NJIT Names Architectural Historian to Lead its College of Architecture and Design
After a national search, New Jersey Institute of Technology (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.
“Sometimes a search affirms what you already have, in this case, a thoughtful and passionate leader who connects well with students, faculty, administrators and staff members alike,” NJIT President Teik C. Lim said. “Also, we gain continuity and someone who already understands Hillier and its long-term priorities. This is a win-win.”
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.
"Gabrielle is an exceptional leader who emerged as the clear candidate from a very competitive search," said NJIT Provost John A. Pelesko. "I look forward to working closely with her as we pursue our ambitious strategic goals for NJIT and for the college."
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.
“The dean should promote the incredible work that our faculty and students are doing in art, design, architecture and urban design, cultivate partnerships with communities and with industry and get our alumni involved,” said Esperdy, who holds a Ph.D. and master’s from the City University of New York and a bachelor’s from Smith College. “You can only do that successfully if you know what's going on. And the only way you know what's going on is because folks are sharing with you what's going on.”
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. “We have the potential to do that and we have the talent and expertise to do that. Hopefully, we also have the will,” she added.
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.
About New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is the greatest producer of technological talent and knowledge in New Jersey and is a nexus of innovation — a physical and intellectual focal point for innovative ideas, actions, and people. NJIT is the only public university in New Jersey and one of only 54 total universities nationally to receive a five-star rating in Money’s annual best colleges list. The New York Times college ranking tool rates NJIT No. 1 nationally among all public universities when you prioritize high alumni earnings, economic mobility, and academic profile, and the Wall Street Journal rates NJIT No. 19 overall and No. 2 among public universities in the United States. Additionally, NJIT stands among the top 100 universities in the country for alumni mid-career earnings, according to PayScale.com, is ranked No. 23 nationally by The Princeton Review as a Best Value College and is rated among the top 50 public national universities and top 100 overall by U.S. News & World Report. NJIT also is the only polytechnic university that is an R1 (highest level) Carnegie Classification research university and is designated both an Asian-American and Hispanic serving institution.
