Teresa Rosano
Associate Professor of Practice in Architecture
Programs
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Architecture
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Master of Architecture
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School of Architecture
CAPLA 308
Areas of Expertise
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Architecture and design
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Community and Outreach Projects
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Site planning and analysis
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Alternative building systems
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Professional practice
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Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Biography
Teresa, a registered architect and LEED Accredited Professional, is an assistant professor of practice at the University of Arizona School of Architecture and co-founder of Ibarra Rosano Design Architects, a nationally recognized firm known for its modern desert architecture.
The firm's work has been featured in Architecture magazine's "Arizona School" issue, exhibited at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, showcased on HGTV's Extreme Homes, and shortlisted for the January 8th Memorial Competition. It has received more than 80 regional, national, and international design awards, including multiple Cooper Hewitt National Design Award nominations and Residential Architect magazine's "Rising Star" National Leadership Award. Their work has been widely published and exhibited in galleries and contemporary art museums.
A respected educator, Teresa has lectured at universities and conferences, served on national design juries, and earned numerous honors for excellence in teaching and mentorship. She holds a Certificate in College Teaching from the University of Arizona. In 2023, she received the University of Arizona's Margaret M. Briehl and Dennis T. Ray Five Star Faculty Award - the university's highest student-selected honor for teaching and mentoring - and became only the second CAPLA faculty member to receive the award in its 40-year history. That same year, she was named AIA Arizona Educator of the Year.
Her subsequent honors include the 2024 Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence, the 2024 AIA Arizona Design Pedagogy Award for the Policy Design Border Studio, the 2025 AIA Arizona Community Design Award, and the 2026 Collaborative Practice Award, a national honor recognizing exemplary school-based community outreach programs.
In 2025, she became the first faculty member from both CAPLA and the University of Arizona to receive the ACSA Distinguished Professor Award, recognizing sustained contributions to architectural education. That same year, she was also honored with the AIA Arizona Architects Medal and the AIAS Faculty Advisor Honor Award, a national recognition for outstanding contributions to the education and mentorship of architecture students.
