What if the world’s busiest airport was also a shining example of ecological harmony? At the College of Environment + Design, our senior landscape architecture studio took on this challenge through developing a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), a visionary project reimagining the 4,700-acre grounds of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Archive for the ‘Students’ Category
Historic Preservation Experience on Jekyll Island
College students gain historic preservation experience on Jekyll Island Article by Lauren McDonald, The Brunswick News
MHP student appears on HGTV’s Life Under Renovation
Master of Historic Preservation student Ross Sheppard and partners Will Walker (BBA ’15) and Jacob Hawkins have spent the last two years renovating the c. 1838 Samuel Rockwell House in Milledgeville, GA. The story of this massive undertaking premieres Saturday, May 1, 2021, on HGTV’s Life Under Renovation, which follows five families through a home building project using self-shot footage.
Whitney Barr selected as first CELA Fountain Scholar
Whitney Barr has won the inaugural 2021 Fountain Scholar award, granted by The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture. Named after Charles Fountain, this prestigious award was established to help Black, Indigenous and other students of color advance their landscape architecture education.
Lynn Abdouni honored with Graduate School Excellence in Teaching Award
PhD candidate Lynn Abdouni is one of five UGA graduate students honored with this year’s UGA Graduate School Excellence in Teaching Award. She is recognized for her outstanding instruction whilst pursuing a rigorous program of study in the Environmental Design and Planning doctoral program at the College of Environment and Design (CED).
Student Internship Spotlights: English Hinton and Zack Orr
This time of year, many students are seeking Summer internships. For two CED students, their remarkable experiences left a big impact as they closed a chapter on their time at UGA.
Historic Preservation students explore old buildings to diagnose structural issues
Students in the Master of Historic Preservation program get hands-on experience researching the physical condition of old buildings. Every Fall semester, students in Dr. Mark Reinberger’s Building Material Conservation class are divided into teams to create structural assessments for a variety of clients. Students in the class were interviewed about their experiences.
Community Landscape Lab Studio Engages in Service-Learning
Katherine Melcher, an associate professor of landscape architecture in the College of Environment and Design, has created the Community Landscape Lab to engage students and community groups using landscape architecture as the means to acuate social change. Through the Community Landscape Lab, Professor Melcher partners students with clients in a Master’s level Landscape Architecture (MLA) studio to provide stakeholders with design concepts and engagement strategies useful to the community. Bringing more awareness to the lab’s work, students developed a blog to publish information about the projects they are working on, including background information, weekly updates on community feedback, and their design recommendations.
Improving Rural Health through Design
Researchers have identified significant linkages between public health and the design of the built environment, including impacts on physical activity, walkability, social and mental health. While most design research centers on the re-design of cities and other urban places, Georgia is predominately a rural state. With the 20th highest adult and the 18th highest child obesity rates in the nation, rural Georgia needs design interventions that are sustainable, community supported and cost-effective. While better health outcomes through design is frequently touted for urban areas, research neglects design and planning for rural communities.
Georgia DOT, UGA and The Ray Break Ground on Latest Meadow-Research Installation
Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT), The Ray and the University of Georgia’s College of Environment + Design (UGA CED) are pleased to announce Phase 2 of their meadow-research plantings on The Ray Highway, at the Exit 6 median alongside I-85’s northbound lanes. The purpose of the research is to establish innovative uses that beautify and improve the utilization of Georgia’s highway corridor.
CED Faculty recognized by Students
The UGA Center for Teaching and Learning created the Thank-a-Teacher program 12 years ago to allow students an easy way to express gratitude to a professor, instructor, or graduate student teacher who has impacted their life in a profound and meaningful way. CED Associate Professor David Spooner and Ph.D. Candidate Lynn Abdouni are both receiving praise from students for their engaging classes.
New Preservation Student Publishes Research
Megan McPherson, a first-year Master of Historic Preservation (MHP) student, came to the program with some bona fide research under her belt with the Georgia Museum of Natural History (GMNH).
FindIt Program Featured in UGAToday
FindIt Program Featured in UGAToday
From Cities to Satellites: Yulia Shaffer’s Journey with NASA’s DEVELOP Program
Over the Summer, current Ph.D. student Yulia Shaffer was awarded an incredible opportunity to work with NASA through their DEVELOP Program. Read more >>
UGA Students Document Georgia’s Historic Gems
Using a mix of paper surveys, digital mapping, and even a hand-crafted “junk journal,” students in the FindIt Historic Resource Survey documented nearly 3,000 historic properties in Meriwether County, capturing pieces of Georgia’s history in creative and meaningful ways.
