University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Science in Design, Robotics & Autonomous Systems (MSD
The ACADIA Board of Directors has named the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Science in Design: Robotics & Autonomous Systems (MSD-RAS) the recipient of the 2026 ACADIA Innovative Academic Program Award of Excellence—an award recognizing an innovative academic program that contributes to education and access for students in the field of digital design.
The pioneering degree integrates AI, autonomous fabrication, and computation within architectural design and is the first post-professional master’s degree in a U.S. school of architecture specializing in robotic fabrication. Across its first six graduating cohorts (2020–2026), the MSD-RAS has made a significant contribution to the academic community, producing eleven peer-reviewed ACADIA papers, including the 2025 Best Paper Award, alongside other publications and the book Robotic Fabrication and Architectural Design (Stuart-Smith, 2025).
The award will be accepted by its founding director, Robert Stuart-Smith, who developed MSD-RAS in 2018, led it through its first six graduating cohorts (2020 to 2026), and co-chaired ACADIA 2022 at Penn. Stuart-Smith is now an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech.
Location:
The Department at Hudsons, Farmer room
Parking is not provided. Attendees are responsible for arranging their own parking.
Registration required. Bring your Eventbrite ticket digitally for check-in.
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Robert-Stuart Smith
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Highlights
- 45 minutes
- In person
Location
The Department at Hudson's
1000 Nick Gilbert Way
Detroit, MI 48226
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