Judy Ruvuna

Judy Ruvuna is an Educator and designer with a diverse background in Architecture, Interior Design, Historic Preservation, and Textile Technology and Design. She is an Assistant Professor for Interior Design at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Master of Architecture and Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Texas at San Antonio, a Certificate in Interior Design from the University of Alabama at Huntsville, and a Bachelor of Science in Textile Technology and Design, from the University of Bradford, UK. Judy Ruvuna has over 25 years of industry experience and is the owner and Project designer for J R Interior Solutions.

The University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas
Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation - 2012

The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
Master of Architecture - 2010
Thesis: "Making a Case for Adaptive Reuse as a Strategy to Revitalize and Generate Urban Tourism in Post-industrial Cities."

The University of Alabama at Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama
Certificate in Interior Design - 1997

University of Bradford, UK
Bachelor of Science in Textile Technology and Design - 1984

Assistant Professor Interior Design
University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas

Visiting Instructor Interior Design
University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas

Adjunct Faculty Interior Design
The University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas

Program Coordinator Interior Design
The Art Institute San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

Fulltime Faculty Design and Technical Graphics
The Art Institute San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

Adjunct Faculty Interior Design
The Art Institute San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

Graduate Assistant
History of Modern Architecture
Environmental Systems
Building Technology IV
The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

Owner and Project designer (Architecture and Interior design)
JR Interior Solutions, San Antonio, Texas

Architectural Intern
Mainstreet Architects, San Antonio, Texas

Design Consultant
Austin, Texas

Owner and Project Designer
Elegant Home Design, Huntsville, Alabama

Owner and Design Consultant
Decorating Den Interiors, Bryan College Station Texas

Publication

Doganer, S., Kamal, A., Ruvuna, J., Flores, J., Hernandez, E., Nishimoto, T. (2010. "A 3-D Mapping Study of Urban Pedestrian Wayfinding: The case of San Antonio River Walk", Design Education 2010 Archnet IJAR, vol.4, Issue 2, July 2010.

Conference Proceeding

Ruvuna, J., Doganer S. "Making a Case for Adaptive Reuse as a Strategy to Revitalize and Generate Urban Tourism in Post-industrial Cities." Conference proceedings, 11th International Joint World Cultural Tourism Conference. November 2010.

Presentations

Ruvuna, J., and Minor M, Interactive, Project-based learning: A strategy for instructing and engaging Generation Z in design education. IDEC Regional Conference October 2019

Nash, A. B., and Ruvuna, J. Interior Design Student Technology Use: Perceptions & Integration. FCSTAT Midwinter Professional Development Conference, San Antonio, Texas. January 2020

Ruvuna, J., Allison, D., & Nash, A. B. Flipped Learning, Scaffolding, and Layering: Enhancing Learning Outcomes in Interior Design Technology Courses. IDEC National Virtual Fall Symposium 2021

Ruvuna, J. Community Service, Student Engagement and Experiential Learning on a Habitat for Humanity Building Project.  UIW Research Week, San Antonio, Texas. 2022

Ruvuna, J. Examining Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility in the Built Environment's Design and the pandemic's impact on learning. Texas AAFCS Professional Conference, New Braunfels, Texas. 2022

Ruvuna, J. & Nash, A.B. "Sharing Stories: The Diversity, Equity, And Inclusivity (Dei) Conversation and Lived Experiences In The Interior Design Classroom." 15th Annual International Design Principles & Practices Conference, Lisbon, Portugal. 2023

• American Institute of Architects, Associate Member (AIA)
• Interior Design Educator Council (IDEC)
• International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
• American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS)

• Art Institute of San Antonio Teaching Achievement Award (2014)
• Peterson Award, Historic American Building Survey Team Award (2010)
• Kenneth Lanier Anderson Prize, Texas Society of Architects Team Award (2010)
• Provost's Legacy in Teaching Award, University of the Incarnate Word (2022)

• Habitat for Humanity
• Historic Neighborhood Revitalization
• Meet the Mission

Active Research

• Design for underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized communities
• Community-based design that includes the community as stakeholders
• Historic Preservation and Adaptive reuse

Research Collaboration

• Sustainable housing, vernacular architecture, and the history of underrepresented communities
• Interdisciplinary collaboration

Technology and Innovation

• Research using 3-D printing and prototyping to develop new forms in interior design
• Virtual Reality

Innovation in teaching methodology

• Design thinking
• Creativity

• INTD 1320 - Architectural Drawing
• INTD 1364 - Color and Environment-Behavior Theory
• INTD 2301 - Computer Applications for Interior Designers (Adobe Creative Suite),
• INTD 2325 - Construction and Details
• INTD 2355 - History of the Built Environment I
• INTD 2360 - Textiles for Interior Design
• INTD 3315 - Computer-Aided Drafting for Interior Design (AutoCAD and Sketch Up)
• INTD 3336 - Environmental Systems and Sustainability
• INTD 3355 - Advanced Computer-Aided Drafting (Revit)
• INTD 3363 - History of the Built Environment II
• INTD 4380 - Historic Preservation