Carmen Trudell

Areas of Expertise

Profile

Carmen holds a B.Arch from the Architecture Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and an M.S. in Advanced Architectural Design from the School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, Columbia University, NY. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Philosophy at the Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. She has held a number of academic positions at her alma mater, Columbia University, and most recently taught at the New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, NY. Carmen comes as well with a wealth of professional experience that spans over fifteen years.

Carmen has conducted extensive research and has received numerous awards and grants. Her current teaching and professional work has been guided by three threads - research, technology, and sustainability. Licensed both in California and New York, she is also a LEED Accredited Professional. Carmen will lend her talent at the undergraduate level in the first year design and in the Environmental Control Systems sequence.

Experience

Educational Credentials:

Master of Science in Built Ecologies, Center for Architecture Science and Ecology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, NY
Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design, Columbia University, New York, NY 
Bachelor of Architecture, Minor of Philosophy, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA

Teaching Experience:

Professor, Architecture, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA
Visiting Assistant Professor, Architecture, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 
Assistant Professor, New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, NY 
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Columbia University, New York 
Lecturer, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 

Professional Experience:

Partner, BOTH Landscape & Architecture, San Luis Obispo CA & Charlottesville VA
Architect, Project Manager, SHoP Architects PC, New York, NY
Partner, Fluxxlab, New York, NY
Architect, Associate, RRM Design Group, San Luis Obispo, CA
Field Assistant, Vanir Construction Management, San Luis Obispo, CA

Licenses/Registration:

Licensed Architect, California, New York
NCARB Registration
LEED Accredited Professional

Professional Memberships:

Building Technology Educators Society (BTES)
US Green Building Council, Central Coast Chapter

Scholarship

Selected Publications and Recent Research:

• Trudell, Carmen, Soham Patel (undergraduate student). “Recruiting Engagement through Readings+Media in Architectural Technology Education.” Published in the Proceedings of the Building Technology Educators’ Society (BTES) Vol. 2021. Auburn University.
• Osborn, Brian, Carmen Trudell, Robert Arens. “Making Site Matter: Expanding the Field of Architectural Technology.” Published in the Proceedings of the 2019 Reynolds Symposium: Education by Design. October 18-20, 2019. University of Oregon, Eugene.
• Trudell, Carmen, Brian Osborn, Robert Arens. “The Kind of Problem Technology Is: The Case for Integrated Models of Architectural Technologies Education.” Special Focus Session of the 106th Annual Meeting of the Associated Collegiate Schools of Architecture, March 15-17, 2018. Denver, CO. Published in the Proceedings of Building Technology Educators’ Society (BTES) Vol.2019.
• Trudell, Carmen. “Metabolic Masonry: Open Energy & Material Exchange for Healthy Interiors.” In Proceedings of Face Time: The Emergence of the Facade as the Integrative Factor in Holistic Building Design Conference, October 10-11, 2016. Los Angeles, CA: Tectonic Press. pp 227-234.
• Trudell, Carmen. “Dreaming About Bricks: Passive Particulate Filtration with Wall-Embedded Cyclones.” Proceedings of International Society for Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ) IndoorAir 2014 Conference, July 7-12, 2014. Hong Kong.
• Cabrinha, Mark, Clare Olsen, Jeff Ponitz, Carmen Trudell. “Molding Ecologies: Culture, Climate, and Craft.” Poster exhibited and in Proceedings of the 101st Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) Conference: New Constellations/New Ecologies Research and Design Project Catalog, March 20-23, 2013. San Francisco, CA. pp. 42-43.
• Trudell, Carmen. “Natural Solutions to a Ubiquitous Problem: Materials, Toxins, and Indoor Air Quality.” Poster exhibited and presented at the 3rd North American Materials Education Symposium, March 27-30, 2012. San Luis Obispo, CA: California Polytechnic State University.
• Trudell, Carmen. “Combined Active, Passive, and Biological Methods for Cleaning Indoor Air.” Graduate thesis, Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 2012.

Selected Exhibitions: 

• Making Space for Mentoring Exhibit, UMASS Amherst, February, 2024. Invited to have current work exhibited in show of mid-career female academics. 
• National Conference on Beginning Design Students Exhibition, NCBDS #32, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA, February, 2016. Assisted Angela Bracco in organization and installation of an exhibit of first & second year work.
• Serial Boxes, Mark Horton Gallery, San Francisco, CA, June 2012. In collaboration with Jeff Ponitz, Clare Olsen, and Mark Cabrinha. 

Selected Grants and Awards:

• Seeking Circularity: An Exploration of Biobased Assemblies, CAED Hearst Teacher-Scholar Grant, 2023-2024. Collaboration with Brian Osborn, Angela Bracco, and Clare Olsen. 
• BEACoN Research Mentoring Program, Cal Poly Office of University Diversity & Inclusion, 2023+2024. Three undergraduate students awarded research stipends for the Circular Economy in Architecture.
• Urban Wood Buildings, CAED Hearst Teacher-Scholar + Universal Traveler Grant, 2021. Collaboration with Brian Osborn to study utilization of wood harvested from urban sources in building construction. 
• Cal Poly Learn by Doing Scholar Award, Excellence in Scholarship of Teaching, 2020. Awarded for Architectural Technology Fundamentals course redesign with Robert Arens and Brian Osborn. 
• Lighting Education: Deep Learning from Fundamentals to Integration, Jeffrey A. Milham Catalyst Grant for Lighting Education, 2020-2024. With Sandy Stannard, PI and Robert Arens for lighting education in 2nd and 3rd year. 
• Enriching and Enhancing Building Technologies Teaching, CAED/ZGF Building Performance Evaluation Studies Funding, 2020-2021. Sandy Stannard grant PI, funding for quick pivot to online learning to bring in guest expert speakers. 
• ARCHITECT Magazine R&D Award, Annual Highly-Competitve Professional Design Award, 2015. Awarded for Breathe Brick: passive air filtration wall system. Published in July 2015 issue of ARCHITECT magazine, featured in online magazine. 
• 2013 C4 Green Innovation Award, US Green Building Council Central Coast Chapter, 2013. Awarded for Breathe Brick: passive air filtration wall system. 
• Cal Poly University Housing 2013 Faculty & Staff Recognition Award, San Luis Obispo, CA, 2013. Nominated by students in the dorms for commitment to and participation in their success at Cal Poly. 
• Cal Poly Planning, Design, and Construction Institute (PDCI) Seed-Grant, San Luis Obispo, CA, 2012-2013. Improving Air-Quality by Passively Pre-Filtering Particulates from Outfoor Air.

Selected Research 

• Patent, System and Method of Air Filtration via Cyclone Separators Enclosed within Exterior Walls. Cal Poly Office of Research & Economic Development funded the patent application process. Patent number: 13/998,597 issued February 5, 2016.
• Breathe Brick Wall Prototype, Construction of a full-scale wall for long-term experimentation, 2016. Working with four undergraduate research assistants, a 6' x 8' prototype air filtration wall was constructed. 

Updated 10.06.25