I am a recent University of Illinois graduate with a masters degree in landscape architecture and I am interested in understanding the ways in which the built environment can be responsive to people’s needs and supportive of their wellbeing. It might sound basic, but in order to design for people's needs, we need to know what the needs are. Therefore, I am interested in post occupancy evaluations, behavior mapping and, more specifically, research focusing on the benefits of nature-based playgrounds on children’s social and cognitive development.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, US, Graduate Instructor, Introduction to Evidence-Based Design
Developed and taught an undergraduate seminar introducing students to Post Occupancy Evaluation methods with a focus on behavior mapping.
Hitchcock Design Group, Naperville, IL, US, Intern
Developed assessment tools for Post Occupancy Evaluations of urban design projects, healing gardens and nature-based playgrounds.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, US, Research Assistant, Trees and Test Scores Project
Responsible for coordinating a seminal experimental study testing the effect of vegetative views from high school common spaces on students’ academic performance and behavior.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, US, Teaching Assistant, Environmental Sustainability
Assisted professor with grading, advising students and teaching lecture in the professor’s absence.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, US, Lead Landscape Architect, 2013 University of Illinois Solar Decathlon Team
Managed a small team of graduate landscape architecture students in the site design process of a custom built solar-powered, cost-effective and energy-efficient home.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, US, Masters, Landscape Architecture
Graduate thesis focused on comparing the effects of nature-based and traditional playgrounds on children’s social and cognitive development.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, US, Bachelors, Landscape Architecture
Semester study at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Spring 2007.
2013 Presidential Management Fellowship, Nomination
From the PMF website: "Bearing the Presidential moniker, the PMF Program is a flagship leadership development program at the entry level for advanced degree candidates. It was created more than three decades ago by Executive Order and has gone through many changes over the years."
Sigma Lambda Alpha Honor Society in Landscape Architecture, Nomination
An honor society with the expressed purpose of recognizing and rewarding academic excellence in preparation for the profession of landscape architecture.
2009 Edward L. Ryerson Traveling Fellowship, Grant
Competitive fellowship supporting international travel to carry out research and fieldwork. My work was concerned with investigating new approaches in water sensitive planning in Israel.
