Chris Ford

Bio

Chris is a design professional, design educator, and design researcher in the areas of both Architecture and Infrastructure design. He studies and shapes urban futures through design-actionable research utilizing human-centered methodologies.

Upon graduating with his Master of Architecture from North Carolina State University, Chris worked in the offices of Richard Meier & Partners (New York), Rick Joy Architects (Tucson) and Rob Paulus Architects (Tucson). Projects assisted or managed include residential (single and multi-family), commercial and infrastructural typologies. Chris is a licensed architect in the State of North Carolina.

After teaching as a lecturer at the University of Arizona, Chris joined the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska as tenure-track/tenured faculty. He regularly taught undergraduate and graduate design studios including the NAAB Comprehensive Project, elective courses in Design Methodology and Modern Craft, and advised Design Thesis. In Spring 2013, Chris coordinated the "London | 2013" Program where his funded research prompted coursework on Hybridized Urban Infrastructures. In 2015, Chris stepped away as a tenured Associate Professor in Architecture to pursue a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

Chris is a PhD Candidate in the Mechanical Engineering (Design Group) and the 2016-2019 Hamamoto Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellow at Stanford University, where he has completed a PhD Minor in Civil & Environmental Engineering. His PhD investigation is titled "Resilient Infrastructure Futures." Chris was originally advised by Larry Leifer (Emeritus ME), and is now co-advised by Martin Fischer (CEE) and Sean Follmer (ME). As a research coordinator for the Urban Futures initiative, Chris applies Design Thinking to demonstrated problems in the built environment including housing, lifeline infrastructure systems, and urban resilience.

Chris is also a founding Editorial Board member of "Technology | Architecture + Design (TAD Journal)," a peer-review scholarly journal published by the ACSA and printed by Taylor & Francis. He served as its inaugural Associate Editor and has also served as Issue Editor for TAD: "Urbanizing" (v3,i1) and TAD: "Engineering" (v6,i2).

Chris maintains exposure to the practices of multiple disciplines through memberships with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), SPUR, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) where he also serves on the Emerging Technology Committee within the organization's Infrastructure Resilience Division.

Honors & Awards

• Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship, Vice Provost for Graduate Education, Stanford University (June 2016 - June 2019)
• Steward Professorship in Sustainable Design, College of Architecture, University of Nebraska - Lincoln (Oct 2008 - Oct 2010)
• Monster of Design Award: "Renewable Energy Infrastructures", AIA Kansas City, Young Architects Forum (Oct 2009)
• Monster of Design Award: "TAIMEN", AIA Kansas City, Young Architects Forum (Oct 2008)
• Honorary Faculty Member, Tau Delta Sigma Honor Society, University of Nebraska - Lincoln (2009)
• Larry Hawthorne Faculty Award, College of Architecture, University of Nebraska - Lincoln (2006)
• Darryl B. Dobras Award for Excellence, CAPLA, University of Arizona (2004)
• AIA Henry Adams Certificate of Merit, College of Design, North Carolina State University (1998)
• Student Inductee, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, North Carolina State University (1998)
• Student Inductee, Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society, North Carolina State University (1998)
• PDA Traveling Fellowship, College of Design, North Carolina State University (1997)

Professional Affiliations and Activities

• Member, Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) (2017 - Present)
• Student Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (2014 - Present)
• Student Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) (2014 - Present)
• Member, SPUR (2013 - Present)
• Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA) (2012 - Present)

Education & Certifications

• Master of Architecture, North Carolina State University, Architecture (1998)
• B.A. in Architecture, UNC-Charlotte, Architecture, Minor in English (1995)

Service, Volunteer and Community Work

• Founding Editorial Board member; Inaugural Associate Editor, Technology | Architecture + Design (TAD Journal) (6/1/2016)

  Location

  Washington DC

• Member, Emerging Technologies Committee, Infrastructure Resilience Division, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (6/2015)

  Location

  Reston VA

• Board of Directors, Lester F. Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum, University of Nebraska - Lincoln (1/2008 - 6/2012)

  Location

  Lincoln NE