Project award to UNL will aid lighting-design education

Kevin Houser, associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, has obtained funding for a five-year project to "Create an Alliance to Nurture Design in Lighting Education."

Also known as Project CANDLE, the $750,000 program is funded in large part by the International Association of Lighting Designers' Education Trust Fund and the university. IALD chose Houser's project from proposals submitted by top national and international lighting programs. Other supporters include the Peter Kiewit Institute, Cooper Lighting and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Project CANDLE will integrate student recruitment and curriculum enhancement with industry research. The program's chief goal is to increase the number of graduates qualified for entry-level jobs in the lighting industry. CANDLE will also facilitate a higher percentage of student involvement in professional societies and coursework relevant to the needs of the lighting industry.

"Project CANDLE will bring together lighting design industry leaders and students, and both sides will benefit from these interactions," said Winnie Callahan, executive director of the Peter Kiewit Institute.

One activity key to Project CANDLE's success is the creation of the IALD Student Ambassador Award. This award will be given to outstanding lighting design students who advance the profession by speaking to high school students. A doctoral fellowship will also be created to support one Ph.D. student dedicated to becoming a future lighting design educator. Project CANDLE will work to enhance the quality of Durham graduates with the creation of a workshop and roundtable that brings industry, students and faculty together to examine the relevance of current curriculum with the future needs of the industry. In this same vein, 25 master of architectural engineering projects will be defined and implemented with input from the roundtable.

Project CANDLE will begin in July.

A recognized outstanding professor at the Durham School, Houser develops and teaches courses in illuminating engineering and lighting design. He advocates for learning opportunities for engineering students that go beyond the classroom. He is a member of the board of directors of the Nuckolls Fund for Lighting Education. Houser is also the owner of Loucetios LLC, a lighting consulting firm based in Omaha.

The Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction is a part of the College of Engineering at UNL. Based out of the Peter Kiewit Institute in Omaha, it is the only program in the nation that combines architectural engineering, construction engineering and construction management under one school, giving students a comprehensive building system education. Courses are offered on the UNL campus and at the Peter Kiewit Institute in Omaha.