Holly Samuelson

Dr. Samuelson is an Associate Professor of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, teaching architectural technology courses. Her teaching and research focus on issues of building design that impact human and environmental health. Her current projects harness advanced building simulation to investigate issues of energy efficiency, heat vulnerability, indoor environmental quality, moisture, and mold.

Samuelson has coauthored more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific papers, including articles published in Applied Energy, Science of the Total Environment, Energy, Building and Environment, and Energy and Buildings. She has coached multiple, winning, student teams in international design competitions. In 2014 she was named “Outstanding Young Contributor” by the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) USA, and she serves on the national board of Simulation for Architecture and Urban Design (SimAUD). Her work has been commended twice at scholarly conferences, and she regularly gives public lectures nationally and internationally, including at Harvard and MIT Universities. A recognized expert in architectural technology, she has been interviewed by the New York Times, Vogue, and the Wall Street Journal.

Prior to joining Harvard, Samuelson practiced full-time as an architect (2000-2007) and sustainable design consultant (2007-2008), and she prioritizes forging links between academia and the building industry. She earned a Doctor of Design and Master of Design with distinction from Harvard Graduate School of Design where she was awarded the Gerald M. McCue medal. She earned a Bachelor of Architecture with honors from Carnegie Mellon where she was awarded the American Institute of Architects Henry Adams Gold Medal.

Research Areas

• Energy
• Environmental Systems
• Health
• Parametric Design
• Sustainability

Education

• MDesS Harvard University Graduate School of Design (2008 — 2009)
• BArch Carnegie Mellon University (1995 — 2000)
• Allegheny College (1994 — 1995)