On May 16, Founding Principals Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake were awarded the 2025 Dean's Medal from the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning in recognition of their contributions to the field and the betterment of the world. Stephen and James also delivered an address to graduates at the School's 53rd Commencement.

The Dean's Medal is the highest honor bestowed by the School and recognizes individuals who have made an indelible impact on our professions through inspirational practice, scholarship, and leadership. 
 
“KieranTimberlake is not defined by a style. They stand out for their sensibility toward the process of design and building – at once inquisitive, rigorous, and generous in their response to site, client, and community,” said Dean Julia Czerniak, an architect and landscape architect who was employed by the firm in the early 1990s and has since collaborated with them on several commissions and competitions.  
 
“Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake are pathfinders — seeking ways forward with each project not just for themselves and their clients, but for the profession — and more importantly, for the diversity and breadth of the world beyond.” 
 
Past recipients include American architect and futurist scholar Richard Buckminster Fuller, environmentalist Bill McKibbon, landscape architects Walter Hood and Michael VanValkenburgh, and Gensler principal Madeline Burke-Vigeland, among others. 
 
A full recording of their address may be streamed below.