Student, Faculty & Alumni Profiles

Anthony Van Dao, who grew up in Tucson, entered CAPLA's Sustainable Built Environments program after coming to UArizona first as a B.Arch student. After taking time off and realizing his passion was sustainability, he returned to UArizona for the SBE program.

Assistant Professor of Architecture Courtney Crosson joined CAPLA in 2016. She enjoys connecting students’ academic knowledge with real projects in the community, with a particular focus on water in the built environment and community outreach.

Suzanne Ries, who is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, entered CAPLA's Sustainable Built Environments program after coming to UArizona first as a B.Arch student. After a car accident that required an intense recovery process, she made the difficult decision to switch majors—igniting a passion for sustainable buildings and much more.

Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Planning Philip Stoker joined CAPLA in 2016. He researches how cities and neighborhoods can be designed and planned so that they have fewer negative environmental impacts.

Associate Professor of Architecture Susannah Dickinson, who joined CAPLA in 2009 after practicing architecture full-time, sees teaching and research as an opportunity for personal growth and lifelong learning and also a chance to give back to the next generation of architects.

Sara Ghaemi, who holds a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering from Iran, came to CAPLA to study the Master of Science in Architecture because it provides an opportunity to focus on sustainability and energy efficiency in the built environment.

Maryam Moradnejad, who holds a Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Construction Management from Iran, came to CAPLA to study the Master of Science in Architecture because of the opportunity to research emerging building technologies.

Assistant Professor of Architecture Altaf Engineer, who joined CAPLA in 2017, has always felt a deep responsibility to apply his knowledge and skills to address critical health, social and environmental issues affecting humans worldwide.

Liz Madsen, who is from Tucson, entered the Master of Architecture program after receiving undergraduate degrees in architectural studies and urban planning. She chose CAPLA in part because of the world-class Materials Lab.

Originally from China, Junlu Ouyang entered CAPLA's on-campus Master of Real Estate Development program in Fall 2019 after earning her undergraduate degree in geography from the University of Arizona. Here, she's found that working on actual projects in the field is very rewarding.

Lecturer in Real Estate Development and Urban Planning Brian Bidolli joined CAPLA in 2017. In addition to teaching in the Master of Real Estate Development program, he conducts market research programs for the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning.

Professor of Real Estate Development Arthur C. Nelson joined CAPLA in 2014. He is a leading researcher on transit-oriented development and how shifting demographics change housing demand and metropolitan development patterns.