2024 Joseph F Thomas Visiting Professorship

Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU) School of Architecture invites applications for the 2024 Joseph F. Thomas Visiting Professorship in Architecture. This two-year professorship supports emerging and early career practitioners, scholars and educators interested in pursuing research and/or artistic activity combined with architectural design teaching. We also welcome applications from historically underrepresented communities.

The School is focused on a critical examination of architectural education in the 21st century. Pedagogies (https://soa.cmu.edu/pedagogies) is a framework through which we are experimenting and developing new design directives to better prepare our students for the global challenges of climate change, artificial intelligence and social justice. Focused on design fundamentals, design research and design ethics, these pedagogies are implemented across all our programs. The school welcomes applications that can engage one or more of these pedagogies and contribute to the discussions happening at the school.

The Visiting Professorship comes with an annual teaching load of two design studios and a seminar. In addition, support will be provided for research/creative activity through student research assistants and/or discretionary funds.

School Description

The CMU School of Architecture is situated within the College of Fine Arts, alongside the Schools of Art, Design, Drama and Music. We are part of one of the world’s leading research institutions at the interdisciplinary intersection of technology, the arts and the humanities. As such, a wide range of transdisciplinary educational and research opportunities exist at the School, college and university. If your creative work is breaking new ground, you will find an encouraging, stimulating environment to support your explorations.

The School is a team of dedicated educators, designers, researchers, practitioners and interdisciplinary collaborators who instruct approximately 430 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Our philosophy is to provide deep immersion in the discipline of architecture across our B. Arch, M. Arch and post-professional master’s and doctoral programs, intensified by a university culture of interdisciplinary innovation and creative inquiry. Our programs take advantage of specialized facilities and centers like the Robert L. Preger Intelligent Workplace, Design Fabrication Lab (dFAB), Code Lab, Remaking Cities Institute, and the IDeATe Physical Computing Lab. Also, our location in the dynamic, post-industrial city of Pittsburgh provides us a unique urban context for inquiry and action.

More information about the School of Architecture can be found on the SoA website: soa.cmu.edu

Qualifications

This position requires at a minimum a first professional degree in architecture (Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture).

Application Instructions

To apply, complete the online application form at https://apply.interfolio.com/134903 and submit the following materials:

• A cover letter that indicates your interest in the position
• A research and/or artistic activity statement indicating how it would contribute to the CMU School of Architecture’s pedagogies: https://soa.cmu.edu/pedagogies
• A statement of teaching philosophy including how you develop an inclusive learning environment plus short descriptions of the specific courses that you are prepared to teach (studios and/or seminars);
• Curriculum Vitae
• A small portfolio (≤25 MB);
• Contact information for three references, including name, position, email address, phone number and your professional relationship with them;
• For those with prior academic experience, examples of work by your students.

Applications are due Friday, 2 February 2024. Interviews with shortlisted applicants will be scheduled for March. The job offer will be extended in early April and the appointment completed by April 2024, with employment expected to begin in August 2024.