Director’s Interdisciplinary Innovation Grant Awards Spark New Research at the University of Florida’s School of Landscape Architecture and Planning
Four research teams from the University of Florida’s School of Landscape Architecture and Planning (SLA&P) recently received funding through the Director’s Innovation Grant Awards, an initiative designed to fund cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Faculty from both the Department of Landscape Architecture (LA) and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (URP) submitted project abstracts to SLA&P Director Dr. Jules Bruck and Associate Director Dr. Laura Dedenbach for review before receiving funding.
“The Director’s Innovation Grant Awards were created to spark bold, forward-thinking research that advances both planning and design,” said Dr. Bruck. “It’s exciting to see our faculty working across disciplines to address some of the most pressing challenges communities face today.”
The selected projects reflect the various expertise of SLA&P faculty, addressing research topics ranging from AI analysis of landscape design to student-led research on the Florida Wildlife Corridor. The total of $42,000 in grant funding was dispersed, with teams receiving $10,000-$12,000 plus opportunities to apply for additional internal funds to cover all research
Florida Wildlife Corridor Research
Eve Bohnett (LA) and Hal Knowles (URP)
This project aims to launch the first undergraduate “incubator pod” that will be connected to the research being conducted at the UF Center for Landscape Conservation Planning. The pod will serve as a model for student-led applied interdisciplinary research. Students will lead hands-on field research focused on the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a state-wide network of nearly 18 million acres of connected lands and waters that support wildlife habitats. Students will maintain a network of trail cameras that document wildlife movement, habitat use, and bottleneck areas within the corridor. They will also have the opportunity to work with stakeholders and hear from leaders at various agencies and research organizations.
A Model for Independent Living
Assistant Professor Andrea Galinski (LA); Associate Professor Kevin Thompson (LA); Dr. Ruth Steiner (URP)
Did you know that Florida ranks third in the nation for the number of people with disabilities facing poverty or financial hardship (over 1.5 million people)? To address this challenge, this proposal posits that special needs populations should be integral parts of our communities, centrally-located and with access to the same amenities and services we all enjoy. Working with community partners The Independence Project (TIP), as well as practitioners Dix Hite + Partners and 5C Landplanning LLC, this project intends to inform planning and design approaches for independent, inclusive, and affordable housing solutions. The interdisciplinary team will generate planning and design recommendations that advance equity, independence, and community connections for special needs populations.
“Old Florida” & the Working Waterfront: A Study of Gulf Coastal Communities Through Identity, Heritage and Landscape
Instructional Assistant Professor Kyle Dost (URP); Assistant Professor Nicholas Serrano (LA); Assistant Professor Cleary Larkin (URP); Associate Professor Kathryn Frank (URP)
The team’s research aims to define “Old Florida” through a study of rural Gulf coastal working waterfronts, natural and cultural landscapes, and resident narratives of identity and resilience. Focusing on the Big Bend and Forgotten Coast areas, with a specific focus on historic Cedar Key, the team will work with the Town of Cedar Key, the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation (FTHP), and other communities such as Apalachicola and Steinhatchee, to document identity and assess evolution, to create a statement of significance for Florida’s working waterfronts, and to advocate for community development that recognizes the importance of “Old Florida” authenticity for the stability of Florida’s economy, the public good and environmental stewardship.
Explore Vision-Based AI’s Usage in Landscape Performance Evaluation
Assistant Professor Yi Luo (LA) and Assistant Professor Vivian Wong (URP)
This collaboration focuses on using AI to explore innovative ways to monitor and assess the social performance of campus landscape projects. With a focus on Plaza of the Americas and the South Terrace Amphitheater at the Reitz Union, they aim to analyze how students use the space and how design influences how people use outdoor space. The data will help them develop a digital urban model to empower planners. The goal is to accurately simulate and predict the impact of future design interventions, encouraging proactive, predictive planning and design.
By fostering collaboration between faculty in both planning and design, this initiative provides a framework for developing research that addresses complex environmental, social, and cultural challenges. As research progresses, it will lay the groundwork for future interdisciplinary initiatives.
“I think it is a very exciting opportunity for the SLAP faculty,” said Andrea Galinski, Assistant Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture. “It’s interesting, because while we work in the same building and see each other in meetings or passing by in the hallway, we don’t necessarily collaborate together or know what one another is working on. This grant incentivizes us to come together in new ways, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can build on this seed funding and perhaps grow it with future opportunities too.”