Sohyun Park has been named an assistant professor in Texas Tech University's Department of Landscape Architecture, according to officials with the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. She officially stepped into her new teaching and research post on Sept. 1.

Park is particularly interested in the application of landscape ecology to urban and regional planning in order to increase environmental understanding toward a more sustainable society and to support evidence-based design and policy. Her interests also include ecological connectivity of urban habitats, urban green spaces management, ecosystem services, land use change, and geospatial analysis and geodesign.

One of her goals at Tech is to carry out research on the reconciliation between ecology and planning and to contribute to making sustainable urban environments through independent and collaborative research efforts among different disciplines, professions, and sectors.

Prior to joining the Tech faculty, Park worked as a director in the Eco-Research Institute at the NEXUS Environmental Design Centre; an instructor at Yeungman University; and teaching and research associate at Arizona State University. She also served as a researcher in the Division of Policy Research at the Korea Environment Institute and the Division of Urban and Regional Planning at the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlement.

Park's research has been in the areas of environmental planning, ecological network, land use planning, park planning, greenbelt management, habitat restoration, urban greening, and ecological placemaking. One of the research projects of particular importance includes the conservation and sustainable planning in the Demilitarized Zones funded by the United Nations Development Program.

Park received her bachelor's degree in biology from Sookmyung Women's University (Korea), and her master's degree in landscape architecture from Seoul National University. Her doctorate in environmental design and planning is from Arizona State University. She is a member of Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, The International Association of Landscape Ecology, The Society for Conservation GIS, and The Society for Urban Ecology.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Charles Klein, Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Landscape Architecture, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-3771 or charles.klein@ttu.edu

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