He has spent the bulk of his career, both academic and professional, researching how the built environment can influence occupant health and behavior. He is currently accredited as a LEED AP by United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and as a WELL AP by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).

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Joiana Hooks is a native of Atlanta Georgia. For college, she attended Hampton University – School of Architecture, where she obtained her Master of Architecture Degree. Prior to enrolling in the MS-RP Program, Joiana worked as an Architectural Designer with the local Atlanta Architecture Firm, Harris + Smith.

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Ritah just completed her Master’s degree in Architecture at the University of Minnesota. She seeks to integrate various disciplines into design processes to achieve user-centered solutions. This goal has been facilitated by a wide range of learning experiences from growing up in her home country of Uganda, teaching, research, and volunteering across East Africa and the US.

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Erin has a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the UMN and is a recent 2020 graduate of the UMN Master of Architecture program. She is particularly interested in the socioeconomic and political context of architecture, urban design, and the built environment. Her projects have included research and design work on affordable housing and alternative housing models, racism and discrimination in the built environment and the policies that shape it, equity in healthcare design, and exploring the potential of mobile health clinics to decentralize the healthcare system. She was the recipient of a 2019 Minnesota Architectural Foundation Women’s Leadership Summit Scholarship and a 2020 Richard Morrill Final Project Award for a group UMN Master’s Final Project.

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Ben earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Minnesota with a minor in Construction Management. He spent his time pursuing architectural experience in an unconventional way by doing residential framing, an architectural project management internship at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, and most recently, working among a contract administration team at an architecture firm. Now, he is a dual master’s student at the University of Minnesota, and will be graduating with his Master’s of Architecture degree in Spring 2021 and a Master of Science in Architecture – Research Practices the following year. With a bulk of his career focusing on the construction side of architecture, he is now beginning to shift his focus into project management and the early phases of design to round out his knowledge of the profession.

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Leveraging her master’s degrees in architecture, product design, and research, and experience with residential and commercial projects around the country, Brit brings a unique design approach wherever she works. Her process includes working closely with clients and interdisciplinary collaboration to generate sensitive designs that address current environmental and social issues. She currently resides in St. Paul, Minnesota where she is studying for the ARE exams and working for DJR Architects where she utilizes her design and research talents to benefit the team.

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Pratibha is a creative individual and an experienced researcher in the Architecture industry who combines her background in architecture and research to find unique solutions to address issues in the building profession. A graduate of Master of Science in Architectural Research Practices and M. Arch program from the University of Minnesota, her interests lie in finding new ways to think about the practice of architecture using innovative business models and processes. Her passion for design, and rigor of research allows her to uncover data-driven insights that are critical to employee and organizational success. As a Planning and Strategies Consultant at Perkins and Will, she brings robust knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, data collection, analysis and visualization that enable her to communicate information in a unique and compelling way.

See Project: Evolving Practice of Architecture 

See Project: Wood - 50 Year Façade

Sheldyn is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Master’s of Science in Research Practice, where her focus of study was Lean Design. Her alma-mater is Hampton University receiving a degree in the Master of Architecture and worked with their Sea Level Rise program with the Resilience Initiative. During her academic studies she worked at KEi Architects in Richmond, VA and C&R Architects in Denver, Co. Sheldyn currently works at RSP Architects as an Architectural Designer in the Corporate Studio. Sheldyn participates in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Organization at RSP and collaborates with other local chapters. She has a passion for advocating for under-represented voices, like her own, to make space to be heard and create systemic change. She also enjoys refurbishing furniture, cooking, and hanging out with family and friends.

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Adam recently completed his masters of architecture at the University of Minnesota and is working with AWH Architects. His background and previous professional experience were centered around art and exhibit fabrication.  While studying architecture Adam developed an interest in researching and exploring how the designers of the built environment and architects in particular can take on a greater responsibility for creating equity through their work.

