Faculty & Staff News
Updates from our campus community
New Book Highlights AI’s Promise for Planners
Dr. Tom Sanchez, a landscape architecture and urban planning professor, has published a new book, Artificial Intelligence for Urban Planning, examining how emerging AI tools are reshaping planning practice. The book highlights how generative AI, large language models and computer vision are changing the ways planners design projects, analyze data and engage communities. “One of the big differences is the conversational way we can now communicate with these tools,” Sanchez said. Sanchez emphasizes that AI should be viewed as an assistant that expands planners’ capabilities rather than replaces them. The book also offers case studies and guidance for both students and professionals preparing to integrate AI into their work.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Siyu Yu
Dr. Siyu Yu
Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning
Dr. Siyu Yu earned the Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Postdoctoral Scholars Award from Texas A&M’s Division of Research, and recently, the Clock Whisperer Award from the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program. Both honors recognize her contributions to mentorship and coastal resilience research.
Her postdoctoral mentee, Dr. Jo Kwon, also won second place in the Distinguished Postdoctoral Poster Presentation Award from Texas A&M’s Division of Research, in which Yu served as faculty advisor.
Yu’s recent awards highlight her impact as a researcher and mentor on both national and campus levels.
New ENGAGE Lab: Turning Data Into Dialogue
The College of Architecture recently launched the Empowering Neighborhoods through Growth, Analytics, Geo-Visualization and Engagement (ENGAGE) Lab to turn complex research into interactive, community-focused experiences.
Led by Dr. Galen Newman, head of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, the lab features large touchscreens that let users explore data through interactive digital content. Its creators hope it will grow into a hub for showcasing research projects and community partnerships.
Arch4Health Launches Sensory Rooms for Research
In September, Aggies were invited to participate in an Architecture for Health (Arch4Health) research study in Langford B.
Students tested prototype sensory rooms, experienced tele-behavioral sessions and provided feedback while wearing biometric devices.
Award-Winning Book on Preston Bolton’s Career
"Preston Morgan Bolton, Texas Architect and Civic Leader" by Lillian C. Woo, author and member of the College of Architecture community, has been recognized with a 2025 Award from the Conservation Society of San Antonio. Woo, the widow of former College of Architecture Dean Tom Regan, chronicles the six-decade career of Preston Morgan Bolton (1920–2011), a noted Houston architect. Born on the Texas A&M campus, Bolton was the son of former University President Frank C. Bolton and earned his architecture degree in 1941. The book highlights Bolton’s contributions to residential architecture and his lifelong ties to Texas A&M.