Ball State University professor Mahesh Daas has been named a 2011-12 Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) Distinguished Professor. The award is one of the highest national recognitions for an architectural educator. As chair of the Department of Architecture, Daas is recognized for sustained creative achievement in the advancement of architectural education through teaching, design, scholarship, research and service.

Daas said he is humbled to join the company of previous winners of the ACSA Distinguished Professors. Previous winners include Christopher Alexander, Charles Moore, Fay Jones, Ralph Rapson, Denise Scott-Brown, Romaldo Giurgola and Gunnar Birkerts.

The award jury praised Daas for "a significant record of academic leadership in interdisciplinary research at the University of Texas San Antonio and Ball State University." One of the nominators said, "Professor Daas is an influential scholar and international leader in the field of innovation for extreme affordability."

"I am deeply honored that the jury felt strongly about the relevance and sustained merit of my teaching, design, research and leadership," Daas said. "I have always liked to step in the intersections between disciplines and build bridges between silos. The award reaffirms my belief that, to paraphrase W.B. Yates, education is not about filling a bucket, but about lighting a fire that leads to self-discovery and civil society."

A medallion and certificate will be presented by the president of ACSA at a special Career Awards Ceremony during the 100th ACSA annual meeting in Boston later this year. Recipients become Fellows of the College of Distinguished Professors of Architecture and may use the title ACSA Distinguished Professor, DPACSA in perpetuity.

Additional information is available at www.mahesh.org.

By Mallory Sturgeon