Hometown: Bellingham, WA Education Background: BA in Biology, Carleton College
How did you get interested in your field?
I became interested in landscape architecture while working on a prairie restoration ecology project in undergrad. While I was a biology major, I also took a couple of field drawing classes and fell in love with being outside and drawing to enjoy and learn more about nature. I ultimately felt like landscape architecture was the perfect way to deepen my creativity, apply my interests in science, and create the kinds of places I love spending time in. I also studied abroad in Bhutan during college and enjoyed learning about how environmental policy and spiritual practices shape space in that context. From there, I did a month-long summer intensive in landscape architecture through UC Berkeley, loved it, and never looked back!
What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
I studied biology and minored in art history at Carleton, a small liberal arts school in the Midwest. I took two years between undergrad and grad school and worked in collections at a botanical garden in Madison, Wisconsin, a true dream job!
Why did you choose Penn?
I was drawn to Penn because it is in a city and region with a very high concentration of interesting landscape projects and firms that are helping to push the boundaries of what the profession can do. Penn has such dedicated professors with interesting and wide-ranging research opportunities that students are encouraged to engage in. Plus, the students who come here have such diverse perspectives and backgrounds- we all learn a lot from each other.
What has been your favorite class so far?
I loved Workshop I with Sally Willig and Marie Hart because we went on field trips every week to sites across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, hiking, drawing, and identifying plants. As someone who was new to Pennsylvania at the start of the program, it was so wonderful to experience landscapes outside of the city and learn about the geologic and natural history of the region.
What are you learning right now that will help you in the future?
Designing for change is an important aspect of what we are taught here at Penn. We are constantly challenged to think about time and process in design rather than creating a fixed product. Thinking about design in that way, I think, helps us to reframe the role of landscape architects and take on challenging issues like climate change. Also, in the second and third years, we get to do a lot more collaborative work with our peers in studio, and I think that learning to design in a partnership or group is so important because professional practice is all about teamwork.
What do you like best about Philadelphia?
I love the farmer’s market at Clark Park, running on the Schuylkill River trail and in the Wissahickon, and trying new coffee shops all around the city! I also love my walk to school and seeing people on the front porches of row houses playing music or just hanging out. Philly’s neighborhoods and architecture have such a distinctive character, and it is so different from where I grew up on the west coast!
What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
Outside of classes, I am a research assistant in the EM Lab, and a teaching assistant for Workshop III.
What are your career ambitions?
Eventually, I would love to move back to the west coast or Midwest and work at a small or mid-sized firm on public projects. Some of my interests are planting design, ecological restoration, and coastal resilience. I am also interested in combining research with professional practice in the future. Most importantly, work-life balance is a priority for me, and I hope to settle in a work environment with similar values!