Iván Bernal, Associate Professor, Kent Campus, College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Iván Bernal is an associate professor in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. In 2018, Bernal joined Kent State as an associate professor. From 2018 to 2022, Bernal served as director of architecture and urban design programs in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. He holds a Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture, where he graduated with honors and holds the Best Thesis Award. Originally from Columbia, he has taught at institutions across the United States and has led international studios in both North and South America. He has exhibited designs in venues worldwide, including the Venice Architecture Biennale and the A+D Museum. Bernal has received several awards and grants for his research, including the AR+D Emerging Architecture Award, Architect Magazine Progressive Architecture Awards and support from the Akron Community Foundation. Bernal has been leading the integration of digital design techniques and broadening the curriculum of the graduate and undergraduate programs, including significant international collaborations that have expanded the exposure of the college and its students. He frequently serves as an invited design competition juror and has curated several groundbreaking exhibitions, including “Transient Episodes,” which was installed in Kent State’s Design Innovation Hub in 2021 before being selected for the PRATT Institute ACSA Experimental Landings Exhibition on Governor’s Island (NY) in 2022. He is dedicated to inspiring students and challenging conventional design norms.