GT TEAM
MArchII, Harvard Graduate School of Design; MArch, Montana State University; BEnvD, Montana State University
Vanessa Works
Special Programs Specialist
Vanessa Works serves as the Special Programs Specialist in the Global Track Office within the School of Architecture, where she plays a vital role in supporting students throughout the unique Global Track Dual Degree Program. Since the program’s launch in 2012, Vanessa has been instrumental in its development and ongoing success. Her deep knowledge of the program and genuine commitment to student success make her an essential resource and the primary point of contact for Global Track students, both during their time at UHM and while studying abroad in China.
With a strong passion for mentorship and student engagement, Vanessa is known for building lasting relationships with students and taking an active role in their academic and personal growth.
Originally from California, Vanessa’s path to Hawai‘i included a stop in Las Vegas, where she transitioned from a successful collegiate coaching career to higher education administration. Prior to joining UHM, she served as a women’s soccer coach at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Concordia University in Irvine, California.
Outside the office, Vanessa thrives in the outdoors and can often be found hiking, exploring, or spending time with her family. She is passionate about travel, adventure, and living life to the fullest.
For Vanessa, the most rewarding part of working with the Global Track Dual Degree Program is witnessing students' personal and academic growth as they progress through the program and achieve their goals on a global stage.
Pu Miao
Professor, Architect
Professor Miao is a frequent instructor in the Global Track Program while the cohort is at Tongji University in Shanghai. A graduate of Tongji University himself, Miao's interest include architectural and urban design, focusing on the localization of Modernist architecture in today's China. Architectural and urban design theory, topics include public space in modern Chinese cities, gated communities in Chinese cities, structure of Chinese traditional architectural form, garden theory, phenomenology, architectural education, and design criticism.
His professional experience includes the establishment of Miao Design Studio in the early 1990's. Built designs have been published in international journals such as Architectural Review, Domus, Detail, A+, Urban Design (Quarterly), Architecture Asia, and Architectural Review Asia Pacific, as well as Chinese periodicals such as Architectural Journal, Time+Architecture, New Architecture, and Architect. Invited to exhibit his work at CIVA in Brussels (2008) and at Aedes in Berlin (2011). His designs received awards including the 2007 Far Eastern Architectural Awards (Taiwan) and the First Architectural Design Awards organized by the Architectural Society of China (ASC), Shanghai Chapter in 2006. His designs are reviewed by books on contemporary Chinese architecture, such as Charlie Q.L. Xue's Building A Revolution: Chinese Architecture Since 1980 (Hong Kong University Press, 2006). Miao was a member of the Expert Group Meeting on public space convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) and the Italian National Planning Institute (INU) in 2014. See www.pumiao.net for more information on Miao’s design and research works.