BIOGRAPHY

Thomas Sammons is a tenured professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette School of Architecture. He also is currently the director of the Community Design Workshop, in which he has directed six to nine faculty members and 15 to 20 students each year in urban design, landscape design, planning and architectural projects for the surrounding communities. He teaches urban design studio and lecture classes dealing with urban form and site. Sammons also serves as the chair of the fourth-year design studio, the lecture committee and the MPO advisory committee for the Lafayette Consolidated Government. He is also a member of the Campus Planning Committee and an urban designer for the planning division of the Lafayette Consolidated Government.

During his tenure, Sammons has presented a number of papers, including numerous presentations concerning the I-49 Corridor, which include "I-49 Final Public Meeting," which he presented for the Federal Highway Administration, DOTD of Louisiana and the public. Sammons also presented "I-49 Corridor Design Exhibition" for the 2001 American Planning Association Planning Conference. Additionally, Sammons presented "Community Design Workshop: A Case Study of Collaboration" at the IDEC International Conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. At the 25th International Making Cities Livable Conference, Sammons presented "Community Design Workshop: Processes and Projects."

Sammons has also secured a number of grants for the university’s Community Design Workshop, as well as numerous scientific equipment grants. The total amount of grants has exceeded $544,062, including the I-49 Corridor, redesign of Breaux Bridge and the current redesign of Opelousas’ downtown area, as well as Lafayette’s Johnston Street.