landscapes & climate change
Susan Ask
PhD Student in Landscape Architecture, with a graduate minor in European Union Studies
I am a doctoral student in landscape architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My research interests revolve around climate change, land use and nature conservation, including strategies that are called nature-based solutions. Specifically, I research the climate and biodiversity impacts of historic and working landscapes. In addition, I research the role of landscapes in bird collisions with buildings
Interdisciplinary studies and collaboration have always been the core of my work on sustainability.
At the University, I have taught a variety of courses in landscape architecture, planning and sustainability. I have taught as the lead instructor and as a teaching assistant, for undergraduate and graduate students. My professional experience in sustainability and my research experience in ecology inform what I teach and how I teach. My approach to teaching emphasizes getting out in the field, exploring diverse perspectives and learning in community.
Previously, I worked as a university extension agent in Chicago, a conservation land manager in Maine, and a field ecologist in the mountains and the plains. I founded a sustainability-focused non-profit that combines science education with community engagement in Chicago and I am a member of the Chicago Wilderness Alliance, where I collaborate on climate action. In addition, I have worked on plans for climate action and nature conservation, by analyzing carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions and engaging in community-based planning.
My formal training includes studies in ecosystem science and management at Yale University, where I earned an M.E.S. degree. I also have a B.A. in environmental studies from the University of Kansas.
Research interests
- nature-based strategies for climate action
- climate planning at local and regional scales
- scenarios for natural and working landscapes that support biodiversity, community well-being and ecosystem services
- patterns of historical land use, especially in agricultural landscapes
- bird collisions with buildings and design-based mitigation strategies in built environments
- nature-based pedagogy
Classes taught
- Sustainable Planning Seminar
- Environmental Site Analysis
- Woody Landscape Plants
- Site Design Studio
- Making Sustainable Design
- History of World Landscapes
- Introduction to Landscape Architecture
- Natural History of Illinois
Education
Ph.D. Student. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Landscape Architecture, with a graduate minor in European Union Studies. Expected 2027.
M.E.S. Yale University. Ecosystem Science and Management.
B.A. University of Kansas. Environmental Studies.