Birmingham School of Architecture and Design Birmingham City University Parkside Building 5 Cardigan Street Birmingham, B4 7BD Jemma.browne@bcu.ac.uk Dear John-Paul, I am writing in support of our sole nominee for the RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship 2023, Samuel Hearne. Sam is a fantastic member of our vibrant and socially activated student community at Birmingham School of Architecture and Design (BSoAD) and has been developing his community participatory design project in Nepal for the best part of his final year, using ideas and research he has been exposed to through his tutors and peers, he has taken the vision of our School, to exceptional levels. Sam intends to use the opportunity, not only to support the development of sustainable infrastructure in Nepalese communities, but also to develop the work as a mini-research project to support his RIBA Part 2 study when he returns and to develop resources that he will share with peers and communities back in the UK. As you will be aware, BSoAD believes that design is transformative, and our ambition is to develop graduates with the skills, knowledge and attributes to make better places to live. Our curriculum innovation and research is starting to be recognised for leading the way in sustainable and inclusive design education. Our School vision of Sustainable and Inclusive Environments underpins a holistic approach founded on the UN SDGs and builds the knowledge, skills and attributes for personal transformation, enabling students to act as ‘agents of change’ in the city and beyond. We chose Sam’s project on the basis that it represents his journey through his time studying with us on his Part 1, how he has developed a strong commitment to social justice, and a drive to use his education to develop inclusive and participatory design tactics, that can be embedded in communities to create sustainable futures. I have been personally very impressed by Sam’s drive with this project. Alongside his final year studies, he has planned the trip and the project development and sought funding from multiple sources, including running the Birmingham Half Marathon to raise sponsorship. As you will see from his own application, statement, and poster- he is a committed student, bright, intelligent and thoughtful and able to think through design to create impact in developing sustainable solutions to inequalities. We are very proud of his endeavours on
this project and know the scholarship would not only support a more developed area of work when he is travelling around Nepal and the region, but would also give him, and the work, additional prestige which would be really helpful in it’s impact, but also our endeavours, working as we do with students primarily from non-traditional routes into Higher Education. I think the project aligns with, and exceeds the ambitions of the RIBA Travel Scholarship, and for that reason, we are delighted to nominate him. As Head of School, I can confirm that the application has been completed by the student, is fully supported by the School of Architecture is our sole nomination for the 2023 RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship. Kind Regards
Dr. Jemma Browne Head of School Associate Professor (Academic)