. Response by the U.S. President Biden            . Visual Documentation              . Music                   . Community Engagement
to my message to him                                                (Architecture & Interior)
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                            (My upcoming research-centered initiative for
                                                                                                                                  collective learning on 21st century architecture) 
                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                   
                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                         
Welcome to my page...
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Trained as an architect, I am a dedicated and distinguished scholar with Ph.D. in architecture. My problem-centered scientific research projects aim to explore game changing findings in my expertise fields. My current scientific research interests in architecture (history) are public health and climate justice with intersectional perspectives in the social context.
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My recent advanced academic research project has examined social justice themes in (postwar) architecture (history): With academic sponsorship by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, History, Theory and Criticism of Architecture Program as a visiting scholar for two years (24 months), I am "the first" scholar to uncover the beginning of co-education at the Princeton University-School of Architecture in 1968 (under the first dean of the School, Professor Robert Geddes' academic leadership and at the graduate level) and  "the first" scholar to uncover professional career and education herstory of pioneering Turkish and Turkish-American women architects in multicultural postwar U.S. architecture after my Ph.D. in architecture at Istanbul Technical University. Intersectional feminism, intertwined history of architecture, and politics of gender in multicultural postwar U.S. architecture have been my recent scholarly research interests and expertise fields. (1). I was invited by the MIT-HTC, the MIT-WGS, the MIT-Women League, the MIT-Media in Transition International Conferences (5 & 6), the MIT-WikiConference North America, the Harvard University-GSD, the 53rd Middle East Studies Association-Annual Meeting, the Society of American Archivists-Research Forum (2020), CUNY, Boston University, the Society of Architectural Historians-Annual and International Conferences (2023 and 2018), "Women Who Design", the AIA-Silicon Valley, Emerson College, etc. as a speaker and a panelist. Following my productive research process at MIT, I am currently developing my book project. 
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My most recent research project investigates diverse and inclusive historical documentation practice at pioneering schools of architecture in the U.S., such as at MIT, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc., and I moderated an online panel organized by "Women Who Design" on diverse and inclusive historical documentation in architecture with distinguished panelists: Professor Mary Norman Woods, a pioneering woman architecture historian, a leading senior curator and two archivists in the field in 2021. 
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I am an awardee of a fellowship by the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) and very pleased to receive invitation e-mail by the Founding President of Historic Interiors Affiliate Group at the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH-HIG) to serve their “first" Research Committee. With my brilliant colleagues at this Research Committee, three inspiring archivists in the field and support by our affiliate group (SAH-HIG), I have co-organized our first (and online) panel, "Flow: At the Intersection of Archives and Historic Interiors". With my scholarly mission to support and promote inclusive and diverse mindset in architecture (history), I was also a nominator for the Aga Khan Awards for Architecture. As a certificate holder by Consortium for Graduate Studies, Gender, Culture, Women & Sexuality (GCWS) hosted by MIT, I am also a peer reviewer of the PLAN Journal (TPJ) on research, studies and criticism in architecture and urbanism, and a scientific committee member of "VI International Conference on Architecture and Gender". (València, 2023). (2).
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As a panelist at "Convergence ​at the Confluence of Power, Identity, and Design" held by “the Harvard University, Graduate School of Design (GSD)-Women in Architecture Group” (in November 2018), it was an inspiring experience for me to act as an active part of a historic threshold and positive transformation at this pioneering school in architecture: With “Convergence”, we had invited everyone in architecture and design - oriented disciplines to take their concrete actions for systemic equity in education and profession. Following our strong messages, in April 2019, Professor Sarah Whiting was officially announced as "the first" woman dean in the history of the Harvard University-GSD: We accomplished, together!
.in architecture and urbanism.. .
