Fellowships

FELLOWSHIPS

Bi-annually, The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture awards two fellowships to emerging scholars and practitioners within the disciplines of the built environment. The prestigious two-year fellowships offer promising individuals at the beginning of their academic careers the opportunity to develop their teaching and work within an intellectually diverse and dynamic academic context. Each of these fellowships includes teaching related to the candidate’s area of interest, resources for developing a distinctive body of work, and opportunities to interface with faculty and other disciplines within the School of Architecture and with The University of Texas at Austin at large.

EMERGING SCHOLAR IN DESIGN

The Emerging Scholar in Design Fellowship is open to candidates who hold a professional or terminal degree in a design discipline, and who are positioned to integrate their scholarly trajectory with their pedagogical agenda. The scholar teaches two design studios and an elective or support course each year, and is expected to contribute to the school’s intellectual life by engaging in critical theoretical or creative work. During the last semester of their appointment, they will present this work to the university community through a public format, such as a lecture or exhibition.

2024-2026: Andy Bako 
2023-2025: Patrick Danahy 
2022-2024: Tyler Swingle 
2021-2023: Tekena Koko 
2020-2022: Stephanie Choi 
2019-2021: Piergianna Mazzocca

LAND, SPACE, AND IDENTITY IN THE AMERICAS

Launched in 2023, the Land, Space, and Identity in the Americas Fellowship supports the professional development of a scholar whose research or design work examines the changing relationship between social identity, placemaking, and the built environment in the Americas, past, present, or future. The School of Architecture has a long history of considering the role of design thinking in the Americas, and this fellowship encourages research that explores studies of spatial practices in the Americas. The fellow teaches two courses related to their research each year, and is expected to produce ongoing theoretical, empirical, or creative work which they will present to the university community. 

2024-2026: Michael Moynihan

RACE, GENDER, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Awarded between 2016 and 2023, the Race, Gender, and the Built Environment Fellowship supported the development of future scholars whose work centers on the relationships and intersections between race, gender, and the built environment in the fields represented within the UT School of Architecture. The rotating fellow was part of a greater initiative designed to strengthen the school's teaching and research in this area, and to build a transformative approach to issue of race, gender, and social equity within the disciplines of the built enviornment. 

2021-2023: Todd Levon Brown 
2019-2021: Adam Miller 
2018-2019: Sara Zwede 
2017-2018: Edna Ledesma 
2016-2017: Ana Livia Brand and Andrea Roberts

  • Instagram Post
    Did you know “Goldsmith Courtyard” is formally named the Eden and Hal Box Courtyard? <br>
    @utsoa

    Did you know “Goldsmith Courtyard” is formally named the Eden and Hal Box Courtyard?

  • Instagram Post
    Gian-Claudia Sciara, associate professor of community and regional planning (CRP) at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, has been selected for a Swiss National Science Foundation Scientific Exchange award to collaborate at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landsc
    @utsoa

    Gian-Claudia Sciara, associate professor of community and regional planning (CRP) at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, has been selected for a Swiss National Science Foundation Scientific Exchange award to collaborate at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landsc

  • Instagram Post
    What is architecture’s role in shaping a sustainable and connected future? On Oct. 6, Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi will examine that in their lecture, “DRIFTING SYMMETRIES: PROJECTS AND PROVOCATIONS.” <br>
    @utsoa

    What is architecture’s role in shaping a sustainable and connected future? On Oct. 6, Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi will examine that in their lecture, “DRIFTING SYMMETRIES: PROJECTS AND PROVOCATIONS.”

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    📝 Applications are open for 2026-2027 undergraduate and graduate programs! <br><br>Apply today to join an interdisciplinary community of designers, planners, and scholars committed to creative exploration, ambitious scholarship and critical practice. <br><br>UTSOA at a glance:
    @utsoa

    📝 Applications are open for 2026-2027 undergraduate and graduate programs!

    Apply today to join an interdisciplinary community of designers, planners, and scholars committed to creative exploration, ambitious scholarship and critical practice.

    UTSOA at a glance:

  • Instagram Post
    Discover the hidden narrative of one of the world’s largest distributed freshwater reserves: aquifers. <br>
    @utsoa

    Discover the hidden narrative of one of the world’s largest distributed freshwater reserves: aquifers.

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    On Sept. 29, architectural designer, researcher and UTSOA visiting lecturer Toshiki Hirano (@artitec of @thd_arch) joins us for his lecture, "AESTHETICS OF (IN)EXCESS." <br>
    @utsoa

    On Sept. 29, architectural designer, researcher and UTSOA visiting lecturer Toshiki Hirano (@artitec of @thd_arch) joins us for his lecture, "AESTHETICS OF (IN)EXCESS."

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    🎉 We are thrilled to announce that Jessica Garza (BSID '26) has won the 2025 Senior Student Scholarship from the Angelo Donghia Foundation! Jessica Garza is one of 15 undergraduate interior design students in North America to receive this honor this year in the form of a $30,000 scholarship.
    @utsoa

    🎉 We are thrilled to announce that Jessica Garza (BSID '26) has won the 2025 Senior Student Scholarship from the Angelo Donghia Foundation! Jessica Garza is one of 15 undergraduate interior design students in North America to receive this honor this year in the form of a $30,000 scholarship.

  • Instagram Post
    Matt Fajkus already holds the titles of licensed architect, multiple award winner and Austin Design Icon. Now, he adds another achievement to his list: a promotion to Full Professor of Architecture. <br>
    @utsoa

    Matt Fajkus already holds the titles of licensed architect, multiple award winner and Austin Design Icon. Now, he adds another achievement to his list: a promotion to Full Professor of Architecture.

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    Master of Interior Design students Yuzheng Gan and Stephanie Belov win 2nd place for their project, “HYDROCOMMONS,” in the Student Commercial Design Category at the @ASID_hq's 2025 Celebrating Design Texas Awards! <br>
    @utsoa

    Master of Interior Design students Yuzheng Gan and Stephanie Belov win 2nd place for their project, “HYDROCOMMONS,” in the Student Commercial Design Category at the @ASID_hq's 2025 Celebrating Design Texas Awards!