Katherine S. Ankerson, the first of four finalists for the position of dean of the College of Architecture, will host a public presentation and open forum at 2 p.m. April 19.

The session, which will be in Colonial Room A of the Nebraska Union, is scheduled for 90 minutes. For a full schedule and expanded bios of the four finalists, click here.

Ankerson is professor and head of the department of interior architecture and product design at Kansas State University and is a former professor and associate dean in UNL’s architecture college.

A proponent of design education, she said she believes in the potency of interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement, the value of design and making, and embracing new technologies in addition to strengthening traditional design tools.

Ankerson said she understands that design education must prepare global design citizens who take leadership to foster synergy, embrace successful collaboration and recognize interconnectedness, with an awareness of the responsibility of individual and collective actions in personal, social and environmental arenas.

She is an award-winning author who has written several books. She has led national organizations and is the 2015-16 Interior Design Educators Council past-president. She is a CIDA site visitor and the education member of the Nuckolls Lighting Fund board of directors.

Ankerson arrived at Kansas State from UNL, where she was a professor and associate dean. She also held positions at Radford University and Washington State University after a career as an architect and designer. Feedback on Ankerson can be offered here.