Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Candidate, current. Architecture and Design Research, Landscape Architecture Program, Virginia Tech; expected graduation Summer 2021.

M.L.A., Department of Landscape Architecture. Mississippi State University, 2015.  Thesis: Examining the relationship between avifauna and green roofs in Mississippi’s humid-subtropical climate. December 2014 defense.

B.F.A., Fine Art, Sculpture emphasis, Department of Art, Mississippi State University, 2009 Thesis: Material Study.

Mississippi School for Mathematics & Science, 2004 graduate

 

PORTFOLIO

2014 Portfolio

 

EMPLOYMENT

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Graduate School, Virginia Tech, Fall 2018 – Spring 2019, Summer 2020 – Spring 2021

Graduate Research Assistant, Landscape Architecture Program, School of Architecture + Design, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Tech, Fall 2019 – Spring 2021

  • Fall 2019 – Current: Research Assistant invited to participate in a project funded by the National Park Service and the Organization of American Historians to nominate 2 outdoor recreation sites used by African Americans from the 1800s through the Jim Crow Era and the Civil Rights Movement for National Landmark Status

Student Designer, Community Design Assistance Center, College of Architecture and Urban Studies Virginia Tech, Summer 2019

  • Summer 2019: worked in a team-oriented studio environment on two different projects to develop conceptual plans and renderings for underserved communities in Virginia. For Page County, I helped with plans to redevelop a landfill into a multipurpose downhill bike course with walking trails, camping, retail, and capacity for event services. For the town of St. Paul, I helped with plans to redevelop and update a section of street for revitalization and as a connector to proximate walking trails and areas of interest.

Graduate Teaching/Research Assistant, Landscape Architecture Program, School of Architecture + Design, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Tech, Fall 2016 – Summer 2018  

Sales, Green Oak Garden Center LLC, Jackson, MS, November 2014 – June 2016

Designer, consultant, and salesperson for Green Oak. I met with clients, heard their requests, needs, and visions, and then produced for them custom design solutions. Green Oak is a full service Florist and Garden Center with a Design Department that provides Landscape, Interiorscape, Colorscape, and Christmascape services. I used all of the resources available to my business to fulfill the needs of my clients.

Resident Gardener, Department of Landscape Architecture, MSU, Summer 2014

Designed and implemented an art installation in department entrance, maintained flower beds there & at wildflower arboretum located at North Farm, contributed to Zuber Park Stream Restoration & Pollinator Garden.

Teaching Assistant, Department of Landscape Architecture, MSU, Fall 2012 – Spring 2014

  • Spring 2014: Computers in Landscape Architecture
  • Fall 2013: Introduction to Landscape Architecture
  • Spring 2013: Computers in Landscape Architecture
  • Fall 2012: Landscape Systems & Plant Communities

Wait Staff Manager/Bartender, Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern, Starkville, MS, May 2009 – June 2012

Created schedules, calculated payroll, contributed to weekly staff meetings, managed social media, handled vendors, encouraged promotional & marketing opportunities.

SERVICE

  • 2020 COVID-19 Working Groups
    • Remote Assessment & Proctoring Working Group
    • Graduate Teaching Assistant Workshop Planner
  • 2018-present, Fellow, Virginia Tech Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence (VTGrATE)
    • Program Co-Manager Spring 2021
  • 2018-2019 Graduate Student Association, Delegate; Chair & Parliamentarian of the Judicial & Electoral Affairs Internal Committee, Virginia Tech
  • 2018-2019 Graduate Honor Society, Judicial Review Board Panelist
  • 2018-2019 Graduate Student Fellow, Leadership and Social Change Residential College, Virginia Tech
  • 2017-present Departmental Advisory Board Member, Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Mississippi State University
    • 2018-2020 Board Chair
  • CELA 2018 (Blacksburg) Full Conference Paper Reviewer
  • CELA 2018 (Blacksburg) Planning Committee Member. (Spring 2017-Spring 2018). Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture International Conference. Specifically planned and coordinated the five site tours across Southwest Virginia.
  • 2018 Benefactor & Volunteer for Seasonal Color Garden at Rainbow Riders Daycare Center.
  • 2016-present Hike Leader for Hike it Baby! Around the New River Valley, Virginia

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

  • 35th Annual Graduate Student Assembly’s Annual Research Symposium, 2019. Theme: Discover New Perspectives. “Interdisciplinary Studios: Facilitating New Perspectives,” presentation.
  • Virginia Tech HBCU/MSI Research Summit 2018. Poster Submission; Conceptual Plan for an Equitable Greenway through Metro-Atlanta: Leveraging the Chattahoochee River to Increase Social & Ecological Connectivity
  • CELA 2018. Transforming the Discussion, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. “Green Roofs & Birds: Observations & Opportunities for Supplementing Wildlife Habitat,” Timothy J Schauwecker, MSU, M.LA. adviser & co-author,  Landscape Planning & Ecology Track, presentation.
  • CELA 2018. Transforming the Discussion, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. “Watershed Research in Landscape Architecture“, Timothy J Schauwecker, panel coordinator, MSU; Landscape Planning & Ecology Track, panel presentation.
  • CELA 2014. Layers: Landscape, City, & Community, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD. “Green Roofs & Birds: Observations & Opportunities for Supplementing Wildlife Habitat,” Advisor & co-author Timothy J Schauwecker, MSU, Landscape Planning & Ecology Track, presentation.

