Dr. Todd Levon Brown, Environmental Psychologist; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Columbia University GSAPP; Adjunct Lecturer of Psychology, Fashion Institute of Technology.

Trained as an architect, Dr. Todd Levon Brown is an environmental psychologist whose research lies primarily at the intersection of critical [race] theory and the built environment. Working theoretically, empirically, and visually, he explores how architecture and other physical spaces and places are produced, perceived, and evaluated as racialized and embodying other social constructs. His dissertation investigated how environmental cues—such as architectural design features and other physical properties—are used in the development of one’s sociospatial imaginary of urban space. As an interdisciplinary environmental scholar, he bridges numerous fields, including environmental psychology, architecture, and sociology to inform his research and practice. He has provided DEI consulting and training to numerous design firms and organizations across the country. He has published several scholarly works at the intersections of psychosocial perception, race, social justice, architecture, and urban design including award-winning peer-reviewed journal articles, conference and symposium papers, and most recently, a book chapter on carceral geographies.

As an interdisciplinary educator, Dr. Levon Brown has taught in various programs including psychology at Hunter College, urban studies at Queens College, and architecture at the City College of New York. He also served as the 2021-23 Race and Gender in the Built Environment Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture, where he taught design studios and seminars on inclusion and socioracial sustainability. He currently teaches architectural design at Columbia University’s GSAPP and psychology at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Dr. Brown received his BA in architecture, Master of Public Health and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his MA, Master of Philosophy, and PhD degrees in environmental psychology from the CUNY Graduate Center.