1 AIA LU
Join the AIA Pennsylvania EDI committee for its second annual symposium for design educators. This session will focus on the critical links between the goal of promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion and the urgent need to address the rapidly accelerating impacts of the climate catastrophe.
This session will explore the following question: How might we develop and teach a holistic regenerative design framework that centers the voices of BIPOC leaders and practitioners? To answer this question, the following team of speakers has been assembled: Amma Asamoah from Tuskegee University, Dr. Erica Cochran Hameen from Carnegie Mellon University, Rob Fleming from the University of Pennsylvania, and Sanzinia Nevarez with a MArch. from the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon. This session will be particularly helpful to those professors who seek to organically integrate EDI and sustainability concepts more fully into their courses.
Meet our Presenters
Rob Fleming, AIA
Rob Fleming is an award-winning educator, author, keynote speaker, sustainability advocate, and architect. Rob brings over 25 years of experience in sustainable design to FCA, where he is responsible for developing the Sustainability Action Plan and educating the firm on how to integrate sustainable design into all projects. Rob brings his unique sustainability approach to a wide range of clients seeking to achieve the highest level of sustainability on their projects, including LEED and WELL certifications.
Rob is a thought leader in sustainability. His books, academic papers, and public presentations demonstrate Rob’s commitment to achieving a sustainable future.
Dr Erica Cochran, AIA
Erica Cochran Hameen, Ph.D., NOMA, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP is an architectural designer and Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon Architecture. She serves as the Co-Director of the Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics (CBPD) and as Track Chair of the Doctor of Design (DDes) program. She also serves as the Director for Student Relations.
Erica serves as an instructor for multiple graduate and undergraduate courses and recently developed a new course focused on energy efficient and healthy retrofits. Formerly, she was Program Director for the UDream program at CMU, which from 2009-2016 worked to increase diversity in the urban design profession nationally, and in the Pittsburgh region specifically, by offering opportunities for permanent employment in Pittsburgh to recent college graduates.
Erica has served as a studio critic at multiple universities. Her architectural experience includes over 50 educational, media and broadcast, residential, community and transportation facilities. She is also an active member of several community service and non-profit organizations.
Sanzinia Nevarez, Assoc. AIA
Sanzinia Nevarez is a bilingual architectural designer and project coordinator based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, currently working at LGA Partners. She serves as the Chair of the AIA Pittsburgh Young Architect Forum (YAF) and actively advocates for aspiring professionals. Nevarez has a robust background that includes master’s-level architectural education, during which she taught schematic design and drafting as a professor. Before relocating to the U.S., she gained early internship experience at Salas Arquitectos in Mexico. Since entering the Pittsburgh architectural scene, she has collaborated on a variety of residential and commercial projects, including a stint at Fisher ARCHitecture.As a prominent voice in the local architectural community, Nevarez recently took on the role of YAF Chair. She is actively pursuing her U.S. architecture licensure (AREs) while deeply engaged in mentoring young architects and expanding industry networkin