The head of the School of Architecture, Professor Renee Cheng is visiting China over the next 10 days. She's speaking with Chinese students and faculty, and lecturing at a number of architecture schools. Xinle Wang (M.Arch '07) is acting as an ambassador during the trip.

One of Professor Cheng's stops included the School of Architecture (pictured above, right) at Tianjin University, the first Chinese university, founded in 1895. Ralph Rapson (dean of the School of Architecture from 1954-1984) took University of Minnesota students there in the early 1980's. Yesterday, Professor Cheng had the opportunity to meet Tianjin's current architecture dean, Professor Tongtong LIU (pictured below, left), who also happened to be one of the Chinese students who shared a studio with Professor Rapson and his students over 30 years ago.

In Shanghai, Professor Cheng visited with Xiaowei Ma (MLA '98), president of Ager Environmental Design and a member of the College of Design's advisory board (pictured below, right).

• In 2011, Professor Cheng was recognized as one of the top 25 design educators in the country by DesignIntelligence magazine.
• Visit the School of Architecture's website.