Academia
Summary of main duties
• Head and lecturer of environmental design of buildings (teaching levels 1-5)
• Director of Environmental Design of Buildings Research Unit (EDoB)
• Co-founder of RDSE MArch research unit (2006-2008)
• Head of Postgraduate research studies (2005-2010)
• PhD Supervisor
• MSc teaching and supervision
Teaching and administration goals
• To lead the development and delivery of the environmental design course across the school
• To maintain a high level of performance in teaching
• To effectively participate in the assessment and review process throughout the school
• To use innovative teaching methods
• To employ a wide range of delivery modes
• Provide both undergraduate and postgraduate students with high quality guidance and support
• To attain a high recognition of my courses
Research goals
• Generate research income through applying for grants
• To expand my research track record by producing high quality research outputs
• Attract more PhD students
Research interest
• Climatic responsive architecture
• Computer simulation
• Design-lead research
• Environmental design and performance analysis of primary schools and residential buildings
• Environmental design of complex buildings
• Human comfort in architecture
• Responsive design for sensitive environments
• Post occupancy evaluation and environmental performance monitoring
PhD supervision
2005 – 2009 Mady Mohamed: Environmental performance of primary schools in hot dry climates
2006 – 2008 Wael Abdou: Residential climatic design for hot arid climates
2007 – 2011 Medhat Osman: Natural ventilation for desert housing
2009 – 2012 Hisham Moustafa: Sustainable cities
Undergraduate teaching responsibilities
I am teaching environmental design of building course across the school; a major component of the integrated MArch degree. The courses are delivered through a wide range of delivery methods including formal lectures, studio, seminars and laboratory tutorials. I am involved in teaching the following modules:
AR11006-Year 1 Architectural Technology & Environment 1.1
AR12004-Year 1 Architectural Technology & Environment 1.2
AR21003-Year 2 Architectural Technology & Environment 2.1
AR22002-Year 2 Architectural Technology & Environment 2.2
AR30002-Year 3 Architectural Technology, Environment / Management, Practice & Law 3
AR40004-Year 4 Advanced Technology and Environment, Management, Practice And Law 4
AR40003-Year 4 Design Research Unit (DRU)
AR50003-Year 5 Architectural Thesis, RDSE MArch research unit
AR50004-Year 5 Research Methodologies, Proposal and Critique
Course development
I significantly contributed to the restructuring of the technology programmes as a member of the technology group to align the course more effectively with the studio design programmes. I took several initiatives in relation to the development of the course and its supporting facilities including the introduction of physical modelling and computer simulation software. This enhanced the student’s ability to further understand how their designs interact with the natural environment and helped informing the design process.
Assessment and review
I am engaged in the assessment and review process across the school. Specific examination duties include:
1.0 Studio reviews and critiques;
2.0 First and second reader of MArch and BArch dissertations;
3.0 Assessment of written work;
4.0 First and second reader of the Design Research Units submissions.
5.0 Assessment of MSc dissertations.
BArch dissertation supervision
Before the school moved to the implementation of the integrated Architectural Masters degree, I supervised BArch final year students dissertations. The research topics I supervised were in the fields of environmental design, lighting, acoustic quality of spaces, emotions of fear and spaces.
MArch research unit
Co-developed and co-heading the Responsive Design for Sensitive Environments MArch Research Unit. This included the development of the research theme, context and potential research projects. RDSE Was concerned with human intervention in sensitive environments, be it within a community or ecosystem, particularly any form of construction that presents serious and difficult challenges for the designer, in order to preserve and/or enhance the existing ecological balance. In the first year of the unit the interest was in Egypt due to the country’s cultural, historical and climatic sensitivity, also the diversity of human habitation through its varying rural and urban environments. The focus of the investigation in the first year was drawn to Historic Cairo, as a culturally and environmentally rich yet fragile area within one of the world’s most overcrowded cities, which both challenge and enhanced the students’ research approach. In the second year the focus was on the sustainable development of a number of West Coast Scottish Isles including Skye, Eigg, Mull and Canna. The projects focused on a range of research topics including rural housing social housing, energy efficiency and mobile architecture.
Head of postgraduate research studies
This includes chairing the postgraduate research committees, PhD student recruitment, PhD students admissions and induction, research training tutorials
Membership of internal committees
1.0 Postgraduate committee (Chair)
2.0 School Board
3.0 Academic planning group
4.0 School website Steering group
5.0 Technology group
6.0 MArch Forum
7.0 Research committee
I was responsible for integrating computer based environmental design tools within the curriculum of the Architecture & Environmental design BArch course and the Architectural Technology BArch course across the school. I was 2nd, 3rd and 4th years studio tutor in the Architecture & Environmental design BArch course and the Architectural Technology BArch course.
