Expansive and innovative expertise distinguishes 28 new faculty members in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design

Students and faculty in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design (AAD) will be learning and collaborating this semester with 28 new faculty members who bring a wealth of expertise and diverse viewpoints to the programs and majors housed in the college.

The new cohort of educators, scholars, researchers, and performers have specialties that are both inclusive of existing curriculums and priorities in the college’s four schools, while also incorporating some of the most creative topics and approaches to inquiry in their fields.

Their interests are wide-ranging and include artificial intelligence, differently-abled perspectives on architectural design practice, building failures and how they can be prevented, the interplay between empathy and design, music and spirituality, and design inspired by explained and unexplained phenomena related to science, nature and culture.

“We are very excited to welcome so many new faculty to the college who will engage our students in the classroom with their energy and expertise, while invigorating the college’s research and creative scholarship through their diversity of thought and innovative approaches,” said Dean Lu Liu.

These individuals represent some of the best talent from around the world, and they will ensure that Virginia Tech and the college are not only aligned with, but ready to lead the way as the future of our disciplines unfolds.”

School of Architecture

• Alaa Algargoosh, visiting assistant professor of advanced building design, earned a Ph.D. in architecture with a specialization in building technology from the University of Michigan, and was most recently a research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. Algargoosh investigates the links between the physical, perceptual, and social aspects that shape the acoustic experience.
• Luis Borunda Monsivais, assistant professor of advanced building design, holds a Ph.D. in architectural construction and technology from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and has been a visiting assistant professor of practice at Virginia Tech for the last two years. Borunda specializes in architectural technology and computational design with a focus on advanced design and construction methods that utilize computation and digital fabrication.
• Giorgia Cannici, assistant professor of advanced building design, is expecting to receive a Ph.D. in biological systems engineering from Virginia Tech in 2024. Canici most recently served as a robotic teaching associate at Virginia Tech’s Center for Design Research and was artist in residence at the Autodesk BUILD Space in Boston.
• Sida Dai, assistant professor of building structures and design, received a Ph.D. from and worked as a lecturer at the Clemson University School of Architecture. His research intersects artificial intelligence, structural engineering, and human-computer interaction within an architectural context.
• Andrew Gipe-Lazarou, assistant professor of architecture, earned a Ph.D. in architectural history and urban theory from National Technical University of Athens, Greece. He has been a visiting assistant professor at Virginia Tech since 2021 and is interested in the role of architectural and urban space in cultural-historical contexts and the impact of multimodal/differently-abled perspectives on design practice and education.
• Ramtin Haghnazar, assistant professor of building structures and design, holds a Ph.D. in architectural technology from the University of Tehran and is a co-founder of Dahi Studio and the Digital Craft House. His professional and academic pursuits revolve around the design and creation of freeform structures and installations.
• Matthew Mindrup, visiting associate professor at the Washington-Alexandria Architecture Center, received a Ph.D. in architecture and design from Virginia Tech. Mindrup is an architect and historian of the design process and is an associate professor at the University of Sydney.
• Gonzalo Munoz-Vera, assistant professor of architecture, is a Ph.D. candidate student in architecture at McGill University, where his research focuses on the role of visuals in the construal of cities and cultures in nineteenth-century European colonialism. Before coming to Blacksburg, Munoz-Vera served as an adjunct professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.
• Kristin Washco, assistant professor of architecture, is a Ph.D. candidate at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She joined Virginia Tech as a visiting assistant professor of practice in fall 2023 and co-founded the design firm Metier Projects in 2021.
• Christine Williamson, assistant professor of environmental building systems, received a Master of Architecture degree from the NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego, California. She has devoted her career to discovering why buildings fail and helping to remedy the problems.

