Alumna Kaya Orona named 2026 Phoenix Business Journal 40 Under 40 Honoree
CAPLA alumna Kaya Orona, B.Arch ’23, has been named one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s 2026 40 Under 40 honorees, recognizing her accomplishments in the construction industry. Now a preconstruction manager at The PENTA Building Group, Orona has built on her architectural education to lead projects at the intersection of design, construction and development.
CAPLA lecturer Nataliya Apanovich honored with Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence
Nataliya Apanovich, a CAPLA lecturer, won the Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence. She’s known for innovative, student-centered, community-focused sustainability education.
Meet Ash Avila ’23 BS SBE, 2022 Transportation Research Board Minority Student Fellow
Ash Avila, a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments student from Nogales, Arizona, who will graduate in 2023, has been awarded an acclaimed Transportation Research Board (TRB) Minority Student Fellowship for 2022. Avila is one of 24 students selected by TRB.
Climate Change, Architecture Change, Everything Change: Sam Owen '22 B.Arch
This infill project by Sam Owens '22 B.Arch houses the Cooperative Extension Innovation Center which helps bridge the gap between the University of Arizona and the general public. It recognizes that the world is in constant flux, and the human-built world can no longer insist on pretending to be static. Gone are the days of growth without regard for decay, says Owen.
Native American Advancement, Initiatives and Research Web Portal Launched with Support of CAPLA Assessment Coordinator
School of Landscape Architecture and Planning Assessment Coordinator Kelly Eitzen Smith, who also serves as project coordinator for the Native Peoples Technical Assistance Office, helped create and launch the new Native American Advancement, Initiatives and Research (NAAIR) web portal.
The Materials and Methods of Construction: Eric D. Weber, Associate Professor of Architecture
Associate Professor of Architecture Eric D. Weber joined the college this fall, where he is teaching Design-Build and Techne. Learn more about Eric, including his background in architecture, his construction-focused research and his advice for architecture students.
CAPLA Experts: In Wake of COVID-19, Employers Must Make Offices Healing Spaces
Altaf Engineer and Esther Sternberg, two CAPLA professors who study how work and living spaces affect physical and mental health, say the pandemic has forced employers to think about how office spaces can reduce employees' stress and enhance their wellbeing.
Architect and CAPLA Assistant Professor of Practice Robert Vint Profiled in Preservation Magazine for Work on the San Xavier del Bac Mission
Robert Vint, assistant professor of practice in architecture at CAPLA, was profiled in the Summer 2021 issue of Preservation Magazine for his conservation work on San Xavier del Bac, the landmark “White Dove of the Desert” mission located south of Tucson, Arizona.
Addressing Social and Environmental Issues: Kenneth J. Kokroko, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture
Kenneth J. Kokroko, a CAPLA Master of Landscape Architecture alumnus, joined the college this fall as assistant professor of landscape architecture. Learn more about Kenneth, including his passions for community-based projects, a positive studio experience and plants.
CAPLA Urban Planning Professors Awarded $150,000 in NITC Research Grants
Philip Stoker received a grant from the National Institute for Transportation and Communities to study rural gentrification and the spillover effect while Ladd Keith, Kristina Currans and Nicole Iroz-Elardo received an NITC grant to study cool corridor heat resilience strategies for human-scale transportation.
Undefined Boundaries: Ana Astiazaran '22 B.Arch
Winner of the esteemed 2021 COTE Top Ten for Students Award, Undefined Boundaries, the Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Tucson, Arizona by Ana Astiazaran '22 B.Arch, addresses social, political and environmental matters with the intention of recognizing humanity’s susceptibility to change.