Taryn Sabia

Assistant Dean for Research
Associate Professor of Research
Phone: (813) 974-4042
Email: tarynsabia@usf.edu
Website: LinkedIn

Taryn Sabia's career in urban and community design is anchored by a passion to involve citizens in actively shaping the built environment. Her diverse background in architecture, urban design, education, and community engagement has provided her with a deep understanding of the importance of context-based design, mobility, and culture of place, and how these elements inform an urban framework.

Professor Sabia is the Assistant Dean for Research in the College of Design, Art & Performance at the University of South Florida and the Director of the Florida Center for Community Design and Research (FCCDR). As a Research Associate Professor, she teaches graduate courses and studios on urban design policy, climate change and sustainability, urban form, urban transportation systems, and citizen involvement in urbanism. Her research is committed to the merging of design and civics, with focus on climate change adaptation, transit modes and public space. She has extensive experience building partnerships between community members, organizations, and government leaders, Professor Sabia has served as a Principal Investigator on more than 30 projects and advised numerous elected officials and local governments. 

Professor Sabia is a co-founder of the Tampa based non-profit, urban design collaborative, Urban Charrette, Inc. The organization is dedicated to educating community leaders and young professionals about sustainable urban design and empowering citizens to make their neighborhoods and cities better places to live.

Professor Sabia has worked professionally in the field of architecture on projects related to mixed-use development, historic preservation, and downtown façade redevelopment programs. She has planned and facilitated over 150 public charrettes and workshops and has authored several articles about community engagement and urban design including a publication in the National Civic Review. Professor Sabia led the Southeast Regional Mayor's Institute for City Design program in 2014 and 2017. She has presented numerous times at national and regional conferences and serves with professional organizations, such as the American Institute of Architects' Regional and Urban Design Leadership Group leading initiatives for the Active City Conference in 2017 and the Future of Urban Design Education Symposia.

Professor Sabia earned a Master of Urban and Community Design from the University of South Florida and a Master of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design, where she was a Graduate Fellow for City-State: RISD's Urban Design Lab and served as a Senate Fellow to the Senior Policy Advisor for the Rhode Island Senate. She holds a Master's of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor's Degree in Visual Art from Eckerd College.