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Roe Draus

Roe Draus

Chicago, IL, US

 
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About 

Hello! I’m a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Master's in Architecture, specializing in equitable design and community engagement. I am based out of Chicago, and I am currently looking for any opportunities related to architecture, design, or research.

Being a Chinese adoptee has shaped my inclusive perspective and approach to design. Existing at the intersection between cultures and communities, my identity has given me a deep appreciation for the relationship between belonging, identity, and the built environment. This is why I am passionate about using design as a means to empower and represent diverse narratives and lived experiences.

I previously served as a Project Manager at Community Design Solutions where I collaborated directly with underserved communities, agencies, civic groups, and campuses throughout Wisconsin. I oversaw the development of conceptual design and planning projects, led client presentations and feedback meetings, and facilitated community charrettes.

Over the past four years, I’ve contributed to the research and integration of UWM’s new B.ARCH program, advocated for a M.ARCH concentration in equitable design, and been inducted into the Metropolis Top 100 design students in North America.

Please feel free to contact me via email or LinkedIn. With a commitment to design justice and advocacy, I look forward to connecting with visionary partners and contribute to meaningful projects.

Elsewhere:

Employment 

Community Design Solutions, Milwaukee, WI, Project Manager / Design and Visualization Specialist

Managed 5 projects of varying scales that encompassed conceptual urban planning, campus planning, and building design, employing environmentally sustainable strategies and programming.

Facilitated 10+ charrettes, design presentations, and open houses with clients and communities, promoting open dialogue, community-driven design solutions, and built relationships with clients.

Produced project plans, perspectives, and renderings, tailored specifically for client fundraising efforts and to generate community excitement and support.

Jan 2022 - Jun 2023
 

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, Graduate Teaching Assistant

Prepared and facilitated 16 class sessions with 60+ students, providing 1:1 critique, small group discussions, course presentations, and designed 2 workshops/software tutorials to foster an inclusive and dynamic learning environment.

Aug 2021 - Aug 2022
 

HGA, Milwaukee, WI, Architectural Intern

Prepared architectural diagrams, floor plans, elevations, sections, and renderings for client meetings and firmwide presentations, leveraging 3D modeling skills in Revit, Sketchup, and Rhino during SD and DD.

Collaborated with 2 researchers to analyze equitable design within co-housing projects, emphasizing factors such as accessibility, diversity, and safety, resulting in 4 key design guidelines for firm implementation.

May 2021 - Aug 2022
 

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, Researcher / Project Manager

Conducted 15 interviews and analyzed 330 surveys to identify key patterns and provide actionable recommendations for program improvement, directly contributing to the B.ARCH program launch in Fall 2023.

Jan 2020 - May 2021
 

Education 

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, US, MArch, Master's of Architecture

Concentration in Equitable Design & Community Engagement
M.ARCH Thesis (ProQuest Published 2023): “The Liminality of Identity and Place: Chinese Transracial Adoptees and the Built Environment.”
https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/3232/

Sep 2021 - May 2023
 

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, US, Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies

Minor in Art and Design
Honor College

Sep 2017 - May 2021
 

Awards 

Lilian & Willis Leenhouts Memorial Scholarship, Scholarship

This scholarship has been in existence since 1990 and is named for Lillian and Willis Leenhouts, Milwaukee architects instrumental in the establishment of the School. In 1999, a circle of SARUP women alumni increased the award amount and pledged to become mentors to award-winners. The purpose of this award is to integrate culture, gender, and community into professional practice. Recipients demonstrate an interest in the success of women and/or diverse communities, including their influences as they relate to the built environment; express forward ideas about the future of our profession, its roles and responsibilities; exhibit leadership potential and demonstrates the ability to be a positive ambassador for the scholarship; and seek to explore alternative design philosophies that enhance and relate to the purpose of the scholarship.

2022
 

Metropolis Future100 Award, Award

Here are the top 50 interior design and 50 architecture students graduating this year in North America, chosen to be the inaugural Metropolis Future 100. Nominated by their instructors and mentors, they hail from some of the best architecture and interior design schools in the U.S. and Canada, from Harvard University to California College of the Arts, and call everywhere from Atlanta to Toronto home. They are a diverse group—with many identifying as BIPOC or LGBTQIA—who advocate for openness, equity, and inclusion through their work and extracurriculars. They are leaders on their campuses who are sure to be forces in the industry.

2021
 

UWM Graduate Teaching & Project Assistantship, Scholarship

2021
 

UWM Undergraduate Research Funds Grant, Grant

2020
 

Faculty Selected Best Tectonic Model, 1st Place

2019
 

SARUP SuperJury, Nomination

2019
 

UWM Chancellor Award, Scholarship

2017
 

Areas of Specialization 

Skills