Madlen Simon, AIA
Professor, Architecture
Design thinking is my focus as a researcher and educator. While the scientific method is a way of discovering what is, design thinking is a method for envisioning what ought to be. I put design
thinking into practice to envision better futures for people and communities. My scholarship
discovers the history and theory of design thinking and the education of designers. As an educator, I teach future architects design thinking as a methodology for engaging with people around the globe and I teach design thinking to students from all disciplines as a methodology for innovation and entrepreneurship. I seek funding for community-engaged design research projects involving graduate students in investigating design questions facing local agencies and non-profit organizations as they plan strategically for their futures.
As an academic and professional leader, I use design thinking to engage colleagues in productive change, to advance undergraduate education at the University of Maryland, and to advance architectural education across the nation and around the globe. Bridging the Gap Studio, winner of the Architect Magazine Studio Prize 2019, pioneered an innovative model for international design education that launched a ten-year-long collaboration between the University of Maryland and Al-Nahrain University in Baghdad, Iraq.
My recent research and teaching links architecture and neuroscience to discover human response to designed environments. As a member of the board of ARCC, the Architectural Research Centers Consortium, I work to advance research in architecture and the built environment.
Research Interests:
- Architectural Education
- Architecture and Neuroscience
- Human Response to Built Environments
- Design Thinking
- Community-Engaged Design
Affiliations:
Department Information
- Architecture
- PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and Design
- Faculty