Sana Ahrar, Ph.D.

Bio

Sana Ahrar is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at North Carolina State University, where she teaches in both undergraduate and graduate programs. She is committed to community-engaged research, and her work examines housing, urban transformation, and the social and spatial dimensions of the built environment, with attention to sustainable and community-centric approaches to development. Her recent work focuses on informal urbanism, particularly how middle-class communities in the Global South navigate formal and informal housing markets, and how community-driven practices shape urban environments.

Sana is a registered architect in India and her research has been published in peer-reviewed venues and presented at various international conferences. She has been recognized for her research with awards such as the Michael Brill Research Grant in Urban Communication and Community Design, the Waddell Biggart Graduate Fellowship, and the ARCC King Student Medal for Excellence in Architectural and Environmental Design Research.

Before joining NC State, she completed her Ph.D. in Architecture at Penn State University in 2025. At Penn State, she taught theory and studio courses, contributed to the launch of Hyphen, the Department of Architecture’s academic journal, and held leadership positions focused on student support, well-being, and engagement. She also holds a Master’s in Urban Regeneration and a Bachelor’s in Architecture.

Area(s) of Expertise

housing, urbanism, urban Informality, and socio-spatial aspects of the built environment