Professor Dean serves as a featured speaker at DBIA Conference

Alfred State Professor William Dean was a featured speaker at the 2025 DBIA Liberty Northeast Region/PA-AWWA Annual Conference & Expo in Pocono Manor, PA, last month. 

Established in 1993, the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) – a dynamic community comprising architects, engineers, construction professionals, owners, academics, and students – has been at the forefront of transforming the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.

The presentation, titled “Architect-Led Design-Build and a Comprehensive Architectural Education: Embedding Alternate Delivery System Practices as the Focus in Preparing Emerging Professionals,” explored the integration of ALDB practices into undergraduate architectural education and advocated for a curriculum that goes beyond traditional design-centric approaches.

Dean led the discussion that included a history of the design-build competition success at Alfred State and highlighted examples of student work from the 2024 design-build teams. The interactive session concluded with a comparison of the existing curriculum and proposed program revisions for review and comment.

“I was honored to be given the opportunity to highlight SUNY Alfred State College, the department’s programs, and student activities such as the design-build team,” commented Dean. “The competencies required to practice architecture are evolving in a direction where skills related to project management and construction administration are valued just as highly as design ability. The design-build best practices required to compete in events such as the ASC Region 1 and DBIA Student Design Competitions position our graduates very well for an ever-changing job market.”

Dean has co-advised or advised the College’s design-build team since 2016, including three consecutive first-place finishes in the Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 Student Design-Build Competition.