[2] Adlerstein obtained his architectural degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and was a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.
Before joining the United Nations, he was the Vice-President and Chief Architect at the New York Botanical Garden,[3] where he headed a multi-year restoration and design initiative.
[3] In this capacity, he was in charge of the planning, design and construction program for the north-east region, including partnership projects at Gettysburg, Valley Forge, Acadia and Jamestown.
[3][better source needed] In this position, he managed and led the team of architects and engineers to plan, design, and construct the Ellis Island.
[3] Since 2017, he has been teaching architecture classes as an adjunct professor at Columbia University, specializing in historic preservation.