The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's School of Architecture and Design will feature 13 academics and industry professionals who will discuss their research, projects and concepts during its Technology, Architecture and Design Talks.
Each will deliver a seven-minute presentation for the TAD Talks, which will be held from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, in Fletcher Hall, Room 134. The event, which is part of the school’s Ed Mathes Lecture Series, is free and open to the public.
The format is patterned after the well-known TED Talks, which center on technology, entertainment and design. UL Lafayette’s TAD Talks encourage the sharing of architecture and design research and projects at the University, in the community and beyond.
"Our TAD Talks are designed to offer education, outreach and networking, all in a lively, informal format," said Geoff Gjertson, an architecture professor who directs the School of Architecture and Design's Building Institute.
Presentation topics will include projects that will be part of Engulf 2026, a regional four-day art festival in Kentwood, La., that is modeled on a yearly gathering in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
The Louisiana Housing Lab, a nonprofit housing development corporation, will also be discussed. It develops, constructs and renovates affordable housing, and offers learning opportunities for students.
Another talk will center on the evolution of Designing Women of Acadiana, a networking organization in Lafayette, La., for sharing ideas and exploring design and creativity.
Research related to the role of technologies such as generative AI, lighting simulation and virtual reality in design will also be the topic of one TAD Talk presentation.
"It matters for students to see what's happening in the community and the professions they will enter. It also matters for our industry partners, many of them alums, to see the work coming out of the University,” Gjertson said.
For more information about the School of Architecture and Design's TAD Talks, contact Gjertson at gjertson@louisiana.edu or 337-278-2722.
Photo caption: Academics and industry professionals will discuss their research and projects during the 2026 TAD Talks hosted by UL Lafayette’s School of Architecture and Design. This year’s talks will be held from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, in Fletcher Hall, Room 134. Photo credit: University of Louisiana at Lafayette