RESEARCH + SCHOLARSHIP 

Recognition of a world of pervasive human influence across all scales of the global landscape presents the central dilemma for the 21st century. In just over a decade the emerging Anthropocene paradigm-and recognition of the extent of human influence on Earth Systems-has catalyzed transformations in scientific and humanistic discourse. Similar to the ongoing Anthropocene-induced paradigm shifts in history, economics, medicine, ecology, geology and other disciplines, the awareness of human eco-geologic agency necessitates not only the examination of landscape architectural disciplinary traditions and canon, but also a recognition of new research imperatives to investigate and advance new contextual grounds and theoretical territories of landscape architecture. Given the scale of the emerging Anthropocene-induced paradigm shift, one can anticipate that in order to maintain relevancy and assert agency, landscape architecture will require an examination of our professional discourse, disciplinary lexicon and speculative tools so as to realize alternative future conditions. It will also require traditional modes of academic scholarship alongside professional outreach and engagement, diverse media platforms and public intellectualism.

My research and scholarship investigates the Anthropocene paradigm as a ontological and epistemological discourse for 21st century landscape architectural pedagogy and practice. In particular, my research concentrates on how the Anthropocene is a disciplinary paradigm shift that destabilizes the prevailing social perceptions and cultural definitions of nature. In response, my work considers how this paradigm shift now necessitates alternative social constructions of nature that imbue human geologic, ecologic and hydrologic agency and, as a consequence, challenge and expand established landscape architectural lexicon, open space typologies and infrastructural practices. At present, this work concentrates upon an overarching theory of nature and landscape architecture in the Anthropocene, which I refer to as Nature 3.x.

My research has been incubating through a versatile rubric of research seminars, research studios, capstone committees, public symposia, precedent study travel and documentation, literature review, conference presentations and guest lectures. My current efforts are focused upon the development of a book project Nature 3.x: Postnatural Landscape of the Anthropocene.