Fifteen faculty appointments

The Tulane School of Architecture (TuSA) is welcoming another large cohort of permanent faculty this year. All experts in architecture and built environment education, the fifteen new tenure and tenure-track faculty and professors of practice span the fields of Architecture, Design, Historic Preservation, and Real Estate Development. They include two directors to lead the school’s long-standing and renowned academic programs in Historic Preservation and Real Estate Development.

This latest round of hiring brings diverse perspectives, innovative research areas, and impressive professional experience to TuSA’s already extraordinary faculty base. It is the second push to expand the faculty at the School of Architecture, an effort that began with nine permanent faculty hires in 2023. 

The school has significantly grown its student population over the past four years and also expanded the breadth of academic offerings, resulting in the need for more faculty with unique voices from every field of the built environment. 

“Diversity of thought, experience, and background is what brings excellence in teaching and research and enriches our educational community,” said Dean Iñaki Alday.

Directors bring visionary leadership
Eisa Esfanjary Kenari, PhD, will serve as the Christovitch Associate Professor in Preservation and the new Director of the Historic Preservation Program. With a distinguished academic background and over 15 years of teaching experience, Esfanjary brings a wealth of expertise in architectural conservation, urban heritage, and historic urban landscapes. 

Esfanjary’s passion for historic preservation is deeply rooted in his extensive education, and his research focuses on the specialized field of architectural conservation and urban morphology, which examines the evolution of human settlements from both geographic and historical perspectives. Most notably, he recently served as Principal Investigator overseeing a team of experts and professionals to develop the new Management Plan for the World Heritage Complex of the Meidan Imam Square in Isfahan, Iran. 

Excited to lead Tulane’s Historic Preservation Program, Esfanjary aims to expand its scope to include a global perspective while continuing its longstanding collaborations with local experts and integration of New Orleans’ unique cultural heritage into the curriculum. He envisions hands-on, workshop-based learning experiences that will equip students to tackle complex preservation challenges.

John L. Renne, PhD, AICP, will serve as the Henry Shane Professor in Real Estate and the new Program Director of Real Estate Development, starting January 2025, after the ten-year successful tenure of Casius Pealer. Renne brings a wealth of global experience and a deep personal connection to New Orleans, having been involved in the city’s post-Katrina recovery efforts.  

Renne aims to elevate the Real Estate Development Program to a globally recognized leader by integrating climate resilience, urban planning, and AI technology into the curriculum. His own research interests involve the use of virtual reality (VR) to engage communities in urban planning and resilience efforts. He envisions a program that not only attracts top talent but also empowers students to tackle pressing climate challenges through innovative real estate solutions.  

Accomplished permanent faculty
Bringing expertise in computational design and advanced manufacturing, Mostafa Akbari, PhD, Assistant Professor of Architecture, said he’s excited to contribute to TuSA’s innovative and sustainable architectural practices. His research focuses on autonomous manufacturing and nature-inspired design. Akbari said he’s inspired by New Orleans’ unique cultural and environmental context, offering opportunities to explore how architectural practice can engage with its surroundings’ complexities. As the founding Director of TuSA’s new Cellular Architectures Lab, he aims to enhance architectural efficiency and sustainability while engaging students and collaborating with colleagues. His teaching approach integrates theoretical knowledge with practical applications, fostering creativity and innovation in architectural education. 
 
Andrea Bardón de Tena returns to TuSA as an Assistant Professor of Architecture, looking to contribute to the school’s evolving vision. With a focus on multidisciplinary approaches, she aims to integrate her research and teaching, emphasizing the mastery of architectural scales, from structural orders to minute details. Andrea said she values TuSA’s commitment to addressing contemporary global challenges through architecture, setting it apart from other institutions. Her current projects involve the adaptive reuse of obsolete structures, reflecting her dedication to sustainable design. A passionate educator, she seeks to foster independent thinking in her students, balancing conceptual knowledge with practical complexities in architecture. 
 
Patti Dunn, Professor of Practice in Design, brings extensive professional experience and a passion for sustainability and social justice in textile design, along with an educational background in industrial design. Excited to join TuSA during a period of growth, Dunn said she aims to engage with the dynamic faculty and contribute to the school’s community-centered initiatives like the Small Center and URBANbuild. In her private practice, Dunn plans to continue exploring sustainable material practices through her venture, Tchoup Industries, while fostering a collaborative and innovative learning environment for students in New Orleans’ unique cultural landscape. 
 
Aarthi Janakiraman, PhD, Assistant Professor of Preservation and Urbanism, brings expertise in heritage conservation and the spatial politics of the built environment, particularly in postcolonial contexts. Janakiraman’s research focuses on the tensions of preserving colonial-era World Heritage sites in postcolonial societies, exploring its impacts on socio-spatial equity. She is excited to engage with Tulane’s interdisciplinary approach, aiming to adapt her doctoral dissertation into a book, Repurposing Colonialism. Janakiraman’s teaching philosophy emphasizes the socio-political dimensions of spatial design, encouraging students to consider how urban planning intersects with social justice, particularly in the culturally rich context of New Orleans. 
 
