Chere LeClair

Chere LeClair serves as a Teaching Professor at Montana State University's School of Architecture within the College of Arts and Architecture, driving transformative work in equitable and ecological design. Her national leadership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has reshaped professional standards through frameworks addressing climate crisis and social disparities in the built environment.

Her educational foundation includes:

• B.Arch. from Montana State University-Bozeman (1991)
• M.Arch. from University of Pennsylvania (1995)

LeClair's research pioneers the integration of the United Nations' New Urban Agenda into architectural practice, focusing on ecosystem-scale resilience to counter climate crisis and biodiversity loss. She redefines architectural ethics through frameworks that position architects as essential agents for sustainable community development, emphasizing health equity and environmental justice in design education.

Her publication trajectory reveals consistent advancement of equitable development principles, evolving from foundational AIA practice guides (2015-2018) to comprehensive frameworks for community design (2020-2021). These works establish critical connections between professional practice standards, UN sustainability goals, and climate resilience strategies.

Key recognitions include:

• Elevation to AIA College of Fellows (FAIA) (2021)
• Extraordinary Ordinary Women of MSU award (2018)
• College of Arts and Architecture Excellence Award in Teaching (2018)

LeClair actively bridges academia and professional practice through national service including AIA Design Jury leadership, Provost Distinguished Lectures, and development of accreditation standards that mandate social equity in architectural curricula. Her teaching portfolio spans foundational studios to advanced design courses, all infused with her philosophy that architects must transcend traditional roles to solve urgent planetary challenges.

While specific lab structures aren't documented, her work manifests through curriculum transformation initiatives and AIA collaborations that establish new paradigms for architectural education and practice nationwide.