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Dieu’s research interests for the MSRP program lie in the commonly forayed yet not well researched territory of the relationship between art and architecture, the in-between. He has always had an equal passion for buildings and the world of art and have tried to express it through my designs. During the last five years that he spent in architecture school, Dieu found himself working on a few public projects. He became very intrigued by public art, where he found the artistic aspects of architecture to manifest freely. Given the vastness of his area of interest, he wants his research topic to not only reflect this immensity, but also have a specific impact and application on the place. 

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Trained and working as a graphic designer before getting his Master’s degree in Architecture, Tom innately looks at design across all scales. From posters to furniture to architectural details to buildings, the circuitous process of seeking aesthetically pleasing and functionally elegant solutions inspires him and brings an attention to detail to his work.

Born and trained in Minneapolis with a stopover in New York City as a member of the winning design team of the 2018 Museum of Modern Art YAP, Tom is currently working at Ana Williamson Architects. When not working, Tom loves sauntering about his adopted city of Oakland on a search for good coffee, great tacos, and inspiring design work.

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Angella Dariah is an emerging architecture professional from Windsor, Connecticut. She has always been in love with architecture ever since she was little. She pursued her first master’s degree in Architecture at Hampton University in Hampton, VA, and obtained a second master’s degree at the University of Minnesota. Angie believes design has so much of an impact on users and it is designers’ duty to make sure spaces are created with users in mind which she faithfully uses as an approach when designing. Angie currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA, where she works for an architectural firm called AE Works, and is currently the acting secretary for the Pittsburgh chapter of NOMA. She is hoping to become a licensed architect in the years to come to be more of an asset to current employers.

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Alejandra is a design researcher and designer currently working at MASS Design Group. Born and raised in Mexico, she pursued architectural education in the U.S. and holds an M.S. in Architecture with a concentration in Research Practices from the University of Minnesota and B.Arch from the University of Houston. At MASS, she is eager to amplify research, building on existing expertise, project work, and knowledge to respond to social justice issues. With a background in architecture practice and research, she is motivated to do work that promotes design inclusion, across intersections of representation, in ways that are accessible to everyone.

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Dustin Schipper is a researcher at Cuningham Group Architecture Inc.  He is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Master of Science in Research Practices program.  He has experience applying computational thinking to design practice, academic projects and research efforts.  In his current role at Cuningham Group he conducts and manages R+D projects, with the goal of advancing design practice through technology, innovative methods, and storytelling with data.  This includes tasks such as conducting interviews / surveys with designers, clients and occupants and representing their findings; datamining Revit models to answer questions about design; writing and maintaining the company’s Dynamo library; mapping large data sets and census information; writing internal white papers on emerging design topics; and much more.  He strives to learn at least one new thing every day.

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Chris’s primary interests lie in the use of data, science, and technology in design, with a particular emphasis on energy/daylighting and internet-of-things devices.  He came to architecture after spending nearly a decade as a scientist, performing research in cosmology and particle physics.  That prior experience provides him with set of skills that range from strangely applicable to architecture to entirely useless.  Chris holds a PhD in physics from the University of Michigan and a Masters of Architecture from the University of Minnesota.

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I believe storytelling is embedded in the lives of people and the places they occupy. In the words of one of my favorite storytellers, J.K. Rowling, ‘We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.’ From compelling novels to striking buildings, how fortunate we are to experience and influence the stories that surround us.

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I decided to be a part of the MS-RP program for the opportunities that it afforded to continue the high intellectual energy found in the academic setting while advancing my career in professional practice. I saw this as an opportunity to become a leader in a prominent architecture firm, developing a skill set that I could only hope to obtain 5-10 years into my career.

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Kaylyn Kirby spent her childhood split between Canada and south Louisiana, earning a B.S. in Architectural Studies from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, before relocating to Minneapolis where she earned her M.Arch degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Following graduation, she moved to Denver, Colorado where she is now an Architect and Associate at Semple Brown Design, PC, working on projects ranging from hospitality, rehabilitation, and large mixed-use. An avid craft beer lover and aspiring yogi, Kaylyn enjoys the adventure, design, and cultural scene Denver has to offer. Kaylyn is an active AIA volunteer, serving as the AIA Colorado Board of Directors 2020-2021 Secretary, as well as frequent juror at the University of Colorado’s M.Arch program.

