Prairie View A&M University School of Architecture professors and students have been invited to Kathmandu, Nepal to assist in the restoration of the historic Keshav Hindu Temple. Requested by United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organization Nepal, professors William Batson, Stephon Song and Pankaj Chhetri will use 3D laser scanners to measure the damage done to the building during the 2015 earthquake. ā€œThis is a once in a lifetime opportunity placed in our lap,ā€ said Batson, ā€œWe are determined to present ourselves and our wonderful School of Architecture to the world.ā€

The professors will travel to Kathmandu in December for a week and return to ā€œthe Hillā€ with their findings. In the Spring of 2018, architecture students enrolled in the Special Topics class will have the opportunity to decipher the 3D laser scanned point cloud into visual two-dimensional drawings as part of their curriculum. ā€œGlobal citizenry requires that we open up opportunities for our students to explore the world on many platforms,ā€ said Associate Vice President of Research Awadh Binhazim, Ph.D. PVAMU students will also have the opportunity to travel to Nepal during Spring Break to present the completed drawing and details to UNESCO Nepal.