“Current graduates take courses in architectural design and construction with steel, concrete and wood, but not with glass,” says Urmilla Sowell, vice president of advocacy and technical services for the NGA. “The purpose of this new curriculum is to bridge the gap between academia and industry professionals. By bringing glass engineering knowledge directly to higher education, we are meeting NGA’s goal to elevate glass among engineers and architects by educating and promoting glass use in the built environment.”
The NGA Glass Engineering Curriculum lessons include history of glass, glass as a material, practical applications, special applications, safety and security glazing, fracture mechanics, loads, and sustainability and recycling. Bill Lingnell of Lingnell Consulting Services contributed to the curriculum content based on his experience in architectural glass manufacturing, fabrication, design and forensic work, along with NGA’s advocacy and technical staff.
The glass engineering curriculum is currently under development and its lessons are being reviewed by subject matter experts. NGA will then use the feedback to refine the courses and continue the University review process.
The industry can help support the continued development of the NGA Glass Engineering Curriculum with a
tax-deductible donation to the NGA Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All NGA Foundation donations received between Sept. 29-Oct. 13 will be allocated to support the NGA Glass Engineering Curriculum.
ABOUT NGA
Founded in 1948, the National Glass Association (NGA),
glass.org, combined with the Glass Association of North America (GANA) in 2018 to form the largest trade association serving the architectural glass and metals industry supply chain, including glazing contractors, full-service glass companies, glass fabricators, primary glass manufacturers and suppliers to the industry. It is a technical powerhouse that brings some of the best minds to the table to create
technical resources and promote and
advocate for glass in buildings. NGA’s
education and training resources—including
MyGlassClass.com,
MyGlassFAB, and
Glazier Apprentice Curriculum—and its official publications
Glass Magazine and
Window + Door, keep the industry knowledgeable and well informed. NGA also produces the industry’s largest annual trade show in the Americas,
GlassBuild America, and hosts these
conferences: NGA Glass Conferences, Building Envelope Contractors (BEC) Conference, Glazing Executives Forum, and introducing the NGA Glass Fabricator Conference (GFAB) in 2026. Contributions to
The NGA Foundation support training the industry and educating consumers about the many ways glass and glazing contribute to a safe, healthy, sustainable, and inspiring built environment. Follow NGA on
Facebook,
X and
LinkedIn.
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