Research Associates
The Board of Directors of the Academy in one of its strategic planning sessions, conceived of the idea of establishing a program of Research Associates, people who would work for one or more years in neuroscience laboratories or architectural firms where they would gain knowledge of either field that was new to them. Thus, someone with a background in architecture would work in a neuroscience lab, or a neuroscientist would work in an architectural firm. During this time they would also seek ways to convey to the members of their professional base what they were learning.
Past and present Research Associates include:
Meredith Banasiak
As a Research Associate with the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA) in Washington, D.C., Meredith developed her research interest exploring the dialogue between the human factors of a building and the designed environment. She engaged in cognitive neuroscience research at the Krasnow Institute of Advanced Studies at George Mason University where she used behavioral paradigms and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate environmental context effects on cognitive processes across the life cycle.
Currently, Meredith is an Instructor in the Department of Architecture at University of Colorado. Meredith has taught architectural studios at Arizona State University, and The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., including the 2006 Summer Institute for Architecture where she explored pedagogically links between cognitive neuroscience and design applications.
Meredith received her Master of Architecture degree from Arizona State University (ASU) and was the recipient of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design's Outstanding Graduate Award and the Thesis Award. She has worked as a project designer for an architecture firm specializing in higher education and healthcare projects, and is currently pursuing her architectural licensure.
Meredith earned an HAB degree in Classical Languages with a minor in Natural Sciences from Xavier University, and has studied in Assisi, Italy, and at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece.
Eve Edelstein, M.Arch., Ph.D.
(Neurophysiology, University College London, B.A. Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley).
Dr. Edelstein's research at the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, London, explored the electrophysiology of nerve fibers that feedback from the central nervous system to the inner ear, and demonstrated sensitive methods to assess efferent auditory dysfunction.
Her work contributed to the implementation of universal programs that test newborn and infant hearing (State of California). In addition, she has coordinated clinical and research investigations of vestibular dysfunction, and studies leading toward medical prevention and restoration of noise induced hearing loss (Spatial Orientation Center, Naval Medical Center).
Eve is serving as a liaison/interpreter for the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health and for the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture.
In 2003, Dr. Edelstein and John Eberhard, FAIA, designed and began teaching the first series of courses in Neuroscience for Architects at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design, San Diego. Eve continues to teach graduate courses and seminars at the NewSchool.
Dr. Edelstein has directed studies at the Salk Institute of Biological Sciences that relate neuroscience concepts to design questions (Study of Enriched Laboratory Design , 2004), and at the Interwork Institute, San Diego State University (Study of Educational Facility Design for Neurological or Physical Disabilities, 2004).
Melissa Farling, AIA
Melissa Farling joined ANFA as a Research Associate at the end of 2005. She received her BA in Architecture from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte and her BArch and MArch from the University of Arizona . She is a Senior Associate with Gould Evans with over eighteen years of experience managing the design of criminal justice facilities and large-scale public and private projects. Her passion for studying the affects of architecture on behavior began with her Master's thesis, which explored these affects in a highly restricted environment: a state prison. Ms. Farling serves as a local AIA Chapter Past President on the Central Arizona Chapter Foundation Board and sits on the Board of Gnosis Ltd, a non-profit organization which seeks to preserve and present the significant creative contributions of individuals who have changed our world.
Melissa is currently working with the Academy of Architecture for Justice (AAJ), an AIA Knowledge Community, on a pilot study funded primarily through a cooperative agreement from the National Institute of Corrections. The study focuses on the impact of visual features (color and nature) on stress in an intake/booking center at a Northern California jail.
In her preparation for research linking neuroscience and correctional facility design, Melissa has attended graduate behavioral neuroscience classes at Arizona State University. She also continues to observe research in the laboratory of Dr. Jiping He, Director of the Center for Neural Interface Design at the Biodesign Institute at ASU. Dr. He pursues research aimed at helping people with Central Nervous System impairments using advanced neural implant devices for brain-machine interfaces.
Kate Meairs, Assoc. AIA
Kate Meairs received her degree in architecture from the University of Colorado, and was an officer for the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) She has worked in various fields of architecture including: entertainment/hospitality, office design, multi-family, community master planning, and retirement and resort housing. Currently Kate has worked with Dr. Joan Stiles at the University of California San Diego in the Development Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory as a research associate. She also serves as a committee member on the San Diego Urban Design Committee.
Ilya Monosov
Ilya Monosov, who has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California San Diego, became a graduate architecture student at the NewSchool in the Master of Science program, taught an undergraduate course in Environmental Biology, and worked either in the laboratory of Dr. Ursula Bellugi, Professor and Director of the Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Salk Institute. Ilya is currently a Ph.D. candidate in neuroscience at Brown University.
Margaret Tarampi, Assoc. AIA
Margaret Tarampi is a research consultant to the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture based in San Diego, California. She is currently a cognitive psychology PhD graduate student at the University of Utah. Previously she worked as a research assistant in the Systems Neurobiology Laboratory of Lisa Stefanacci, PhD and served as an intern/interpreter for the AIA Committee on Design.
Margaret received a Bachelor of Architecture with minors in Psychology and Architectural History from Carnegie Mellon University. She pursued a Master of Architecture at the Washington Alexandria Architecture Center of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her thesis was titled "Neuro-architecture: How design, designs us." She was an adjunct assistant professor at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego CA teaching an introductory course titled “Neuroscience for Architects I."
She served as the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Carnegie Mellon Chapter President for two years and as AIAS National Director of the Northeast Quadrant from 2000-2001. Her work at Carnegie Mellon and with the AIAS was awarded with several university and national honors including a 2004 National AIAS Presidential Citation, the CMU Alumni Association 2001 Student Service Award, the CMU 2001 Senior Leadership Award, the 2000 National AIAS Student Research Honor Award and the 1999 National AIAS Chapter President Honor Award.