Architect Rosa T. Sheng to Present 'Equity by Design' Lecture on March 21 in Little Rock

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Rosa T. Sheng, an architect and the founder and chairperson of Equity by Design (EQxD), will give a lecture on March 21 at the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock.

LITTLE ROCK — Rosa T. Sheng will present a lecture at 6 p.m. Monday, March 21, at the Arkansas Arts Center, at Ninth and Commerce streets in Little Rock. The lecture, titled "Equity by Design," will follow a 5:30 p.m. reception.

This lecture is part of the Architecture and Design Network's 2015-2016 lecture series.

Sheng is a senior associate at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in San Francisco and is the founder and chairperson of Equity by Design (EQxD). She recognized and was struck by gender inequality within the field of architecture, where just 18 percent of women with professional degrees were members of the American Institute of Architects, licensed architects or in positions of leadership at architectural firms.

Her concern about the missing 32 percent led to the launch of The Missing 32% Project, an effort that involved gathering information about the status of women in the field. That volunteer endeavor generated a national discussion about gender inequality among design professionals and led to the founding of EQxD.

The stated mission of EQxD is to identify and understand the issues underlying the gender disparity among architects and to work for the "recruitment, retention and promotion of the profession's best talents at every level of architectural practice."

From the beginning of EQxD in San Francisco a few years ago, Sheng's efforts have led to a call to action for all architects, regardless of gender. As a licensed architect with 21 years of experience, Sheng has worked on a variety of award-winning projects, including the design of Apple stores.

She is currently involved with innovative projects for the University of California, Davis, and the Dominican University of California at San Raphael. She is also a member of the AIA Committee on Diversity.

The 2015-2016 Art of Architecture lecture series is sponsored by the Architecture and Design Network, with support from the Central Arkansas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Arkansas Arts Center, the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design and community members.

The lecture is free and open to the public, and no reservations are needed. For more information about this and other ADN programs, contact ardenetwork@icloud.com.