Interim Dean of Architecture & Design

Faculty, staff and students:

I have important news to share with you about interim leadership for the School of Architecture and Design. After spending considerable time with multiple stakeholders in the school and University Governance, I’ve asked Associate Dean Mahbub Rashid to serve as interim dean of the school.

Mahbub joined KU in 2005 and rose through the ranks to eventually serve as the school’s associate dean for research and graduate studies. He also is the director of the master’s and doctoral programs in architecture.

He understands the profound importance of collaborative research and creative endeavors to the school and the university. Mahbub is an expert on the structures of built form and space, intensive care unit design, and evidence-based healthcare design. He has worked on externally funded research projects with colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, the Central Queensland University, the University of Newcastle, and others. His impressive research record includes more than 70 peer-reviewed articles in a variety of publications including Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, International Journal of Architectural Computing, the Journal of Architecture and Planning Research, and many others. His work also includes the book “The Geometry of Urban Layouts,” published in 2017, and the manuscript, “Exploring Social Production of Physical Space and Spatiality: With Traditional Cities in Muslim Societies as Examples,” currently being reviewed for publication.

Mahbub is a registered architect in Georgia and also works as an architectural consultant for architectural design firms. His past professional experiences include work as a research scientist in the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech, a staff architect at Cooper Carry Inc. in Atlanta, and years as a practicing architect in Bangladesh. He has a bachelor of architecture from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, a master’s in architecture studies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate in architecture from Georgia Tech.

During the spring semester, the school also made additional leadership changes. For those who aren’t aware, I’m pleased to share that Associate Professor Joe Colistra has agreed to serve as chair of the Department of Architecture and Associate Professor Jeremy Shellhorn will serve as chair of the Department of Design. These appointments allow Mike Swann to refocus on his role as the senior associate dean of the school.

I know Mahbub and these individuals will work hard and support each other as they strive to serve students and advance their programs while continuing to raise the profile of the school. To support the success of this appointment, I have asked Chris Brown in his role as vice provost for Faculty Development to work closely with the school through the interim period. Additionally, Mahbub plans to appoint a faculty representative committee and to seek out support from school faculty and staff to expand the school’s outreach efforts during this transition period.

Mahbub will remain in the interim role until a permanent dean is selected. Preparations for a dean search will begin in the fall, but we will take as much time as needed for the school to successfully conduct a dean search.

Please join me in thanking Mahbub for his willingness to take on this important role.

Carl

Carl Lejuez
Interim Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor