Laura VanKoughnett

Hometown: Chicago
Education Background: BA Environment and Urban Planning, University of Michigan

How did you get interested in your field?
I gravitated towards urban planning in undergrad. I interned at a city planning office, but quickly realized I wanted to do more tangible design over policy. I had a professor who had a landscape degree and introduced me to the field, and the rest is history.

What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
I have an urban planning concentration through UMich’s Program in the Environment degree. I have a 3D Design minor and a Social Work minor. I then worked for a year at an environmental justice nonprofit in Chicago focused on energy efficiency for low-income housing.

Why did you choose Penn?
I chose Penn because it seemed like the most social-change-focused program. With my environmental justice focus, I love how the landscape department feels so well rounded and interdisciplinary. There are so many professors doing amazing work with blends of policy and design.

What has been your favorite class so far?
I love our Studio sequence! I really enjoy choosing a topic and diving into it for the semester. You use all the skills you’ve learned in your Media and Workshop classes and fine tune your project until you have something you’re really proud of and excited about.

What are you learning right now that will help you in the future?
I’m currently in a wetland restoration elective and integrated phytoremediation into my studio project last semester. I came in with a strong theory background, so I am excited to gain some concrete procedural skills!

What do you like best about Philadelphia?
The underground music scene! There are so many talented bands and DJs in the city, and I’ve loved discovering lowkey events and venues.

What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
I am in Inclusion in Design, an org through Weitzman that is part support group and part advocacy group for minorities in the design school/industry. I’ve also worked as a research assistant, teaching assistant, and as an assistant to the department office.

What are your career ambitions?
I always joke with people I knew more about what I wanted to do before I started the program. I’ve learned how many things you can do with a landscape degree. In undergrad, I was set on adaptation and resiliency urban design. Since then, I’ve seen how landscape architects can be engineers, policymakers, fine artists, ecologists, farmers, researchers... As a kid, I wanted to be a marine biologist. So maybe I’ll mix the two and focus on coastal cities :)