Rusty Smith is an Associate Professor, the Coordinator of the Program of Architecture and the Coordinator of the First Year Program in the Auburn University School of Architecture. He also has taught and lectured as a Distinguished Visiting Artist at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture and Designed Objects. He is a nationally recognized teacher and scholar. Rusty’s honors related to teaching excellence include the receipt of the 2005 American Institute of Architects National Teaching Honor Award (along with Professors Bruce Lindsey and Rebecca O’Neal Dagg), and the 2003 American Institute of Architecture Students National Teaching Honor Award. Rusty is a regular invited lecturer speaking about design education at both educational institutions as well as to design professionals.

Currently an independent consultant, Rusty Smith has practiced professionally since 1991. He has worked as a senior designer for a variety of internationally recognized architectural firms, including Perkins + Will and Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum.

Rusty is also an artist whose juried work has been exhibited nationally and collected by private benefactors as well as public museums and galleries. He makes robots, none of which ever work.