School of Design

• Vincenzo Cribari, visiting assistant professor of landscape architecture, earned a Ph.D. in human and community development from West Virginia University, where he most recently served as visiting assistant professor of landscape architecture. Cribari has been a registered architect, planner, and landscape architect in Italy since 2003.
• Jason Cusack, instructor in industrial design, holds an M.S. in architecture from and was a graduate teaching assistant at Virginia Tech.
• Michelle Huh, assistant professor of interior design, received a Master of Interior Design from the University of Texas at Austin and was an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas before coming to Blacksburg. Her research focuses on how interior architecture responds to changes in technological and cultural practices.
• Benjamin Kirkland, collegiate assistant professor of industrial design, earned an M.S. in architecture from Virginia Tech. His academic interests include videography for online education, critical and speculative design thinking, and building empathy for the human condition regarding design problems.
• Diane Pfeiffer, instructor of industrial design, holds an M.S. in architecture/industrial design from and most recently served as an adjunct instructor for Virginia Tech.
• Raquel Rabago, instructor of industrial design, is expecting to receive an M.S. in user experience from Arizona State University in 2024 and most recently worked as an industrial design manager with Techtronic Design International.

School of Performing Arts

• Nicolás Benavides, visiting assistant professor of practice and interim technical director, earned an M.F.A. in technical design and production from Yale University. He has been the technical director for the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick and the Alma College Theater in Michigan.
• Joshua Brewer, instructor of theatre history, holds an M.F.A. from the University of Memphis and has worked as a director, playwright, producer, designer, screenwriter, actor, and administrator in his 25-year career as a theatre and film artist.
• Jon Catherwood-Ginn, assistant professor of applied theatre and codirector of research for the Center for Communicating Science, is expecting to receive a Ph.D. in planning, governance, and globalization in 2024 from Virginia Tech. He most recently facilitated community engagement and educational programs as associate director of programming at the Moss Arts Center.
• Amy Cowan, assistant professor of practice in applied voice, received a Master of Music in opera performance from the Longy Conservatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has served Virginia Tech as an adjunct lecturer since 2016 and has 20 years of experience working with voices of all ages.
• Dominque Christian Dale Gonzales, visiting instructor and interim assistant director of choirs, earned a D.M.A. in piano performance and choral conducting from the University of Nevada, Reno. He is an accomplished pianist, choral conductor, and music scholar who, prior to coming to Virginia Tech, was artistic director of the Reno World Singers.
• Brittney Harris, assistant professor of applied theatre and codirector of research for the Center for Communicating Science, holds an M.F.A. in acting from the University of Georgia and most recently worked at Old Dominion University as an assistant professor of theatre. As an artist and educator, her approach to creativity centers on providing a sacred space for discovery, exploration, and individuality.
• Hee-Kyung Juhn, instructor of piano, received a D.M. in piano performance from Indiana University Bloomington and most recently served as an adjunct collaborative pianist at the University of Central Arkansas. As a soloist, she has been featured with the New York Classical Players, Camerata Miranda, Pine Bluff Orchestra, Central Coast Philharmonia, Mass Brass, and others.
• Elizabeth McLain, assistant professor of musicology and director of disability studies, earned a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Michigan and was most recently a postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech. McLain’s research focuses on music and spirituality, and the transformation of music scholarship through the principles of disability justice.
• Bryce Newcomer, visiting assistant professor of clarinet, earned a D.M.A. in clarinet performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Before coming to Virginia Tech, he was an assistant professor of woodwinds at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

School of Visual Arts

• Ashley Anderson, assistant professor of graphic design, is expecting to earn a Ph.D. in design in 2024 from North Carolina State University, where she also worked as a graduate research assistant. Her research explores the use of design and generative AI technologies to facilitate psychological interventions, with a current focus on addressing stereotype threat for Black first-year undergraduate students in STEM.
• Dustin Dennis, collegiate assistant professor of visual art foundations, holds an M.F.A. in sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design and has served as an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech since 2019. Dennis is an artist and designer whose practice and research are often inspired by states between explained and unexplained phenomena related to science, nature, and culture.
• Shuang Wu, assistant professor of graphic design, received an M.F.A. in graphic design from the Maryland Institute College of Art and was most recently an assistant professor at the Kansas City Art Institute. Shuang's work spans diverse media, ranging from traditional print to digital and interactive platforms. With a focus on blending approachability and informative elements, her creative exploration resonates with audiences through both multicultural and artistic lenses.