Collaborative Design in Action: UGA and LSU Students Collaborate on Transformative Service-Learning Project in Savannah
Fall 2025 Update: CED Students Receive the 2025 ASLA Georgia Student Honor Award.
We are pleased to announce that Joanna Munei Waliuba and Nazrin Aliyeva have received the 2025 ASLA Georgia Student Honor Award for their continued work on the Savannah, Georgia site.
MHP Summer 2021 Internship Highlights
Internship Highlights Megan McPherson, 2nd year UGA MHP student, received a highly competitive NCPE summer 2021 internship at Redwood National Park in northern California. Second year UGA MHP student, Sarah Owen, received a highly competitive NCPE summer 2021 internship at Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas. Sierra Beighey, 2nd year MHP student, interned for Preservation Pittsburgh during summer 2021.
Student Work on Display: A First Look at CED’s Upcoming Critique Week
Join us for CED’s Spring Critique Week! April 30th to May 2nd in the Jackson Street Building.
Students get hands-on experience at historic Athens property
Historic Preservation students are exploring the history of the land to support ACC planning efforts.
Hands-On Heritage: MHP Students Explore Preservation and Culture in Croatia
Second-year MHP student Savanna Davis shares her experience studying abroad in Croatia and Venice.
CED Students Publish New Issue of Georgia Landscape Magazine
The latest edition of Georgia Landscape Magazine is here! Written, curated, and produced entirely by CED students, this annual publication showcases fresh perspectives on landscape architecture.
Beyond the Arch: Nature as the Classroom
Coastal Georgia’s salt marshes and beaches become both subject and classroom for UGA students learning to illustrate the landscape.
BLA seniors design new futures for Brunswick sites
We’re looking back at our Spring ’25 landscape architecture senior capstone studio in Brunswick, Georgia! This spring, seniors in instructor Carley Rickles’ studio chose one of two 100-acre sites in Brunswick to redesign.
Intern Spotlights: FMG Student Worker Summers
Did you know that the Founder’s Memorial Garden employs a dedicated team of student workers every year to help maintain the garden? Well, when this team isn’t getting their hands dirty in the garden, they’re out gaining even more real-life experience through summer internships!
PhD Student Designs New Metrics to Measure Coastal Resilience After Natural Disasters
Environmental Design and Planning Ph.D. candidate Jiyue Zhao researches the intersection of cities and natural landscapes to increase coastal resilience. In September 2017, Hurricane Irma slammed into Florida as a […]
CED Students and Faculty Take On ASLA 2025
Each fall, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) hosts a national conference for landscape architect professionals, educators, industry partners and students. From Oct. 8 to 13, CED faculty, students and […]
CED PhD Candidates Publish Chapter in International Book Series
PhD Candidates Yulia Shaffer and Žaklina Grgić authored a chapter on the Socialist City with Dean Sonia Hirt in “From the City as a Project to the City Project,” published this fall. For many PhD students, the opportunity to publish a […]
Planting Seeds: MLA Student Educates Future Landscape Architecture Students
MLA student Megan Janssen, BLA ‘24, wants to know how landscape architects find their way to the profession, starting with College of Environment and Design students. One of few to […]
Preserving place: UGA’s FindIt program brings new life to Monticello’s history
UGA’s FindIt program partnered with the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission to survey Monticello’s historic district, documenting 400 properties.
Student Works Shines at Fall Critique Week
At the end of each semester, the College of Environment and Design hosts Critique Week, a multi-day event showcasing student work from the semester. This fall, Critique Week was held on Dec. 4 and 5 and featured 28 guest […]
2nd Year BLA Students Envision New Future for Abandoned Water Pump Station
For their final project of the semester, students in associate professor Jose Buitrago’s planting design studio designed new uses for the Sandy Creek Pumping Station, an abandoned water pumping station on the North Oconee River […]
PhD Student Shweta Vardia Receives Getty Library Research Grant
The grant will help fund a short-term research residency at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles, granting uninterrupted access to the vast collections held at the Getty Library. Congratulations to Environmental […]
The CED’s Georgia Landscape Magazine is Back!
After a five-year hiatus, CED’s Georgia Landscape Magazine is rebooted! Beginning in 1976, Georgia Landscape Magazine is a student-run publication curated, written, and published by the students of CED. The upcoming issue will be published this Spring! Click the link below to read more about the history of the magazine!
It’s Critique Week at CED!
