Jurors
Brian Ambroziak:
Associate Professor of Architecture, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
BRIAN AMBROZIAK RECEIVED HIS MASTERS PRINCETON UNIVERSITY. HIS RESEARCH ENGAGES THE CREATIVE PROCESS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTISTIC CONSCIENCE, AND FOCUSES ON THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DESIGN AND METHODS OF REPRESENTATION AND VISUALIZATION. HE INVESTIGATES HOW IMAGES ARE UNDERSTOOD NOT AS THE RESULT OF SINGULAR EVENTS BUT AS PART OF AN EVOLVED PROCESS, A HISTORY THAT HAS YIELDED LAYERED SYSTEMS THAT CONTAIN HISTORICAL, CULTURAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL MEANING.
IN 1996, BRIAN AMBROZIAK ESTABLISHED THE DESIGN PRACTICE DESIGNBUREAU WITH HIS PARTNER KATHERINE AMBROZIAK. IN 1996, THEY WERE CHOSEN AS ONE OF SIX FINALISTS FROM A FIELD OF FIVE HUNDRED TO COMPETE IN STAGE II OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL DESIGN COMPETITION.
Katherine Ambroziak:
Assistant Professor of Architecture, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
KATHEINE AMBROZIAK RECEIVED HER MASTERS FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY. SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON RESTORING AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERY IN KNOXVILLE, TN. THE CEMETERY WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE 1880S AND STOPPED BURIALS IN THE 1960S. SINCE THEN THE CEMETERY HAS BEEN UNMAINTAINED AND HAS BECOME AN AREA FOR CRIME. PROFESSOR AMBROZIAK IS RESTORING THE CEMETERY AS A PUBLIC PARK AND MEMORIAL TO THOSE WHO REST THERE.
KATHERINE AMBROZIAK HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND HONORS, INCLUDING BECOMING ONE OF THE
FINALISTS FOR THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON DC.
James Early:
Juror Chair
Director of Folklife, Smithsonian
SINCE 1984, MR. EARLY HAS SERVED IN VARIOUS POSITIONS AT THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, INCLUDING ASSISTANT PROVOST FOR EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.
MR. EARLY HAS CONSISTENTLY RECOGNIZED THE INTEGRITY OF HISTORICALLY EVOLVED VALUES AND CULTURES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN, LATINO, NATIVE-AMERICAN, AND ASIAN-PACIFIC AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. HE HAS TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH, WORKED WITH THE INCARCERATED, TAUGHT AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL, LECTURED IN THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY, AND WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ON THE POLITICS OF CULTURE.
Harvey Gantt:
Principal Architect of Gantt Huberman Architects and former mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina
HARVEY GANTT RECEIVED HIS MASTERS FROM MIT AND WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO GRADUATE WITH A ARCHITECTURE DEGREE FROM CLEMSON UNIVERSITY. HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ELECTED TO THE OFFICE OF MAYOR IN CHARLOTTE. IN 1974 GANTT WAS CHOSEN TO FILL THE SEAT OF FRED ALEXANDER, THE FIRST BLACK ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE N.C. SENATE. GANTT WAS THEN ELECTED TO COUNCIL IN 1975 FOR THE 1976-77 TERM. HE WAS AGAIN RE-ELECTED AT-LARGE FOR THE 1977-79 TERM. IN 1981-83 HE SERVED AS MAYOR PRO TEM AND SERVED AS MAYOR FROM 1983-87. HE IS NOW A PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT AT GANTT HUBERMAN ARCHITECTS.
Dr. Emily Gunzburger Makas:
Assistant Professor of Architectural History, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
EMILY GUNZBURGER MAKAŠ RECEIVED HER PHD FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY. DR MAKAS’S TEACHING AND RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEMORY, IDENTITY, POLITICS, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. SHE IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN HOW CONTESTED MEMORIES AND HISTORIES ARE REFLECTED THROUGH ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM IN MULTICULTURAL AND POST-CONFLICT SOCIETIES. HER DOCTORAL DISSERTATION EXPLORED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RECONSTRUCTION, COMMEMORATION, AND IDENTITY IN POSTWAR BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA.
Dr. Akinwumi Ogundiran:
Professor and Chair of Africana Studies, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
AKIN OGUNDIRAN HAS BEEN EDUCATED IN NIGERIA AND THE U.S. AND HE RECEIVED HIS PH.D. IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES FROM BOSTON UNIVERSITY. DR. OGUNDIRAN’S CURRENT RESEARCH FOCUSES ON ISSUES OF EMPIRE, MATERIAL CULTURE AND CULTURAL HISTORY IN ATLANTIC AFRICA, 1500-1830S. HE IS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN YORUBA CULTURAL HISTORY IN THE ATLANTIC WORLD. HIS TEACHING ENCOMPASSES AFRICAN ARCHAEOLOGY, PRECOLONIAL AFRICAN HISTORY, AFRICAN MODERNITIES, ATLANTIC SLAVERY AND THE MIDDLE PASSAGE, AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA CULTURES. HE HAS CONDUCTED RESEARCH IN NIGERIA, ETHIOPIA, AND THE UNITED STATES.
Dr. Richard Powell:
John Spencer Bassett Professor, Duke University; American, Afro-American and African Art