Through the MS-RP program I have been able to contribute to the conversation shaping the future of the profession. My project investigates how practitioners pursue social priorities while being accountable for sustaining healthy businesses. This inquiry is aligned with my personal interests and is knowledge I hope to continue to build on as I mature in the profession. My exposure to research, academics, and other professionals engaging in similar questions has already expanded my network and will be a valuable asset moving forward.

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Daniel Raznick is currently a designer for Pickard Chilton in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Master’s of Architecture and was awarded the Henry Adams Medal for the highest achieving graduate student. His interests include the cultural impacts of architecture as well as the intersection of computational design and the physical making and performance of buildings.

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Christina is a young architect with a passion for turning project challenges into design opportunities. While working towards her Master of Architecture at the University of Minnesota, Christina conducted research on innovative materials and construction methods which focused on achieving design concepts through the use of unconventional materials. Christina received numerous distinctions for her academic design work and leadership while at the University of Minnesota including the Student Design and Scholarship Excellence Award, and most recently, the Outstanding Graduate Student Award for the College of Design. Prior to graduating from the University of Minnesota, Christina earned her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Texas in Arlington.

Fiona holds a Master’s of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota along with an MSc in Spatial Planning from UCL in London. Her prior experience includes adaptive reuse and additions involving a wide range of existing building styles in Minnesota. Projects have been at every scale from residential through to institutional. Her passion lies in the intersection of buildings and how they impact the environment and social fabric.

Matt expands the scope and role of the architect in the profession, the academy, and in the service-oriented design realm. Within these connected modes of practice, his primary focus lies in positioning the architect within projects that use design-thinking to align the goals of disparate parties. His work spans typology and scale from rural community health master planning and agricultural product development in Kenya, to award-winning adaptive reuse and new construction projects across the United States. This variety in practice and engagement have strongly influenced the way he teaches, practices, and advocates for architecture with a wide aperture.

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The MS-RP gave me the opportunity to take research on architectural acoustic surfaces that I was working on with a professor and apply it to a firm that had a number of ongoing performing arts projects. What was most appealing to me was the opportunity to “scale-up” the research from small installation and fabrication projects to large institutional projects within a large architecture practice. wide aperture.

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I chose to participate in the MS-RP program at the University of Minnesota because I saw it as an opportunity to pursue research in a field I’m very interested in -Immersive virtual reality- while engaging with a respected construction firm, Mortenson Construction. That I’d be able to accrue IDP hours at the same time was an added bonus. I also saw it as a way to differentiate myself from other M.Arch students and develop new research skills.

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I decided to participate in a consortium research project because of the research topic, and the academic leadership involved. The idea of understanding a system, in depth, also appealed to me.

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I participated in the pilot program for the MS-RP, firstly because trying new things and testing new ideas is exciting for me - being a part of the evolution of education was a prospect I didn’t want to miss. I also knew this would be a great way to research relevant topics in the industry while getting a good start as an intern at a very reputable firm in the city, not only for myself, but for future students who would come through the program if the pilot was a success. The program challenged me as a student to ask questions, something that I continue to do every day in my work as well as about my firm’s internal practice and about the field as a whole.

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I decided to pursue the MS-RP program because it presented an incredible opportunity to gain work experience in the region’s top architectural firms while developing research that pushed the profession forward.  My research topic, developing an energy modeling methodology, was a direct match for my interests in sustainable design, and I was paired with a firm, MSR, that I hoped to work at after graduation.  The MS-RP program helped launch the trajectory of my career and I was hired by MSR after the MS-RP program as a designer and Research Coordinator.

Maria is  interested in sustainable technology in adaptive reuse. Her journey in architecture started from her interest in historical preservation so, in a way, this topic came out naturally. She believes that it has high relevance in the field today, but is prone to a lot of oversight.

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