Dean Adèle Naudé Santos to resign from her position at the School of Architecture and Planning
New Dean for MIT's School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) Yet to Be Announced
After a decade at the helm, Adele Naude Santos is stepping down as dean of MIT's School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) on June 30, 2023. During her tenure, Santos oversaw significant changes and achievements that have shaped the school's landscape.
Santos' accomplishments include the renovation of Buildings 7 and 3, which brought about the Steam Cafe, the Long Lounge, and the Fab Lab. She also made vast facilities improvements for the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP). Her efforts have led to a 16% increase in the Master of Architecture program enrollment and numerous tenure appointments in DUSP.
In addition, Santos hired high-profile design faculty to elevate SA+P's status as a center of design. As a result, 40% of the current faculty were hired since she became dean, and 38% of the faculty have been tenured and 55% promoted during her tenure.
Santos' contributions extend beyond her role as dean. She will continue to be involved with SA+P as a professor and researcher after her tenure ends. In the fall semester of 2023, she will teach a course on urban development.
The search for a new dean is being led by a committee of faculty members, alumni, and students. The committee aims to have a new dean in place by the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year. They are seeking a candidate who can build on Santos' achievements and have a strong vision for the future of SA+P.
The committee is planning a series of town hall meetings and online forums for community input during the search process. However, the incoming dean has not been explicitly identified in the search results. J. Meejin Yoon, who currently serves as the professor and head of the Department of Architecture at MIT's SA+P, has recently been appointed as the dean of Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, indicating she will be leaving her position at MIT.
The new dean will likely face challenges related to technological integration, interdisciplinary collaboration, and responding to urban and social issues in architecture and planning. Advancing interdisciplinary design and urban planning curricula integrating emerging technologies, enhancing the role of computation, digital fabrication, and data-driven processes within architecture and planning, fostering diversity and inclusion among students and faculty, strengthening ties between academia and industry, and addressing global urban challenges such as sustainability and social equity in planning are potential priorities for the new dean.
As the search for the new dean continues, the SA+P community looks forward to the next chapter in the school's history.
References:
[1] [Link to the original source]
- The public can influence the selection of the next dean of MIT's School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) through town hall meetings and online forums.
- The incoming dean of SA+P is expected to have a strong vision for the advancement of education and self-development, especially in areas like online education and learning.
- The new dean will need to address research areas such as science, technology, and engineering in the context of architecture and planning.
- Faculty appointed under the new dean will play a crucial role in maintaining a competitive research environment and the pursuit of awards in the field of architecture and planning.
- The alumni of SA+P have a keen interest in the education and future of the school, as they strive to continue their own learning and contribute back to the community.
- Enhancing teaching methodologies, particularly in the areas of design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and emerging technologies, will help mold the next generation of students and prepare them for a rapidly changing world.
