John Ochsendorf is the Class of 1942 Professor of Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT, and the founding director of the MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD). Recognized with a MacArthur Fellowship in 2008, his work explores the intersection of structural engineering and architectural history. He is noted for his research on the preservation of historic masonry structures and for reinterpreting ancient 'funicular' building technologies for contemporary, low-carbon construction. He was also the Director of the American Academy in Rome (2017-2020) and is a founding partner of the specialized consulting firm Ochsendorf, DeJong, and Block LLC.