Assistant Professor Alexis Gregory is currently working on research and an elective course on the impact of service learning on architecture education with her colleague Associate Professor Dr. April Heiselt in the College of Education at Mississippi State University. Issues such as designing for underserved populations, integration of universal design into single-family homes, and working with non-profit organizations are the core of this research being explored through classes with students designing new house prototypes for the local Habitat for Humanity.
Professor Gregory (School of Architecture) is also working on research into integrated practice in architectural education through two different projects. This first is an integrated practice project with Associate Professor Beth Miller, Department Head of Interior Design at Mississippi State University, Instructor Michele Herrmann from the Building Construction Science Department at Mississippi State University, and Assistant Professor Dr. Jarrod Moss in the Psychology Department at Mississippi State University. The research is on a yearly three-week charrette and the implications to design education and the integration of the allied arts of building science in a studio project. The second project is the integration of architecture and building construction science students in a studio environment to build student knowledge of building assemblies, systems thinking, and comprehensive design. Professor Gregory is partnering with fellow School of Architecture faculty member Assistant Professor Hans Herrmann and Associate Professor Chris Monson, RA in the Building Construction Science Department at Mississippi State University.
Lastly, Professor Gregory is working with Dr. Moss on another research study into the learning processes of architecture and building construction science students in her lecture course “Assemblages.” Professor Gregory and Dr. Moss are collecting data on the knowledge retention of students in a lecture course on construction technology in relation to hands-on course such as design/build elective courses. This research is in support of Professor Gregory’s past research into haptic learning and its influence on knowledge retention of construction technology techniques in architecture students.