It’s Critique Week, where students from CED programs will participate in a three-day critique of design and planning projects!
Student Uses Landscape Architecture to Memorialize COVID-19
MLA student Olivia Rothstein Keeffe was among three UGA students to participate in this year’s TEDxUGA, where she spoke on the topic of her master’s research which focuses on memorializing the loss experienced during COVID-19.
International Student Spotlight: Thiago Almeida
Meet Thiago Almeida, a Master of Urban Planning and Design student, who traveled over 3,000 miles from his home in Brazil to continue his education at the CED!
CED Faculty and Students Take On Minneapolis at the 2023 ASLA Conference
In October, faculty and students at the University of Georgia College of Environment and Design had the opportunity to connect with professionals and share knowledge at the ASLA 2023 Conference.
CED Assistant Professor Uses Virtual Reality to Advance Research
CED assistant professor Jessica Fernandez uses emerging technology to understand how people respond to designed spaces.
Croatia Maymester Creates New Experiences for Students
The Croatia Study Away Maymester has been beloved by faculty at the CED for over a decade. The program immerses students in the rich history and culture of Croatia, a small country in southeastern Europe with a population slightly less than the size of Metro Atlanta.
Community Planning Students Help Secure $4.9 Million Grant
CED associate professor Stephen Ramos and his community planning students have helped secure a $4.9 million federal grant for a series of community improvement projects in Baldwin County, Georgia.
CED Lecturer Uses Service-Learning Project to Revitalize Small Georgia Communities
Since 2019, Longenecker and his students have been heavily involved with Healthier Together Georgia, a program run by the UGA Extension to improve health and wellness in communities with limited access to healthy foods and active routes such as bike lanes or sidewalks.
Landscape Architecture Students Think Big in Griffin, GA
In the spring, landscape design students at the CED took the phrase, ‘dream big,’ to a whole new level! With the support of CED lecturer James Schulte and the UGA Archway Partnership, landscape design students used their imagination and critical thinking skills to brainstorm revitalization ideas for a large property in Griffin, Georgia.
From Classroom to Field: Students Create A Landscape Management Plan for Cedar Lane Farm
A team of six master’s students, led by Dr. Eric MacDonald, had the exciting opportunity this spring to work with the owners of Cedar Lane Farm, located in Morgan County, Georgia. Deeply connected to the state’s botanical heritage, this farmstead has a plethora of historical and cultivated plants, formal gardens, an intricate trail system, and unique natural features nestled within the landscape. The students worked diligently to create and tailor a comprehensive management report for Cedar Lane Farms, including management strategies for invasive plant species and programming trail systems highlighting the site’s natural character.
CED Students Work On Outdoor Pavilion Enhancement at Bert Adams Scout Camp
During the spring semester, Dr. Jessica Fernandez and her first-year Master of Landscape Architecture students in Studio II embarked on an exciting project: the Outdoor Pavilion Enhancement at Bert Adams Scout Camp.
International Double Dawg Sophia Zhang Finds Success in Service-Learning
When Guangzhao(Sophia) Zhang first arrived at the College of Environment and Design, the university lifestyle came as no surprise. As an international Double Dawg from Beijing Forestry University, Zhang was […]
MHP Students Explore Savannah
In February, the students and faculty of the Master of Historic Preservation program embarked on their annual Preservation Perspectives Trip. This year, students and faculty traveled to Savannah, Georgia for a three-day trip filled with visits to historic sites and meetings with preservationists in different roles across the city.
CED Students Support Innovative Teaching With Local Development
Professor Donnie Longenecker’s Senior Capstone Studio assisted a team of educators and citizens working on a master plan for The Center for Innovative Teaching (CFIT), located 23 miles from UGA’s campus in Winder, Georgia. Our students were tasked with developing concepts for a portion of the campus. In the end, a final concept was assembled from favorable parts of each of the student designs. The project is now coming to fruition as they plan on breaking ground in early April 2023.
MHP Students Volunteer in Selma, Alabama During Spring Break 2023
During Spring Break, Professor Cari Goetcheus, along with Master of Historic Preservation students Kayla McElreath, Cameron Nesmith, Niamh West, Jeffrey Bussey and Inga Gudmundsson, headed to Selma, Alabama to assist with post-tornado historic resource assessments.
Urban Planning Professor Helps Students Identify Community Strengths
Stephen Ramos, an associate professor at the University of Georgia College of Environment and Design, works to enhance student learning through class projects that promote community engagement.
