Eberhard Research Fellowship
John Eberhard (1927-2020), the founding dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, was a critical and creative scholar, educator, and leader. Trained at MIT and later employed at the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and American Institute of Architects, among others, Eberhard held a deep interest in design thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, design innovation, and applied, cutting-edge research. With the generous support of Peter Hourihan, former principal at CannonDesign and a member of the first cohort of architecture students at UB, the Eberhard Research Fellowship extends Eberhard’s ethos and legacy. Each year, the fellowship is awarded to an exceptional incoming M.Arch student motivated to carry out significant and impactful architectural research (through a master’s thesis and allied coursework).
Alli is in her first year of the UB Master of Architecture program after earning her Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 2025.
Alli’s passion for architecture is deeply rooted in its intersection with mental health, particularly in understanding how the built environment can either exacerbate or ease psychological challenges. With the support of the Eberhard Fellowship, she intends to investigate how architectural design can promote well-being, alleviate stress, and support healing through key design elements such as natural light and ventilation, acoustics, spatial arrangements, green space, etc. This research has multiple applications including, but not limited to, housing, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. To accomplish her research goals, Alli plans to review existing academic articles, analyze case studies of buildings that have implemented innovative designs to effectively foster mental wellbeing, and utilize UB’s extensive interdisciplinary network to consult with mental health professionals.
Previous recipients
Katarina is in her second and final year of the UB Master of Architecture program, after earning her Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a minor in Environmental Design and spending two summers studying abroad in Europe.
Katarina is interested in the history and legacy of architecture, pertaining to its permanence, social impact, and creative possibilities. Through the directed research and thesis program, and the support of the Eberhard Fellowship, she plans to pursue “temporary” or “false” architecture. This can range from examining World’s Fairs, which lead to innovative progressions in architecture that change the world, or momentary displays of style that are destroyed as soon as the event ends. Or, film and TV sets that create false worlds or impersonate real ones, to convey story and emotion. Even the architecture of theme parks can demonstrate careful engineering of experience and complex design under layers of fantasy. She would like to explore how these topics can impact design today and what we can learn from impermanent or imaginative architecture.
2023-24 Eberhard Research Fellow: Peter Fillion - M.Arch '24
Peter has been doing sound engineering for nearly a decade and has a deep passion for sound. He has distinguished himself in every arena of life, as a student, employee, and soldier. As a soldier, Peter is a member of the NY Army National Guard and has distinguished himself as the National Soldier of the Year. He has been activated in response to national disasters in his local community. As an employee, he has earned the respect and confidence of his employers. As a student, he has won design awards and multiple scholarships, made the dean's list, been published in Intersight, and won the Eberhard Research Fellowship. Because of this fellowship, Peter can explore his passion for sound. He hopes to explore the impacts of artificial and physical acoustics.
Thesis Title:
Euphoric Eden: Designing for Intimate and Enveloping Acoustics
Thesis Committee:
Mark Shephard
Nick Bruscia
2022-23 Eberhard Research Fellow: Julia Wade - M.Arch '24
Julia was the inaugural recipient of the Eberhard Fellowship, which supported her research and fostered her academic and professional growth. Throughout her studies, Julia earned Dean's List honors and was inducted into the Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society in Architecture and Allied Arts.
Julia is passionate about exploring the multisensory relationship between the body and space, focusing on how material elements activate sensory responses that shape our perception and movement through environments. As a researcher and designer, she seeks to deepen our understanding of space as a dynamic, interconnected system that influences how we experience and inhabit the world around us.
Her research and design are inspired by the ordinary, everyday moments often overlooked, finding valuable insights in these simple experiences to inform thoughtful, impactful design. With experience in both retail design and housing, Julia continues to incorporate these sentiments into her design decisions, always striving to create intentional, people-centered spaces.
Thesis Title:
Unraveling Sensory Dimensions
Thesis Committee:
Beth Tauke
Randy Fernando