Louis Nelson is an Associate Professor of Architectural History in the School of Architecture at UVA, where he researches and teaches subjects including Early American architecture, vernacular architecture, and theories and practices of sacred space. He has published three books, numerous articles, and has served as the senior co-editor of Buildings and Landscapes, the leading journal in the field of vernacular architecture. His first book, The Beauty of Holiness: Anglicanism and Architecture in Colonial South Carolina, examines the material practices of religion from theology to sacramental practices in historical context. It received the best book of the year award from his regional professional organization. He has also published American Sanctuary: Understanding Sacred Spaces, a book of collected essays. His current book project builds on ten years of student-faculty summer field programs in Falmouth, Jamaica, where Nelson works with local Jamaican artisans and community leaders to document and rehabilitate the town’s historic built environment. He is also the school’s Associate Dean for Research and International Programs.