SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN
Faculty & Staff
Here in the School of Architecture, we have a dedicated staff that is committed to seeing your success in the program.
Rolando Gonzalez-Torres
Director
Architecture & Interior Design
Architect and educator with more than 25 years of experience of teaching on higher education centers in Mexico, Spain and the USA. He received a PhD in architecture from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Barcelona Tech); a Master of Arts in Education from Western Kentucky University; a Master of Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University; and a Bachelor of Architecture from Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, México.
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Previous to his appointment at SIU, he was a professor in the Camilo José Cela University at Madrid; the Tecnológico de Monterrey at Mexico City and Monterrey campus; as well as in Arte A.C. and Universidad Mexicana del Noreste, also at Monterrey, Mexico.
Peter Smith
Associate Professor
Architecture & Interior Design
Peter Smith's dynamic freshman design projects have garnered students much praise and media attention for their innovation and style. Focusing on three-dimensional perception and shared cultural experiences, Professor Smith's design communication courses have been featured in multiple news outlets, and continue to guide new students to their own creative voices each year.
Steven Turnipseed
Associate Professor
Architecture & Interior Design
Steve taught Architecture and Urban Design at Ball State University, The University of Texas at Arlington, and Texas A and M University for 11 years before joining the Grand Rapids, Michigan, office of URS Corporation for 22 years. As a Senior Design Architect at URS, his facility designs included award winning schools, medical facilities and other commercial and institutional projects. Steve has been an Instructor at Southern Illinois University since 2010, where he has taught architectural design at all levels.
Mehdi Ashayeri
Associate Professor
Architecture
Mehdi Ashayeri is an architect, engineer, researcher, and educator. He earned his Ph.D. in Architecture, Technologies of the Built Environment, at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT).
Ashayeri has practiced as an architect and leader at several architecture and design-build firms in New York City, Chicago, and Tehran. He has worked on projects ranging from large-scale and tall building design to highly detailed design development for landmark projects.
Farshad Kheiri
Associate Professor
Architecture
Farshad Kheiri, Ph.D., LEED AP BD+C, joined SIUC as an assistant professor in 2021. His research focus lies in the areas of the analysis, design, and optimization of energy-efficient buildings, performance-driven generative building design, building environmental systems, and building automation systems and controls.
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Prior to his appointment at SIU, he has been participating in Texas Emissions Reduction Plan at Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at Texas A&M Engineering Experiment. At ESL, he contributed in different research projects, including the assessment of energy savings and the resultant emissions reductions from different energy efficiency programs and code-compliant buildings that resulted in several Technical Reports.
Eric Farr
Associate Professor
Architecture
Dr. Eric Farr is an Industry-led, Practice-based, Design-oriented, Research-informed, student/graduate-centered educator of architecture and design for over two decades, with a continuous and demonstrated record of outstanding performance as architectural designer, design consultant, and architecture critic since 1998.
Holding a Master and a Doctorate degree in architecture and urban studies, specializing in sustainability science, computational design and digital fabrication, he has experienced the decorated Technical University of Berlin (TU-Berlin) in Germany, where he graduated the doctoral program summa cum laude. He taught and practiced architecture, digital design and architectural theory in three continents, and experienced high architecture with Coop Himmelb(l)au, JM Architects, PRP Architects among others for over two decades. He has been a foreign licensed architect (AIA Intl Assoc), individually and proactively practicing since 2004.
Amos Kalua
Associate Professor
Architecture
Dr. Amos Kalua is an Architect and Building Services Engineer. He received a Ph.D. in Architecture and a Master of Science in Architecture from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the USA, a Master of Engineering in Architecture from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Malawi.
Through his research work, he investigates the interactions between architecture, building physics and environmental sustainability with the objective of enhancing human health and comfort in a more sustainable manner.
Jessica Sergeev
Associate Professor
Architecture & Interior Design
With a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Architecture, both from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Jessica brings a robust educational background and extensive experience in both academic and community settings to her role.
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Jessica’s professional journey extends beyond academia. As a dedicated community leader, she serves as the Vice President of Carbondale Main Street, where she provides strategic direction for façade grants and community events. Her work includes promoting healthy living and environmentally friendly transportation through events like the Bike Rodeo. Additionally, her role as a Commissioner and Past President of the Carbondale Park District underscores her commitment to community enrichment and environmental stewardship.
Kirk Irwin
Associate Professor
Architecture
Kirk Irwin is a licensed architect with thirty years of professional experience mostly in Chicago. During that time, he also taught part-time at schools in the Chicago area and London. He divides his time between Edinburgh, Scotland where he is completing his PhD in architectural history at the University of Edinburgh and Chicago.
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His professional work includes the design of residential, small commercial, and institutional buildings. His architecture degree is a B. Arch from the University of Cincinnati. He also has a master’s degree in Architectural History from the University of Virginia.
Michael Carney
Associate Professor
Architecture
Michael has been working in the Architectural Profession for over 21 years establishing Studio Carney Architecture, Inc. in 2014
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He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and his graduate degree from Southern Illinois University. He is passionate about the profession and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Association of Licensed Architects, recognized as a Broadly Experienced Architect by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and is also a LEED Green Associate.
Laura Morthland
Director of ID
Interior Design
A member of SIU faculty since 2006, Laura Morthland currently serves as Director of the Interior Design program. Professor Morthland instructs students in a variety of foundational and advanced coursework related to design concepts, history, and interior finishing materials.
Jennifer Matthews
Associate Professor
Interior Design
A proud alumna of SIU Carbondale's interior design program, Jennifer's professional portfolio includes commercial projects for education, professional offices, healthcare, financial, and judicial interiors.
With over two decades of industry experience, she joined the faculty in 2019.
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As a licensed Interior Designer for over 22 years, her design focus includes Commercial, Healthcare, Higher Education, Schools, Government, as well as Residential Design Projects.
Sheila Baysinger Hensley
Architecture & Interior Design
Associate Professor
Sheila Baysinger Hensley, Principal at BHDG Architects and owner of Baysinger Design Group, guides SIU students through professional practices as they near completion of architectural and interior design degrees. In addition to her extensive design work, she also holds a Juris Doctorate from SIU School of Law.
Qian (Jenny) Huang
Associate Professor
Construction Mgmt.
Dr. Huang earned her law degree and bar certification in China, concentrating her master's studies on Building Construction Law, Contract and Practice. After working on several public transportation projects for the Tianjin Central Government, she moved to the United States and earned a doctorate in Building Construction Management from Purdue University (2016).
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In addition to extensive experience with construction management and contract law, Professor Huang researches environmental components within the growing field of smart-grid technology. Her scholastic expertise is recognized internationally by audiences spanning architectural, civil engineering, scientific, and legal backgrounds.
