Community Connection: Lesley Peréz ‘26 MSUP & ‘27 MS.Arch
Lesley Peréz (’26 MSUP, ’27 MS.Arch) is a dual-degree graduate student at CAPLA committed to advancing equity through design and policy. Inspired by her upbringing in East Los Ángeles, her work focuses on creating accessible, community-centered spaces where people can thrive. At CAPLA, she has served as a student ambassador, contributed to housing policy research with ARCHES, and engaged in community outreach through the Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning and Design—shaping a future career in planning, transportation, and design at local and global scales.
CAPLA Planning Faculty, Recent Alumna Study TUSD’s Climate Impact
A report led by Associate Professor Philip Stoker and alumna Alyssa Fink delivers the most comprehensive climate assessment of Tucson Unified School District’s 2024 operations to date. The study establishes a greenhouse gas baseline and outlines strategies to reduce emissions, energy use and costs, supporting the district’s sustainability goals. Sponsored by Jobs With Justice, the project also highlights the impact of student-led, community-based research.
Deep Engagement with Local Communities: Seth Asare Okyere, Visiting Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Emerging Faculty Fellow
Seth Asare Okyere joined the college this semester as visiting assistant professor of urban planning as part of CAPLA's inaugural emerging faculty fellow program. Learn more about Seth, including his current research on socio-spatial and environmental aspects of everyday southern urban experiences in relation to social equity and community resilience planning.
World War I and the Avant-Garde: New UArizona Humanities Seminar Taught by Architecture Associate Professor Laura Hollengreen
From September 28 to October 26, 2022, Laura Hollengreen will lead an in-person and online UArizona Humanities Seminar that investigates the ecology of war in the later 19th and early 20th century to determine its impact on post-war perception, avant-garde art and architecture, and conceptions of place and memory.
Apelido Theatre Company: Brandon Willmon '24 B.Arch
The Apelido Theatre Company in the historic mining town of Bisbee, Arizona, is inspired by Brazil, where practitioners of Capoeira use their bodies to create artistic performances in displays of martial prowess, and from the lessons of historic designers whose work brought forth fresh ideas about performance, dwelling and presence.
IT and Facilities Director Lucas Guthrie Honored with Dean’s Award for Exceptional Service
CAPLA Director of Information and Technology Lucas Guthrie has been awarded CAPLA's highest honor: the Dean's Award for Exceptional Service. “There is so much about Lucas that makes him an extraordinary member of our community—an individual to admire,” says Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand.
The Washington Post Built a Fake City to Demonstrate Extreme Heat: CAPLA’s Ladd Keith Provides Expert Analysis
“Welcome to Meltsville,” reads the new sign for a fake metropolis featured this week in The Washington Post. The interactive article relies on the expert analysis of Ladd Keith, assistant professor of planning and sustainable built environments at CAPLA, who provides insight on extreme heat's effects on infrastructure.
CAPLA Launches Externship Program to Promote Student Professional Development While Building Deeper Relationships with Industry
CAPLA undergraduate architecture students Kaya Orona, Celestin Amani and Anisa Hermosillo held externships at The M Group in Washington, D.C., Onyx Creative in Tucson, Arizona, and erstad ARCHITECTS in Boise, Idaho last spring break. Learn more about their experiences and the benefits externships offer for both students and sponsoring firms.
UArizona Landscape Architecture Assistant Professors Selected for National Dean’s Equity and Inclusion Fellowship Program
Kenneth J. Kokroko and Mackenzie Waller, assistant professors of landscape architecture who joined CAPLA last year, have been selected for the second cohort of the Dean’s Equity and Inclusion Initiative Fellowship Program. They will join 15 other early career faculty from leading design and built environment institutions across the country.
Why do roads, runways and railways warp in extreme heat?
Buckled roads, warped train tracks and expanded bridges are a stark reminder of the need to adapt our infrastructure to a warming planet. Heat can impact all types of physical infrastructure, but roads, runways and railways may be among the most vulnerable, says CAPLA Assistant Professor Ladd Keith.
The Power of Relationships: A Conversation with Kay Olsen Brown ’90 M.Arch, ’83 B.Arch
After a full and rewarding architecture career that spans marketing, facilities, project management and corporate relations, CAPLA Director of Alumni Relations and Community Engagement Kay Olsen Brown has retired. Before she rode off into the sunset, Brown shared stories about her career, her experience at CAPLA and more.