As a special Turkish fellow, I began my Ph.D. dissertation research at the Harvard University, Aga Khan History of Art and Architecture, Ph.D. Program, and continued this advanced research at the Columbia University, Graduate School of Planning and Preservation, Ph.D. Program as a research scholar. Based on my dissertation research at Harvard and Columbia universities (in particular with scientific research support by Professor Kenneth Frampton), I completed "the first" Ph.D. dissertation on historical and theoretical analysis of practice conducted by Tekeli-Sisa Architecture (Istanbul, 1954-present) with a specific research problem on design architect - (diverse) large scale client  relationship in the private sector, and obtained my Ph.D. in Architecture at the Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture. My secondary scholarly expertise fields and interests are sociology of the architecture profession, its theory and (postwar) history, modernization of architectural design practice,  and design architect practitioner and (large - scale) client relationship with a focus on postwar Türkiye. Prior to my advanced and international scholarly endeavors, I obtained my bachelor and master’s degrees in architecture from Istanbul Technical University established in 1773. Its Faculty of Architecture is "the first" school in the world that obtained recognition from the National Architecture Accreditation Board (NAAB) outside the U.S. in 2008 as well (3). I also took my English language education at Istanbul Technical University, School of Foreign Languages, English Preparatory Programs accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. (4). Following my professional degree in architecture, my graduation project was nominated as an award candidate at the 5th National Architecture Awards by the Chamber of Architects of Türkiye, and was exhibited in this Award Program's Travelling Exhibition across the country. As a licensed architect in Türkiye, I pursued my professional design practice with my teaching and publishing practice in architecture as well. 
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I have over 100 publications in architecture, including published scholarly essays, articles, digital collection, published research report, interviews on my research, editorial monographs, digital publications of my panel talks, symposium and conference presentations, short documentary films and translations. According to Archnet at MIT, the "first" and digital collection on "Turkish Women Architects" I created and developed for this online resourse is the largest of several additions to their Women in Architecture Collection. (in 2016). (5).  Diverse and inclusive historical documentation, visual archives and photography are among my deep scholarly interests in architecture and interior design. With my published "817" architectural and interior photographs, I am a contributor of "SAH Archipedia", authoritative online encyclopedia of the U.S. built environment organized by the Society of Architectural Historians and the University of Virginia Press; and "SAHARA", a digital image archive developed by the Society of Architectural Historians in collaboration with Artstor and funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In January 2023, I was very pleased to be the guest editor of SAHARA. My published architectural and interior photographs are mostly taken from iconic modern and contemporary buildings, pioneering research-based university campuses and landscaped environments on the East Coast of the U.S My 19 editorial monographs on pioneering architects are accessible at leading academic libraries in the U.S. architecture, such as at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library of Columbia University, the Frances Loeb Library of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and the Rotch Library of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Architecture & Planning. My published architectural monograph on Bernard Tschumi is accessible in Swiss Collections, a gateway to historical and modern collections in Swiss libraries and archives as well. (Bibliographic code: bbg08). These 19 editorial monographs are "first" series on pioneering international and national modern and contemporary architects for research and teaching communities in Turkish architecture. 
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With my full commitment to support inclusion and diversity in architecture, academia and society, I am also a founding member of Citizen TALES Commons, Cambridge-based multidisciplinary and international scholarly community on inclusive citizenship, civic engagement and humanities. (with more than 100 international scholars).
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As the first-generation international (woman) scholar, I am proud of being a graduate of Erenkoy Girls High School (with honors) in Istanbul: Leman Tomsu and Munevver Belen, the first two women architects of Türkiye (1934) were graduated from the same high school (1929), and it is one of the oldest surviving high schools with its high standards in education in the country. (1911-present). In addition, I am deeply indebted to Dr. Gulsun Saglamer, my professor during my architecture education (Honorary Fellow by the American Institute of Architects and the first woman rector of Istanbul Technical University) for the foundation of my international vision.
