College of Arts + Architecture

Professor of Architectural History Lee Gray joined CBS Sunday Morning News May 21 for a feature story on elevators. An international expert on elevators and escalators, Gray was interviewed at the Biltmore House in Asheville, where the 19th-century elevator still has a staff operator. He explained how elevators changed the world. Watch the segment, “Elevators: Living the High Life,” here.

Lidia Klein, assistant professor of architectural history, had had her book, “Political Postmodernisms: Architecture in Chile and Poland, 1970–1990,” published by Routledge. The work argues for a redefinition of postmodern architecture.

Professor of Digital Media Heather Freeman was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to produce the podcast, “Magic in the United States: 400 Years of Magical Beliefs, Practices and Cultural Conflicts.”

Assistant Professor of Architecture Liz McCormick and co-investigator Brett Tempest, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, have received a grant from the National Science Foundation to engage students in McCormick’s continued research into climate-resilient architecture in tropical regions.

Assistant Professor of Dance Kaustavi Sarkar has received the James H. Woodward Faculty Research Award. Established in 2021, this annual award is given to an untenured faculty member who has been reappointed to a tenure-track position. Sarkar is the second faculty member to receive the award.

Allison Petrauskas ’16 is the 2023 recipient of the New Professional Art Educator Award from the National Art Education Association, the leading professional membership organization for visual arts educators.

Students Nicholas Andruzzi, Christian Souza and Izzy Oyler won first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference held recently at Liberty University in Virginia.

Andruzzi placed first in the Adult Classical Tenor/Baritone/Bass category, and Souza placed first in the Third-Year Student Classical Tenor/Baritone/Bass category. They study voice with Brian Arreola, professor of voice.

Emily Makaš was appointed to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission by Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles.

The commission is the shared city and county entity that recommends the designation of sites for landmark status as well as secures their preservation through design review and the buying and selling of endangered historic properties. The commission has 12 members: six appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, four appointed by City Council, and two appointed by the mayor.

For the first time, UNC Charlotte is a partner in presenting Charlotte SHOUT!, which will invigorate Uptown Charlotte, bringing performances, installations, food trucks, interactive art and engaging conversations to plazas and venues in the center city.

Karen Hubbard, a retired associate professor of dance, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from North Carolina Dance Education Organization at the 2023 conference held at UNC Charlotte.

Hubbard, who has danced on Broadway, television and film, retired in 2022 after teaching in the Department of Dance for 36 years. While at UNC Charlotte, she evolved an innovative approach to teaching Vintage Jazz Dance; the students in her class learned jazz movement from the first half of the 20th century as well as cultural, historical/aesthetic aspects of the form.