Alumna Masha Drozdov '09 on Responsibility and the Value of Technical Skills

Masha Drozdov is a frequent guest critic for the advanced integrated architecture studios at Hillier College and Columbia GSAPP and has also participated as a guest for the Alumni Tea discussions at NJIT with students who are figuring out what their career paths will be. Masha’s admiration for Louis Kahns’ work and a fourth year NJIT project has been an inspiration for her volunteer work at Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island. She has been a docent at the park since 2012. Masha has volunteered to assist with educational events for student groups and has made many photographs for the conservancy. Masha won the 2015 photography contest with her “Grandeur of Human Creation” photograph. She also volunteered at Clinton’s candidacy announcement in 2015.

While at NJIT, Masha studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark for her last semester. In the last few years of her undergraduate studies and post-graduation Masha worked for George A. Held and Associates in Clifton, NJ., a small contractor in Chicago and ikon.5 architects in Princeton before applying for graduate school in 2013. She graduated from Columbia University with a Master in Advanced Architecture Design - Global Metropolis degree in 2014 and received a prize for submitting the best final design problem in the studio section. Upon graduation, Masha joined SOM where she had major roles in large scale transportation projects including All Aboard Florida train station and office tower, Kansas City Airport and Bangalore International Airport Terminal 2. Drozdov is currently an Associate at Grimshaw working primarily in the aviation sector and joined the Grimshaw team in 2018 to continue her aviation portfolio. In her current role, she has worked on Newark International Airport Terminal 1 and is now leading a portion of a large project for JFK airport. In her 13 years of practice, Masha has worked in various size firms. She has experience with a range of projects from small house additions, apartment complexes and student centers to train stations and airport master plans as well as hands on construction experience.