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Following invitation e-mail by its chair to join the proposal of Women in Architecture Affiliate Group at the Society of Architectural Historians (2019), I was also invited by her e-mail to serve as a member of its "first" Register Committee (2020) and to contribute to its Media and Communication Team (2021). (6). With the establishment of the Registers Committee in December 2020, I submitted my systematic, in-depth and comprehensive research on archival resources of diverse women architects in January and February 2021 (total: 41 pages) as “the first” register of this Committee on archives (5).  My submitted systematic, in-depth and comprehensive research study also includes bibliography on diverse women architects.
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Finally, I am fanatic appreciator of Stanley Clarke (Grammy-winning bassist, producer and composer in jazz), King Crimson (pioneering band in progressive rock/progressive metal, 1968-present) and Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff (Western Classical, the late Romantic period). My acoustic Fender along with singing is inseparable part of my life!
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As a dedicated architect, accomplished scholar and educator, I am always open new and inspiring projects for a better architecture! For lecture and speaking arrangements, online teaching, collaborative projects, and questions, please do not hesitate to contact me:
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meral@meralekincioglu.com
                                                                                                                      For notes, please click
                                                                                                                                                                                  
My profile on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/meral-ekincioglu-ph-d-b649b6b
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My profile on Archnet at MIT:
https://www.archnet.org/authorities/2975
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My profile on Humanities Commons:
https://hcommons.org/members/meral2020
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My profile on Archinet:
https://archinect.com/people/cover/150330395/meral-ekincioglu
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My blog on architecture:
meralekincioglu.blogspot.com
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My youtube channel on architecture:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQa7o9RHlFNucbNy_mIq2uw
My Membership:
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The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) (2020-present; 2017-2018; 2014-2015)
• The SAH Historic Interiors Affiliate Group, Research Committee member
(2021-present)
• The SAH Climate Change and Architectural History Affiliate Group
(2021-present)
• The SAH Minority Scholars Affiliate Group, (2020-present)
• The SAH Race and Architectural History Affiliate Group (2020-present)
• The Middle East Studies Association (MESA) of North America (2020-2021; 2017-2018)
• The Association for Middle East Women's Studies (AMEWS) (2020-2021)
• SpaceArchitecture.org (2020-2022)
•European Architectural History Network (EAHN) (2019-present)
• The Society of American Archivists, SAA. (2019-2020).
• Northeast Modern Language Association (2020-2021)
• Citizen TALES Commons, Cambridge based multidisciplinary, international scholarly community, founding member (2018-present)
• Friend of Boston Society of Architects (2015-present)(2015-
• World Architecture Community
(honorary member) (2008-present)
Harvard Neighbors (2006-present)
• The MIT’s Women League
(2014-present)
• The MIT Women Chorale (2006-2007).
•  Columbia University Alumni Association, Turkey. (2021-present)
The SAH-Women in architecture -affiliate group membership
( 2020 - 2022, Sept.) by the chair's invitation e-mail to join its proposal (2019); 
its first Registers Committee - membership by the chair's invitation e-mail
(on archives and bibliography,
2021 - 2022, Sept.);
Media and Communication team member by the chair's invitation e-mail
(for “Humanities Common” page, contribution, 2021, August - 2022, Sept.)
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Primary (Scientific)
Research Interests:
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Public health, climate and social justice in architecture (history) with intersectional perspective in the social context, historic interiors with a focus on diverse and inclusive historical documentation.
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Secondary Scientific
Research Fields and Interests
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Theory and history of architecture profession, architecture design practice, architectural (design) partnerships in professional practice, architectural design practitioner - large-scale client relations (in the private sector), intersectional feminism, intertwined history and politics of gender in architecture with a focus on the postwar period.
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Teaching Experience and Interests
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• Advanced Architecture Design Studio
• Graduation Project in Architecture
• Architecture as Public Health
• Multidisciplinary Design Territories
in Architecture
• Material and Social Context of
the Architecture Profession
History and Theory of Modern Architecture
• Essentials of Urban Design
Basic Design
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Languages for Scientific Research
in Architecture:
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• English
• German
• Turkish
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