From iconic landmarks to contemporary design practice, a three-day trip to Chicago gives University of Minnesota Master of Architecture students the opportunity to experience architecture firsthand, connect classroom learning with professional practice, and see how design shapes the built environment.

College of Design Assistant Professor Ji Youn Shin is leading a University of Minnesota research partnership to develop collaborative robots that help small-scale farmers adopt sustainable growing practices and improve efficiency. Working with mechanical engineering faculty and the Hmong American Farmers Association, the team will design and test technology shaped by farmers’ needs and traditional agricultural knowledge.

The National Science Foundation has awarded Associate Professor Carlye Lauff (Product Design) an EArly-concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) to characterize how prototype testing sessions generate actionable design knowledge during early-stage product innovation.

A pioneering scholar, mentor, and leader, Joanne Bubolz Eicher transformed the study of dress and textiles while inspiring generations of students and colleagues. Her legacy continues through the College of Design and the global community of scholars she helped shape.

The College of Design mourns the loss of Professor Emeritus Roger D. Clemence, who served the University of Minnesota for more than 30 years as a teacher, mentor, and leader.

As cities around the world confront questions of growth, livability, and equity, Sungduck Lee, Assistant Professor and Director of the Geosocial Visualization Lab at the College of Design, offers a new way to think about the impacts of density and the communities it affects. Her new co-authored book, Urban Density Contextualized: Design Strategies for Building Density in Cities (Routledge), examines how design can foster more inclusive, resilient, and human-centered urban environments.

When Fraser Hall reopened in the Fall of 2025, it redefined how the University of Minnesota teaches chemistry. Architect and professor at the College of Design, Jennifer Yoos, shares how her team at VJAA transformed the historic building into a collaborative, sustainable space for student learning.

Richard Graves, associate professor of architecture and research director at the Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR), has received the University of Minnesota’s Innovation Impact Case Award for advancing sustainable building practices. His work helped shape the Minnesota B3 Sustainable Building Guidelines, launched in response to the state’s Next Generation Energy Act to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Today, B3 continues to set the standard for energy efficiency, resilience, and net-zero goals in state-funded buildings.

Jessica Garcia Fritz, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Minnesota and Citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Inspires Future Indigenous Designers