Rice University is pleased to announce the appointment of Chelsea Spencer as a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Architecture and the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning (CERCL), effective July 1, 2024.
Spencer holds a PhD in architectural history, theory, and criticism from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she completed a dissertation, "The Contract, the Contractor, and the Capitalization of American Building in the Long Nineteenth Century." She also holds an MDes Degree from Harvard University Design and a BA in art history from Emory University. Prior to her doctoral studies, she served as the Managing Editor of Log - Observations on Architecture and the Contemporary City, showcasing her commitment to scholarly discourse in architecture.
This fellowship presents a unique opportunity to develop a holistic approach to teaching, research, and service within a dynamic framework of cultural diversity and community engagement—critically engaging contemporary issues such as equity, resiliency, agency, policy, etc., through a rigorous historical lens. In her new role, Spencer will contribute to initiatives in architecture, arts, and humanities, aiming to advance urban, social, and environmental conversations—including issues of justice and equity—at Rice and in the larger Houston community.
Spencer will teach in the Rice Architecture history curriculum—working across disciplines, time periods, and scales—and also implement new program initiatives through CERCL, connecting historical discourses to contemporary issues. Spencer will develop CERCL’s “Thinking about Thinking” program—a new initiative meant to draw attention to pressing social issues across the university and demonstrate how they are understood and explored based on disciplinary tools—she will host engagements in partnership with other Rice and community organizations.