Event
April 16, 2026 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
BSA Space290 Congress StreetBoston, MA
Ticket information to be announced.
Professionals
Whatever your role, experience, or focus – if you’re in the AEC industry, this event is your opportunity to witness firsthand a frank and open discussion about AI in the built environment for all designers. With an emphasis on direct thinking about issues regarding both technology and business, we will cover current topics in the field, and push even further with our panel of experts representing various industry perspectives.
Whether you’re a C-suite professional, a Partner, a Project Manager, a Project Designer, or fresh out of college – you’ll leave this event with state-of-the-art information and insights that will benefit you, your career, and others you work with.
Nirva Fereshetian, Principal, CIO, CBT Architects - Representing Architects
Murat Melek, Director, Design AI, Suffolk Construction - Representing GCs
Robert Otani, PE, CTO, Thornton Tomasetti - Representing Structural Engineers
Zach Kron, Sr. Principal Product Manager - Representing AUTODESK
Paul Kassabian, PE, Principal - AI Director, Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger
View details about the panelists below:
Principal, CIO CBT Architects
Nirva Fereshetian is a Principal & Chief Information Officer at CBT Architects, a Boston based award-winning design firm providing services nationally and internationally in Architecture, Interior Design & Urban Design. She is responsible for aligning business technology strategies to meet primary business objectives. She is experienced in managing projects & people with an interdisciplinary background in architecture/construction/technology and a capacity to bridge that knowledge to enable informed business decisions and increased productivity. A passionate advocate of the AEC startup ecosystem as CBT Architects continues to collaborate with many founders for the overall goal of shaping the future of the industry. She is a board member of Boston Smaht - Chapter of Building Intelligence Group, Founding member of Forum Ventures, member of the AIA AI Task Force & Women Applying AI. In 2024, she was recognized as one of Boston’s 25 top women in tech.
Senior Director, Design AI Suffolk Construction
Murat Melek is Senior Director of Design AI at Suffolk Construction, where he works at the intersection of software development, data, and building design, including the practical application of AI in design and construction workflows. With more than two decades of experience on complex projects worldwide—including cultural and institutional buildings—his background spans data-driven and computational approaches, structural engineering, and software-enabled design workflows. He holds a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from UCLA and a Master’s in Data Science from UC Berkeley.
Managing Principal & Chief Technology Officer Thornton Tomasetti
Rob Otani is widely regarded as one of the industry’s leading experts in automation and computational modeling. He established and oversees Thornton Tomasetti’s CORE studio, which focuses on applications development, advanced computational modeling and research and development. Rob is also part of the leadership team that oversees the firm-wide research and development program, CORE Lab, and serves as an advisor to Thornton Tomasetti’s innovation accelerator, TTWiiN. During his career, Rob has been responsible for the design and management of more than $3 billion of infrastructure, commercial, cultural and residential structures and infrastructure projects. He has led numerous software applications including Konstru, Design Explorer, Beacon, and the first ML-powered structural engineering application Asterisk in the industry. Robert serves as Chair of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Technology Committee, Member of the AI Advisory Board for the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) and Co-Chair of for the IASS AI-informed Structural Engineering and Design Study Group.
Principal Product Manager AUTODESK
Zach is a Product Manager at Autodesk where he helps teams build computational and analytic tools for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction. His work focuses on how designers engage with technology through analysis and form-making to create better outcomes everywhere and for everyone. Zach holds a BA in Fine Arts, Sociology and Anthropology from Swarthmore College and an M.Arch from MIT.
Principal, AI Director Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger
Paul Kassabian is a Principal at SGH and their Director of AI. He focuses on using technology for both unique structural design projects as well as scalable business models for the company. He has been in practice for over 25 years with his structural design work ranging from public art to interiors, residential, commercial, modular, 3D-printing, pedestrian bridges, and historic buildings. Paul has lectured full graduate courses to graduate structural engineering and architectural students at MIT for nine years, Harvard GSD for three years, and RISD for one year. He also posts videos on YouTube teaching structural behavior.
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