Susanne Cowan

Dr. Susanne Cowan serves as an Associate Professor at Montana State University's School of Architecture within the College of Arts and Architecture. Her academic profile integrates architectural history, urban planning, and community engagement to explore the social dimensions of urban design and neighborhood development.

Her educational foundation includes:

• Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley (2010)
• M.S. in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley (2007)
• B.A. in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley (2001)

Professor Cowan's research critically examines how participatory democracy and community organizing shape urban environments, with particular focus on post-industrial cities like St. Louis and Bozeman, Montana. She investigates the tensions between middle-class activism and racial integration in neighborhood revitalization efforts, while analyzing how historic preservation intersects with identity politics in urban contexts.

Her publication portfolio reveals a consistent scholarly trajectory examining community-driven urban planning through historical and contemporary case studies. Key thematic threads include the evolution of participatory design practices, the impact of wartime reconstruction on urban policy, and the complex relationship between neighborhood character and social equity in revitalization projects.

Her distinguished recognition includes:

• Excellence in Scholarship Award (2023) from the MSU College of Arts and Architecture
• President's Excellence in Service Learning Award (2021) from Montana State University

Professor Cowan has secured research funding for projects including 'Saving' the Neighborhood: Community Organizing, Urban Revitalization and Racial Integration in St. Louis through the MSU Provost Office. She actively contributes to architectural education through courses in World Architecture II, research methods, and specialized seminars on urban planning and social design.