Architect Opens Lecture Series

Dr. Michael Crosbie, chair of Architecture, made a presentation on “God’s Green House—Connections between Theology, Ecology, and Architecture” Wednesday, April 1. His presentation was the first of a five-lecture series on “Technology: The Leading Edge,” for the President’s College, a non-credit program offering short courses and activities for adults, engaging the population of the communities surrounding the University in the intellectual and academic life of our campus.

Dr. Michael Crosbie addresses the President's College.

Dr. Crosbie’s talk focused on buildings recently designed and made for various faith communities in North America. The buildings he discussed are all sustainable designs, involving recycled materials and using natural light and heat as much as possible, along with other green strategies, to reflect the fact that the communities using these buildings feel a responsibility to the planet created by God for our use and care. They see themselves as stewards of the planet and want their buildings to be part of their stewardship.

Dr. Crosbie, Registered Architect, has served as an editor of Faith and Form magazine and writes regularly on architecture and faith communities for various magazines and newspapers. He is the author of numerous books on architecture and has taught at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. He is now associate professor of Architecture as well as chair of the department here in CETA. His B.S., M.Arch., and Ph.D. were earned at Catholic University. For more information about Dr. Crosbie and the Architecture Department, please click here.

The next lecture in the Technology series will be made by Tim Britt, program director of Audio Engineering Technology, who will talk about “Audio and the Digital Revolution” on April 15. Other speakers will be Dr. Lou Manzione, Dean of CETA, on “Healthcare Technologies and the Coming Decade” on April 22; Dr. Tom Filburn on “Life Support Technologyies for the Orion Crew Vehicle, the Next Lunar Exploration Capsule” on April 29; and Dr. Michelle Vigeant on “Acoustical Engineering: Auralization—Hearing a Room Before It Is Built” on May 6. The speakers are leading researchers in CETA.

Other programs in the President’s College include an upcoming series on “The Symphony After Beethoven” presented by Michael Lankester who was music director of the Hartford Symphony for 15 years and is now a guest conductor with various orchestras around the world; three lectures on “The Beatles: A Confluence of Musical Styles” by Michael Shiano, an associate professor of musical theory in The Hartt School; and a talk about Old Newgate Prison in East Granby, Connecticut, the first state prison in America. The President’s College is led by Dr. Humphrey Tonkin, University Professor of the Humanities and President Emeritus of the University of Hartford. Please click here for more information about Dr. Tonkin and the President’s College.