Atsuko Sakai

Atsuko Sakai is a Professor at the Judy Genshaft Honors College of the University of South Florida (USF). With a background in environmental design from Kyoto City University of Arts and a Master’s in Architecture from the University of New Mexico (UNM), she has over a decade of experience in architectural practice and education. Her teaching focuses on interdisciplinary connections between perception, creativity, and problem-solving through design and architecture, emphasizing ecological and cultural perspectives.

Her academic journey includes significant contributions to USF since 2016, such as directing Honors Thesis courses, leading study abroad programs to Japan, and co-developing Honors Capstone courses during the construction of the new Honors building. She actively integrates real-world learning opportunities into her curriculum.

Sakai has designed courses like Acquisition of Knowledge, Home: Designing Where We Live, and Japan from Hospitals to Hospitality (Omotenashi), reflecting her belief that design is a powerful tool for understanding and shaping the world.

She plays a pivotal role in the Honors Healthy Humanities program, initially funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and has served on faculty committees for the design of the new Honors building. Her work bridges artistic, ecological, and cultural dimensions of design, fostering student creativity and innovation.