Diversity Summit Coming Up August 1
AIA and NOMA to hold joint forum: Following a spring meeting between AIA President John Anderson, FAIA, and National Organization of Minority Architects President Paul Taylor, AIA, the two organizations agreed to hold an August 1 summit to explore why less than 1 percent of architects are African-American. An impartial facilitator will guide a small group of AIA and NOMA officials, researchers, and activists in an open discussion on diversity. Invitations will be in the mail soon. For more information, contact Kristi Graves, 202-626-7544.

Center for Technology and Practice Management
The Center for Technology and Practice Management, in keeping with the Professional Practice mission to deploy new and innovative technologies and deliver PIA content directly to members, will presents two virtual seminars in July.

The virtual seminar format is highly accessible and affordable and allows a large number of members to participate, catch up on learning units, and interact with their peers and the presenters, all without having to leave their workplaces.

All AIA members participating through a single connection earn 1.5 AIA/CES learning units at no additional cost above the single connection fee.

The July seminars are:

Practice Management
Are Your Heirs Apparent?
July 17, 1:00–2:30 p.m. EDT

Technology in Architectural Practice
Nothing Captured, Nothing Gained
July 27, 1:00–2:30 p.m. EDT
For more information, contact Kevin Shertz, 202-626-7579.

Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH)
AAH, in conjunction with the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, is continuing its workshop series on the 2001 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals and Health Care Facilities in Boston, July 27–28.

The AAH also has slated a Leadership Council Meeting July 20–21 in Scottsdale, Ariz., to allow the current academy leadership the opportunity to work with past and future AAH leaders. The group will be planning the content of the coming year's projects as well as the focus of future academy efforts. For more information, contact Jennifer Barry, 202-626-7366.

DesignBuild (DB)
Richard Hayes, AIA, and William Carpenter, FAIA, representing the DesignBuild Committee, met with AIA Georgia's Karen Culbreth and Michele McCombs June 14 to cement plans for the group's upcoming "Experiences in Design/Build: The Expanding Dimensions of Practice and Education" conference. The September 21–23 event in Atlanta will bring together members from the AIA and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture to address issues facing practitioners and academics concerned with the design/build delivery method. For more information, contact Richard Hayes, AIA, 202-626-7539.

Committee on the Environment (COTE)
At the AIA's Washington, D.C., headquarters June 14–15, the COTE advisory group debated future programs and goals as well as portal technology as a means of disseminating information to its members. The group also presented the Top Ten Green Projects via a seminar at the National Building Museum and met with members of the Association of Collegiate School of Architecture and the American Institute of Architecture Students to discuss ongoing efforts to bring green design and sustainability issues to the forefront of architecture curricula. For more information, contact Peg Hamil, AIA, 202-626-7317.

Interiors Committee
The Interiors Committee used the Neocon 2001 conference at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago as a vehicle to "blast out of the box and into the 21st century" on June 17 at the group's "Business Principles of Interior Design" conference." Topping the agenda were branding, expanded services, and fostering innovation. In addition to looking at innovating approaches to developing an interiors practice, speakers also discussed sustainability, an issue now at the forefront of corporate and public consciousness. For more information, contact C.D. Pangallo, 202-626-7410.

Copyright 2001 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.