Jabi, of Montclair, was elected president of the Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA), the main group in North America for educators and researchers working in computer-aided architectural design. By serving as ACADIA president, Jabi furthers a venerable NJIT tradition: Two other NJSOA professors, Glenn Goldman and Stephen Zdepski, served as presidents of ACADIA.

“NJSOA has been a long-time national leader in computer-aided design,” Jabi said, “and it’s a great honor to be the third professor from NJSOA to lead ACADIA, where I’ll have the chance to further the national exchange of information about the technology and pedagogy involved in educating architects.”

Jabi teaches a third-year studio class and a digital tectonics class at NJSOA.

His research in computer-supported collaborative design has helped to change the way architecture is taught. Jabi is experimenting with high bandwidth and the Internet2 to enhance distributed design reviews. Students and invited remote jurors use video-conferencing and application-sharing software to critique student designs. Since the information is shared across the network, the remote jurors can be located anywhere when they review student designs. Professors use computerized digital tablets to annotate the designs. The setup uses an interactive computer system for real-time sharing and annotation of presentations, direct manipulation of shared 3D virtual models and real-time video and audio conferencing.

As president of the organization, Jabi will lead the group’s effort to organize an annual conference, publish the group’s proceedings book and newsletter, conduct a design competition, collaborate with other international organizations in the field and engage in various outreach activities. Jabi previously served ACADIA as editor of its Quarterly Journal; chairman of its 2001 conference; member of its steering committee; and as an editorial board member of the International Journal of Architectural Computing.