Explore Athens and Beyond with AthSketch
Every week, CED lecturer Cameron Berglund leads an enthusiastic group of urban sketchers across UGA’s campus and the state of Georgia. The AthSketch community is open to students and locals alike. The group meets every Wednesday to sketch a different spot around town and sharpen their individual spatial design skills. Read on to learn how you can get involved!
Students Install Temporary Sculptures at Founders Memorial Garden
First-year landscape architecture students in Jose Buitrago’s design studio installed 100% recyclable temporary sculptures in the Founders Memorial Garden.
Students Design Wellness Courtyard Adjacent to University Health Center
Donnie Longnecker’s second-year design students were tasked with envisioning an outdoor wellness courtyard adjacent to the UHC that focuses on fostering community and providing tranquility to the many visitors of south campus.
CED BLA Shark Tank Competition Highlights Students’ Professional Skills
The 2022 CED BLA Shark Tank competition showcased innovative business plans for design firms created by Donnie Longenecker’s Professional Practice class.
Kimley-Horn Charrette Design Competition
In January of this year, over 70 CED participated in a design charrette sponsored by Ian Firth (Professor Emeritus), Kimley-Horn, Belgard, Forms+Surfaces, and Select Trees.
MLA Student Morgane Coleman Leads the Way For VR in the CED
Master of Landscape Architecture student Morgane Coleman is leading the way with incorporating virtual reality (VR) technologies into the classroom in the College of Environment and Design.
CED Partners on 2022 Sustainability Grant Project
“Bee Beautiful,” a project created by Genetics and Ecology undergraduate Elizabeth Esser and directed by CED Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture Dr. Eric Macdonald, aims to reduce toxic vegetation for migratory birds and increase native habitat and food sources for pollinators.
A Park Reimagined: New Design for Bowman Park
Recently, final design plans were revealed by four University of Georgia students who were tasked to reimagine the Bowman Town Park. From community input meetings, surveys and other information-gathering sessions, master’s degree candidates Andrew Petersen, Kayla Joiner, Elizabeth Crimmins and Guangzhao (Sophia) Zhang, took what locals asked for and set out to put their landscape-designing knowledge to work for the rural community. Joining the students on the call were Katherine Melcher, their UGA Design Studio professor; Cara Specht, representing the S.C. Forestry Commission and the Tree City USA program; Toby Douthat with Sen. Lindsey Graham’s office and S.C. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter of District 66.
MUPD Student to Participate in the Graduate School Emerging Leaders Program
Phillip Jones, a current 2nd-year MUPD student, was selected to participate in the UGA Graduate School Emerging Leaders Program for the Spring of 2022.
The University of Georgia and the Daffodil Project to Create A New Memorial Garden on the UGA Campus
On December 5, 2021 at 11 AM EST, students, faculty, alumni, and community members will gather at the Baldwin Street stairs at the University of Georgia for a planting and dedication ceremony including a speaker from the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, Sandra Craine, the child of a Holocaust survivor, sharing her mother’s story. This event is free and open to the public.
MLA Student Receives ASAI Award
Master of Landscape Architecture student Madelaine Kinnebrew has been given a Student Award of Distinction in the American Society of Architectural Illustrator’s (ASAI) 36th Architecture in Perspective Professional and Student Competition. Madelaine studied advanced graphics under Dr. Jessica Fernandez.
UGA Interdisciplinary Research Team explores coastal housing challenges
UGA students are working with the University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island to create new designs that could help coastal residents weather the next hurricane. The UGA interdisciplinary team includes colleagues from the College of Engineering, College of Environment and Design, the department of geography, the department of marine sciences, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, the Office of Research, and the Office of the University Architect.
McDuffie County Trails Charrette
McDuffie County, Ga. – The McDuffie County Archway Partnership enlisted design assistance from the College of Environment and Design (CED) in order to increase recreational opportunities around Clarks Hill Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River. Led by the CED Center for Community Design and Preservation, graduate students from the college’s landscape architecture and urban planning programs have provided a master plan that includes concepts tailored to kayaking enthusiasts, hikers, campers, recreational cyclists, and equestrians.
CED students design healing gardens for The Ark Family Preservation Center
The College of Environment and Design (CED) partnered with The Ark Family Preservation Center to create a series of gardens that promote healing for families broken by destructive forces such as drugs and alcohol. The Clinkenbeard Healing Gardens, named after the grandmother of the center’s founder, Dr. Oxley, are envisioned to be a space where parents and children can reconnect with each other through play and nature.
