Ed Akins II selected as Interim Chair of Architecture

The College of Architecture and Construction Management is proud to announce Associate Professor Ed Akins II as the Interim Chair for the Department of Architecture. Professor Akins will assume this role on July 1, 2020 at which time Dr. Rizzuto will return to full-time teaching. The department is at a critical point in its development as we prepare for an upcoming NAAB accreditation visit while balancing the temporary transition to remote learning due to COVID-19. Continuity in strong leadership is needed and Professor Akins is well-capable of providing such.

Ed Akins II, AIA, LEED AP, graduated with a Master of Architecture Degree in 1996 from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has worked locally with Atlanta communities to achieve LCI grants and with the Architecture firms Thompson Ventulett Stainback and Smith Dalia Architects.

From 2002 to 2009, he taught at the Georgia Institute of Technology and at Kennesaw State University (KSU).  In 2009, he began full-time instruction within the Architecture department at KSU and is currently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Integrative studios.

Ed was a lead partner for the Atlanta Sustainable Building Ordinance (ASBO) in 2009 and the moderator for Atlanta's AIA+ARCH2030 Sessions in 2011. He has received multiple certificates of service from AIA and was the recipient of the Emerging Professional Award in 2007 from AIA Georgia, the Emerging Voices Award in 2008 (from AIA Atlanta's YAF chapter), and the recipient of AIA Atlanta's John A. Busby Medal in 2010.  In 2018, he was awarded the R.C. Paul Excellence in Sustainability Award for his outstanding efforts toward promoting environmental sustainability in the educational and operational practices of the Kennesaw State University (KSU) campus community.

Ed has served as Co-Chair and Chair on the President's Commission for Sustainability at KSU and has taught Ecological Urbanism within the USG European Council Paris program.  He was chosen as KSU Sustainability Fellow for the 2016-2017 Academic year and was chosen to attend the 2017 EAO Workshop in Germany focused on the topic "Sustainability - Challenges for the World of Tomorrow."  Ed is currently an active board member of the Architecture Design Center (ADC) of Atlanta and is a registered Architect, practicing in the Atlanta area.

He continues to involve students in the process of design inquiry seeking ecologically sensitive building design and technologies that respond to the needs of human comfort and site priorities. His passion to infuse practice within the explorative environment of academia produces a dynamic and fruitful environment for student and faculty growth.

Please join me in welcoming Professor Akins as Interim Chair.

Sincerely,

Dean Andrew Phillip Payne, May 2020