NEW YORK, April 21, 2009 - Michael Sorkin, Distinguished Professor of Architecture and Director of the Graduate Urban Design Program at The City College of New York (CCNY), has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the Academy announced yesterday. He will be inducted into the Academy at an October 10 ceremony at its headquarters in Cambridge, Mass.
Professor Sorkin was one of 210 leaders from the sciences, the humanities and the arts, business, public affairs, and the nonprofit sector elected to join one of the United States’ most prestigious honorary societies. The Academy also elected 19 Foreign Honorary Members.
Professor Sorkin has taught at CCNY since 2000. He joined the College from the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna where he was Professor and Director of the Institute for Urbanism from 1993 to 2000. He has also held professorships at Cooper Union, Harvard University, Yale University (Davenport and Bishop chairs), Cornell University (Gensler Chair), Columbia University, The University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, University of Michigan (Saarinen Chair) and University of Nebraska (Hyde Chair).
In addition, Professor Sorkin lectures widely and is the author of several hundred articles on architectural and urban subjects. For 10 years he was the architectural critic of the “Village Voice” and is currently a contributing editor for “Architectural Record.”
His books include: “Variations on a Theme Park,” “Exquisite Corpse,” “Giving Ground (edited with Joan Copjec),” “Wiggle,” “Local Code,” “Some Assembly Required,” “The Next Jerusalem,” “After the World Trade Center (edited with Sharon Zukin),” “Starting from Zero,” “Against the Wall” and “Indefensible Space.” Forthcoming titles include “Twenty Minutes in Manhattan,” “Eutopia,” “All Over the Map,” and “New Orleans Under Reconstruction.”
Professor Sorkin is also Principal of the Michael Sorkin Studio, a professional practice in architecture and urbanism, President of Terreform, a non-profit engaged in urban research and advocacy, and President of The Institute for Urban Design.
The American Academy of Arts & Sciences, established in 1780 by founders of the nation, undertakes studies of complex and emerging problems. Current projects focus on: science, technology and global security; social policy and American institutions; the humanities and culture, and education.
Since its founding by John Adams, James Bowdoin, John Hancock and other scholar-patriots, the Academy has elected as members the finest minds and most influential leaders from each generation. Those elected as Fellows include: George Washington and Benjamin Franklin in the 18th Century, Daniel Webster and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the 19th Century and Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill (honorary member) in the 20th Century. The current membership includes more than 250 Nobel laureates and more than 60 Pulitzer Prize winners.
Besides Professor Sorkin, the 2009 Class of Fellows includes actors Dustin Hoffman and James Earl Jones and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The newly elected Foreign Honorary Members include 1993 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela and U2 lead singer and advocate for humanitarian causes Bono.
Other active CCNY Professors who are Fellows of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences are: Dr. Myriam P. Sarachik, Distinguished Professor of Physics, and Dr. Morton M. Denn, Albert Einstein Professor of Science. Dr. Andreas Acrivos, Albert Einstein Professor Emeritus, and Dr. Herman Z. Cummins, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Physics are also Fellows of the Academy.
About The City College of New York
Since 1847 The City College of New York has provided low-cost, high-quality education for New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. Over 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; The School of Architecture, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (SAUDLA); The School of Education; The Grove School of Engineering, and The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education. For additional information, visit www.ccny.cuny.edu.
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