The Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture honored UO professor Nancy Yen-wen Cheng with the 2014 ACADIA Society Award of Excellence on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles.

As part of the award, Cheng presented her research on “Shaping Light with Folding Surfaces,” a project for creating sun-shading screens, at the group’s conference the same weekend.

“I’m looking at how folding surfaces can mediate heat and light,” she said. “Computers enlarge the scope of what we can do so much. I see the power of computing, and that’s why I teach it. It enriches our world and helps us make better decisions. I believe that computers help us see more, do more and think more deeply.”

On Monday, Nov. 10, Cheng will present a public talk on her “Shaping Light” research at 5:30 p.m. in Room 206, Lawrence Hall. She will also present the talk Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in the Empirical Theater at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Science Pub, 1945 SE Water Ave., in Portland.

Cheng is a professor of architecture focusing on sustainable architectural design and digital methods. From 2009 to 2013, she was director of the UO’s architecture program in Portland.

Cheng was chosen for the society’s award for helping improve the organization as a volunteer-run program by helping connect ACADIA to allied organizations both internationally and domestically.

“The committee recognized that she laid the foundation for the next generation of ACADIA leadership, which in hindsight, we as a board of directors realize that it did make a big difference in the long run,” said Gregory Luhan, the group’s board member and chair for the awards committee.

Cheng was recruited as ACADIA’s outreach officer in 1995 and served until 1999, when she served as chair on the group’s steering committee. She served two two-year terms as vice president, in 2007-2009 and 2011-2013. From 2009 to 2011, she was ACADIA president.

ACADIA is an international organization of design researchers and professionals committed to researching and improving architectural design techniques with digital tools.

—By Emerson Malone, Architecture and Allied Arts