HCAD Dean Announcement
Dear Highlanders,
It is our great pleasure to announce that after a national search, NJIT found the best person to lead its Hillier College of Architecture and Design (HCAD) right on campus. Interim Dean Gabrielle Esperdy, a noted architectural historian, has been appointed dean, effective July 1.
Esperdy will be steering the execution of HCAD’s strategic plan in close partnership with other colleges as they strive toward NJIT’s goal of becoming a nexus of innovation.
Esperdy’s roots with NJIT run deep. Before becoming interim dean in 2022, she had taught architecture at the college for 21 years, earning awards for excellence in teaching and research. She also serves the broader university community as a member of the Women Faculty Advisory Committee and Digital Humanities at NJIT. In addition, she chairs the Bauder Scholarship Committee and is on the search committee for vice president of human resources.
The college, which offers 11 degree programs across two schools and is named after architects J. Robert and Barbara A. Hillier, is known for tackling challenges in the real world, particularly in NJIT’s home city of Newark. Under Esperdy’s leadership as dean, HCAD is expected to play a very significant role in the strategic priorities of the institution to enhance student success through experiential learning, community engagement and incorporating resources from industry into the curricula.
Locally, HCAD students and professors are designing neighborhood parklets and temporary housing for homeless individuals in Newark, and a professor and administrator are part of a coalition that aims to integrate Newark Liberty International Airport into its surrounding neighborhood. Both projects illustrate NJIT’s larger goal of building community and advanced on Esperdy’s watch.
Also under Esperdy, the college added new faculty, established a visiting fellows program, renovated studios, refreshed computer labs, improved the workflow for research proposals and celebrated the 50th and 15th anniversaries of its New Jersey School of Architecture and School of Art + Design, respectively.
Colleagues describe Esperdy as innovative, knowledgeable, engaging and approachable — qualities that became more visible during her years as interim dean and now serve as a foundation for her new role.
As for her goals, Esperdy looks to rethink how architecture and design education is delivered, with a particular focus on studio culture, and help students develop the critical thinking and power skills they need to use new tools, including artificial intelligence.
Esperdy’s appointment comes a month after NJIT named Jamie Payton dean of its Ying Wu College of Computing. Women now lead half of NJIT’s six academic colleges.
Sincerely,
Teik C. Lim
President
John A. Pelesko
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
