PhD, University of Oklahoma
MS, University of East London, London, United Kingdom
MS, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
BS, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Years at Morgan: 1 Year

Biography:

Dr. Abimbola Asojo joined Morgan State University School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) as Dean and Professor in August 2023. Prior to joining SA+P Distinguished Global Professor and McKnight Presidential Professor Dr. Abimbola Asojo was the Associate Dean for Faculty at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a Professor of Interior Design at the School of Architecture at the College of Design at the University of Minnesota.

Her leadership and contributions in the classroom and the community for over 26-years have been impactful both globally and locally. She has engaged her students in over forty community-based service-learning projects that tackle both local and global societal challenges. Dr. Asojo’s scholarly agenda focuses on cross-cultural design, architectural lighting design, African architecture, computing and design, global issues, sustainable design and K-12 spaces. Her work has been widely published in international journals and books. Her co-edited book with Professor Toyin Falola titled African Humanity Creativity, Identity and Personhood was published in 2021 by Carolina Academic Press, Durham, North Carolina.

She is a licensed architect and holds a National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) certification. She is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC), and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). She is a LEED Accredited Professional and serves on the Journal of Interior Design (JID) Review board and is a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Building Information Modeling (BIM) committee. She was a fellow of the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment and she co-founded the lighting design minor in the College of Design in 2019.

Asojo was twice named a US DesignIntelligence top educator in 2010 and 2017. In 2018, Asojo received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Nigeria. In 2020, she received the University of Minnesota Outstanding Community Service Faculty Award, the highest honor the University gives to a faculty member for service to the community. Her work is charting the course for Interior Design globally in Africa and the Diaspora. Asojo’s capacity building efforts led to the development of the first Masters of Interior Design in West Africa. The inaugural class of the MID program graduated in 2021. Asojo developed and has led the Diversity and Design programs which exposes K-12 students to architecture and design careers since 2013.

List Of Professional Affiliation(s):

• College of Fellows American Institute of Architects (FAIA)
• National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCDIQ) Certified
• Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC)
• Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
• National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) AP

List of Research Interest(s):

• Cross-cultural Design
• Architectural Lighting Design
• African Architecture
• Computing and Design
• Post-Occupancy Evaluation
• K-12 Design Education

List of Selected Publication(s):

• Asojo, A.O., Covington Clarkson, L. & Vo, H (2023). Bridging the Digital Divide in Design and Math through an Immersive Maker Program for Underrepresented Students. In. Hsueh-Chih C. &. Jon-Chao H. Pedagogy, Learning, and Creativity (ISBN 978-1-80356-666-5)
• Asojo, A.O., Vo, H., Fisher, T & Singh, V. (2022). Shaping Health and Well-Being in a COVID Era: The Role of Design. Archnet-IJAR. 16 (3) 473-494. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-01-2022-0019
• Asojo, A.O. & Falola T. (2021). African Humanity Creativity, Identity and Personhood. North Carolina, Durham: Carolina Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-5310-1756-9 https://cap-press.com/books/isbn/9781531017569/African-Humanity
• Asojo, A.O., Vo, H. & Bae, S. (2021). The Impact of Design Interventions on Occupant Satisfaction: A Workplace Pre- and Post-Occupancy Evaluation Analysis. Sustainability. 13, 13571 https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413571
• Asojo, A.O. & Vo, H. (2021). Pedagogy + Reflection: A Problem-Based Learning Case in Interior Design. International Journal of Designs for Learning. 12(2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.14434/ijdl.v12i2.25372
• Bae, S., & Asojo, A. O. (2021). Interior Environments in Long-Term Care Units from the Theory of Supportive Design. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/19375867211062847

List of Grants and/or Award(s):

Selected Awards

Selected Grant

• Asojo, A. O., & Clarkson, L. (2023). Bridging the Digital Divide in STEAM through an Immersive Maker Program for Underrepresented Students. Best Buy Foundation.
• Asojo, A. O., & Clarkson, L. (2023). Using Cross-Cultural Fractals to Promote Design and Math Careers for BIPOC Youth in Minnesota. National Endowment for the Art (NEA) Art Works 1, FY2023
• Asojo, A. O., & Clarkson, L. (2022). Bridging the Digital Divide in STEAM through an Immersive Maker Program for Underrepresented Students in North Minneapolis. Best Buy Foundation.
• Cullen, K., Taniguchi, Y., Asojo, A.O., Mejia Medina, A., Koutstaal, W., Fiecas, M., Kilmes-Dougan, B., Mueller, B.,& Oicherman, B. (2021). National Endowment for the Arts Research Lab on the Arts, Creativity, Cognition, and Learning. National Endowment for the Art (NEA) NEA Research Labs
• Asojo, A. O. & Guzowski, M. (2021). Nuckolls Fund Grant Application to expand the lighting design minor at the University of Minnesota. 2021 Nuckolls Fund Grant. Asojo, A. O. (2021). Community Based Participatory Research and Design for a BIPOC Sanctuary. Maji Ya Chai Land Sanctuary
• Asojo, A. O., Clarkson, L. & Kelley, B. (2019). Building Bridges to Design and STEAM Careers for Underrepresented Youth in Minnesota. National Endowment for the Art (NEA) Art Works 1, FY2020.
• Asojo, A. O. & Guzowski, M. (2018). Nuckolls Fund Grant Application to support development of lighting design minor at the University of Minnesota. 2018 Nuckolls Fund Grant.
• Asojo, A. O. (2013). An Interior Design project focused at alleviating the sufferings of victims of Human Trafficking. 2013 Fairchild Topical Issues Grant.
• Hebert, P., Asojo, A. O., Peek, G., & Schurch, T. (2011). Measuring the Impacts of Existing Artificial Optical Radiation at 3 Sites: A Pilot Study of Military, Student, and Older Adult Housing Communities. EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency P3 Award. 
• Asojo, A. O. (2002). Lighting Design. 2002 Nuckolls Fund 2002 Grant Edison Price Fellowship.