 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PUBLIC SPEAKING

  • October 27, 2020, Guest Lecturer: Justice in June and Confronting Racism, GRAD 5214 Diversity for Global Society, Prof. Justin Grimes, Ph.D., Virginia Tech
  • October 7, 2020, Virtual Workshop. Teaching 101: Tips and Tricks for Teaching in a Pandemic
  • September 28, 2020, Virtual Workshop. Teaching 101: Tips and Tricks for Teaching in a Pandemic
  • August 18, 2020 Graduate Student Panelist, Graduate Teaching Assistant Workshop, Virginia Tech
  • August 21, 2020 Graduate Student Panelist, Graduate School Orientation, Virginia Tech
  • 2018 Virginia ASLA Annual Conference, Bridging Design & Cultural Landscapes, Emerging Professionals Panel Speaker: “Emerging Trends in Landscape Architecture“, Natural Bridge State Park, Natural Bridge, Virginia
  • 2018-present VTGrATE (Virginia Tech Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence) Fellow; teaching resource and mentoring program, Virginia Tech
  • 2018 Pecha Kucha speaker, “Developing an Ecological Perspective”, Blacksburg Sustainability Week
  • 2018 Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Speak Out
  • 2016 – Present: PARKing Day, Social Media Mission Amplifier, Virgina Tech
  • Feb. 9, 2018 Community Workshop Participant, “Turner Pedestrian Passage,”  Landscape Architecture Program, Virginia Tech
  • 2016 – Present: Hike Leader in and around the New River Valley through Hike it Baby!
  • October 4-6, 2016 XTREME LA Virginia Tech Landscape Forms & Landscape Architecture Foundation sponsored charrette

 

HONORS & AWARDS

  • 2019, 2020 Trees Virginia Scholarship Recipient
  • 2018 Landscape Architecture Program Faculty Book Award for service to the Program
  • 2018 Preparing the Future Professoriate: Global Perspectives Program study abroad participant, Graduate School, Virginia Tech
  • 2016-2017 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, School of Architecture + Design, Landscape Architecture Program, Virginia Tech
  • 2016-2017 Citizen Scholar Recipient, Hike it Baby! New River Valley; Citizen Scholar Engagement and Transformative Graduate Education, Virginia Tech
  • 2014-2015 Outstanding Thesis Award, Dept. of Landscape Architecture, MSU
  •  2013-2014 ASLA Merit Award for Excellence in the Study of Landscape Architecture, MS Chapter
  • 2013-2014 Planning & Design Award, Dept. of Landscape Architecture, MSU
  • 2013-2014 Communications Award, Dept. of Landscape Architecture, MSU
  • 2013 MSASLA Merit Award, Student Award for Community Service: OCHM
  • 2013 ASLA Award of Excellence in Student Collaboration for OCHM
  • 2012-2013 Outstanding Community Service Award, Dept. of Landscape Architecture, MSU
  • 2012-2013 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Dept. of Landscape Architecture, MSU
  • 2011 Matthew Gaskin Memorial Scholarship recipient; 9 years of service industry experience
  • 2004-2008 MTAG/MSG, State of Mississippi
  • 2004-2008 Academic Scholarship, MSU

ACHIEVEMENTS & CERTIFICATES

  • 2018 Watershed Management Graduate Certificate, Virginia Tech
  • 2017 Preparing the Future Professoriate Graduate Certificate, Virginia Tech
  • 2015 Certified Nursery Professional, Mississippi Nursery & Landscape Association
  • 2014-2015 Built a 600 sf Tiny Home on family land in Mississippi2014 CELA Conference, Baltimore, MD. Oral presentation on thesis topic
  • 2014 Completed Frostbite Half Marathon, Starkville, MS
  • 2013-2014 MSU Department of Landscape Architecture Wood Shop Certified
  • 2009 Senior Thesis Art Show. Material Study. Department of Art, MSU

SOFTWARE

AutoCAD, ArcGIS Pro, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, SketchUP, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Quickbooks, jMetrik, Slack, SPSS, SAS, Zotero, Zoom

 

STUDY ABROAD

Italy: Summer 2008 (MSU, Department of Art) Study on Italian landscape & culture through design. Hosted through the Vicenza Institute of Architecture.

Global Perspectives Program 2018: Switzerland (Virginia Tech Graduate School) Theme: Evolving U.S. & European Higher Education [Areas of Research for Group: 1. Teaching & Learning 2. Open Access 3. Diversity & Inclusion 4. Trends in Doctoral education. Personal Research Topic: Emerging Trends in Design Education ]

INTERNSHIP

Kalu Yala Entrepreneurial Internship, Panama City, Panamà. Outdoor Recreation Intern, Summer 2013 Spent 3 months living off the grid at an intentional community. Primary project: designed/built a sand filter for community grey water treatment. Contributed to multiple intern projects with interns from other Kalu Yala domains: hand-built an agricultural terrace, helped plant over 300 fruit trees, garden construction, and indigenous building construction.

MSU Department of Landscape Architecture Design/Build: Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum (OCHM), Summer 2012 Participated in the comprehensive development and construction of multiple site features including the cistern, green roof pavilion, signage and parking lot wheel stops.

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Managed Retreat

Quantifying Ecosystem Services

Flood Resilience/Ecological Design/Watershed Sensitive Design

Low Impact Development/Blue-Green Infrastructure

Teaching & Learning

African American Recreation Landscapes

 

DIGITAL BADGES

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