For nearly eight years, NCARB has invited licensure candidates nationwide to partake in its annual Think Tank—a group of soon-to-be architects who provide NCARB with feedback on the licensure process and brainstorm areas for improvement, while also getting the chance to engage with leadership. The 2019-2020 Think Tank focused on topics relevant to today’s practice, including the importance of strengthening the relationship between candidates and supervisors, as well as the role and ethical responsibilities of architects now and in the future.
Think Tank members also discussed the need for stronger representation within the profession. With the number of architects continuing to increase, a continued focus on inclusion and diversity efforts—especially at the start of the pipeline—is imperative. “I would like to see representation across the board. I think change happens when people of color and people of different gender identities and sexual identities take on responsibilities and positions of power,” says member Phil Talley.
While licensure may hold a different significance to each person, as you’ll hear from our past Think Tank members, the responsibility to protect the health, safety, and welfare for the communities architects serve remains the same.