Juan Medina Revilla, Professor of Practice in Architecture, has returned to Tulane’s School of Architecture as a permanent faculty member, excited to contribute to the community’s evolution. With a rich background in architecture from prestigious institutions and experience across Europe, he aims to equip students with critical thinking skills to impact the built environment positively. Medina Revilla values Tulane’s unique connection to New Orleans, seeing it as a vibrant catalyst for architectural education and change. His teaching philosophy emphasizes sharing knowledge and fostering trust, while integrating diverse architectural concepts. He is also involved in various projects, including retrofitting historic buildings and participating in international competitions. 
 
Building on his previous teaching roles at TuSA, Nick Perrin, Professor of Practice in Design, is excited to teach design by exploring its connections to the complexities of the environments we inhabit. Perrin aims to introduce courses on circular design and enhance fabrication offerings. He hopes to frame design as a way of metabolizing conditions and offering serviceable and poetic solutions that make things and experiences better. Perrin said he values Tulane’s collaborative environment and its commitment to addressing contemporary issues. He hopes to inspire students to engage meaningfully with New Orleans’ unique cultural landscape through thoughtful design.
 
Catherine Sckerl, AIA, AICP, Professor of Practice in Architecture and Managing Director of TuSA’s new Center on Climate Change and Urbanism, said she aims to develop courses in sustainable urbanism and establish the center as a hub for climate-related knowledge, fostering networks across academic and local communities. With a background in architecture and urban studies, her teaching philosophy emphasizes interdisciplinary learning and design-thinking. Her current research focuses on the vernacular architecture and urban morphology of Oaxaca de Juárez, exploring the impacts of rapid urbanization, gentrification, and climate change. Sckerl is dedicated to building community partnerships to address these challenges through thoughtful design and scholarship.  
 
Sergi Serrat, Professor of Practice in Architecture, said he was drawn to TuSA because of its engaged community and reputation for excellence. Excited to collaborate, he aims to integrate his professional expertise into the curriculum and hopes to grow and build on existing innovative design-build programs while impacting the New Orleans community. Serrat’s teaching philosophy emphasizes dialogue and student engagement, believing in mutual learning. He brings a rich background in architecture from Barcelona and has taught across Europe and Asia. Currently, he’s working on an affordable housing project in Spain, focusing on sustainability and flexibility in response to new regulations. 
 
Emilie Taylor Welty is now Associate Professor of Architecture at TuSA, building on her prior role as Professor of Practice and continuing as Architecture Program Director and Design-Build Manager at the school’s Albert and Tina Small Center for Collaborative Design. Welty is excited about this tenure-track position, which emphasizes applied research with immediate relevance to New Orleans communities. She aims to produce a book on design-build education, highlighting the successful Small Center and URBANbuild programs. Her teaching philosophy focuses on hands-on, collaborative learning that engages students with local design needs in the community. Welty’s private work through her practice Colectivo and her interdisciplinary projects, such as inclusive monument design, reflect her commitment to community-driven architecture in a culturally unique and challenged city. 

Professional leaders
Steve Dumez, FAIA, renowned for his contributions to architectural practice through his firm EskewDumezRipple, is excited about the reciprocal learning that occurs in the studio environment in his role as a Professor of Practice. His ongoing work on a new library for Louisiana State University underscores his commitment to meaningful design that navigates real-world complexities. 
 
Jonathan Tate, returning to the Tulane community as a Professor of Practice, is enthusiastic about reconnecting with students and faculty. As reflected in his award-winning practice OJT, Tate’s focus on housing research will enrich the curriculum, focused on addressing contemporary urban challenges. 
 
In her new role as a Professor of Practice, Cynthia Dubberley, AIA, LEEP AP, TuSA alumna (MArch ’98), is eager to inspire students with the creative energy that initially drew her to architecture. Currently working with EskewDumezRipple on a dormitory project at Loyola University, she aims to equip students with a deep understanding of design thinking, fostering their preparedness for professional practice. 
 
Liz Russell brings her expertise in adaptation planning and climate resilience, most notably through her current role as Louisiana State Director at the Environmental Defense Fund. In a new role as a Professor of Practice, she intends to challenge students to engage with pressing societal issues through innovative design, all while leveraging Tulane’s unique interdisciplinary approach. 

In addition to these new tenure, tenure-track, and professor of practice positions, many other talented faculty have joined or been appointed to new positions for this upcoming year and in the past year. Visit the TuSA online faculty listings, read their bios and get to know this accomplished group of professionals.