AMES, Iowa -- Each year, DesignIntelligence honors excellence in education and education administration by naming 25 exemplary professionals in these fields. The 2016-17 class of education role models includes Luis Rico-Gutierrez, professor of architecture and dean of the Iowa State University College of Design.
The top 25 were selected by the publication’s staff based on extensive input from thousands of design professionals, academic department heads and students. Educators from the disciplines of architecture, interior design and landscape architecture were considered for inclusion.
In the citation about Rico-Gutierrez, DesignIntelligence says:
“This architect has created a level of role model excellence setting new standards that build relationships in the profession. He has developed into one of the strongest advocates for excellence in student service plus life-long relationships of quality. He is responsible for improving the brand of the university and gaining full promotional support of alumni. Seeks formidable challenges.”
Rico-Gutierrez became dean of the ISU College of Design in July 2009. From 2010 to 2012 he helped spearhead the reorganization of the college from four academic departments to the current seven, to better capitalize on its strengths as a truly comprehensive design college and make each discipline more visible while creating opportunities for increased collaboration among students and faculty across departments.
He previously served on the architecture faculty at Carnegie Mellon University for 13 years, and as associate dean of CMU’s College of Fine Arts for the last eight of those years. He had directed Carnegie Mellon’s Remaking Cities Institute since 2006 and remains on the institute’s international advisory board.
Rico-Gutierrez is a professionally accredited architect in Mexico and Spain. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from ITESM, Queretaro, Mexico; a master’s degree in building science from Carnegie Mellon; and a graduate degree in modular design and isotropic space arrangement from the Rafael Leoz Foundation, Madrid. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, AIA Large Firm Roundtable, Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and Design Futures Council. He is a founding member of the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities.
