Jiayang Li
Assistant Professor
Office: AH 440
Contact: jiayangli@ufl.edu
Research Specialties / Areas of Focus:
- Ecological Landscape Design
- Climate Resilience and Adaptation
- Landscape Perception
Personal Biography
Jiayang is an interdisciplinary scholar working at the intersection of landscape architecture and climate change adaptation. With a keen interest in everyday landscape experiences and human perceptions of ecological landscape design, her research focuses on the human dimensions of ecological design, with the goal of informing nature-based solutions that enhance climate resilience and adaptation while creating enjoyable outdoor environments in local communities. Currently, Jiayang integrates design thinking and social science methods to work on three topics: (1) Perceived social and cultural benefits of novel nature-based solutions; (2) Risk perception and sense of security in the context of urban flooding and adaptation; and (3) Community engagement in interdisciplinary and action research projects.
Her work has been supported by UF internal research funds and external agencies like the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. She has published in multiple top-ranked journals such as Landscape and Urban Planning, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, and Ecology &Society, and given guest lectures and conferences presentations nationally and internationally.
Jiayang earned her Ph.D. in Environment and Sustainability and Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan. She also holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Landscape Architecture from Tongji University in Shanghai, China. Before turning her primary focus to research, she had practiced in firms including SmithGroup and AECOM.
Project Gallery
Cedar Key ShOREs (Shoreline Options for Resilience and Equity)
2022-2024
Funded by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
With funding from NAS, this interdisciplinary project focuses on the planning and design of nature-based solutions (NBS) around key public infrastructure in Cedar Key. The project team takes an approach that centers on community engagement and aims to help tackling frequent storms, sea level rise, and chronic erosion that the CK community is facing now. As a Co-PI, Jiayang contributes to the team with her expertise in public perceptions of NBS designed for flooding mitigation and community engagement, helping to envisioning a variety of NBS practices in public streets and vacant lots in local low-lying neighborhoods.
Advancing Campus Flood Vulnerability Assessment through Integrated Human
Perception and Digital Technologies with High-Performance Computing
2024-2026
Funded by UF NVIDIA AI and Complex Computational Research Award
This project aims to comprehensively assess campus vulnerability to flooding by joining geospatial data with perceived risks within a Digital Twin. By integrating human risk perception data with advanced technologies and mathematical simulations, this research has the potential to revolutionize flood vulnerability assessments and significantly improve disaster resilience efforts. As a Co-PI, Jiayang is leading the efforts to design VR-based experiments and collect risk perception data.
Leveraging Park-based Nature-Based Solutions to Address Urban Flooding
2022-2025
Supported by UF research startup funds, this series of pilot studies investigates the current adoption of NBS in urban parks that aim to tackle stormwater and riverine/coastal flooding, with a focus on social implications and lessons for landscape planning, design, and management. One completed study examined NBS adoption in 58 public parks across major US cities and explored the relationships between NBS typologies and the park’s surrounding landscape and sociodemographic contexts. Another ongoing study focuses on living shorelines in Florida coastal communities and their social-cultural benefits.
Team Members
Current Research Team Members
Yiyi Liu (1st-year Ph.D. Student)
Yiyi Liu is a 1st year PhD student in the Department of Landscape Architecture. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Science in Environmental Sustainability after earning her bachelor’s degree in Geographical Information Science from Shanghai Normal University. Her previous research experiences include spatial-temporal data analysis and geostatistical analysis on health geography. Her current research interests focus on climate change vulnerability assessment and the built environment resilience.
Andrea Otalora (MLA, ‘27)
Andrea is currently pursuing a Master’s in Landscape Architecture at the University of Florida. With a background in environmental studies, she hopes to work on incorporating nature-based solutions in cities. Andrea has done previous work in the realm of social-ecological and is now working under Li Jiayang looking at people’s perceptions of living shorelines.
Past Research Team Members
Ziyi Guo (Ph.D. Candidate, URP)
Ziyi Guo is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Urban and Regional Planning after earning her Bachelor’s degree with a major in urban management. Her current research primarily focuses on data-driven studies aimed at enhancing the understanding of urban social infrastructure resilience.
Andres Molina (MLA, ‘25)
Andres Molina is a graduate student in the Department of Landscape Architecture. He was born in Miami, Florida and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas. His interests lie in residential and hospitality focused landscape design.
Publications
Publications:
- Li, Jiayang, and Ziyi Guo. 2024. “Leveraging Greenspace to Manage Urban Flooding: An Investigation of Nature-Based Solutions Implementation in U.S. Public Parks” Land 13, no. 9: 1531. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091531
- Shehab, Isabella, Joan Iverson Nassauer, Noah J. Webster, Natalie Sampson, and Jiayang Li. 2024. “Perceptions of Detroit vacant lot greening designs related to depressive symptoms and household flooding”. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 128358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128358
- Li, Jiayang, Joan Iverson Nassauer, Noah J. Webster, Stephanie D. Preston, and Lisa Reyes Mason. 2022. “Experience of localized flooding predicts urban flood risk perception and perceived safety of nature-based solutions.” Frontiers in Water, 4, 210. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.1075790
- Li, Jiayang, Joan Iverson Nassauer, and Noah J. Webster. 2022. “Landscape elements affect public perception of nature-based solutions managed by smart systems.” Landscape and Urban Planning, 221, 104355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104355
- Li, Jiayang, and Joan Iverson Nassauer. 2021. “Technology in support of nature-based solutions requires understanding everyday experiences.” Ecology and Society, 26(4): 35. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12838-260435
- Li, Jiayang, and Joan Iverson Nassauer. 2021. “Aesthetic experiences can encourage acceptance of urban greenspace with greater ecosystem services. ” Landscape Architecture Frontier, 9(5). https://doi.org/10.15302/J-LAF-1-030029
- Nassauer, Joan Iverson, Noah J. Webster, Natalie Sampson, and Jiayang Li. 2021. “Care and safety in neighborhood preferences for vacant lot greenspace in legacy cities.” Landscape and Urban Planning, 214, 104156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104156
- Li, Jiayang, and Joan Iverson Nassauer. 2020. “Cues to care: A systematic analytical review.” Landscape and Urban Planning, 201, 103821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103821
Courses Taught
- LAA 1920 Introduction to Landscape Architecture (Fall 2024)
- LAA 2360 Landscape Architecture Principles (Fall 2024)
- LAA 2361 Planting Design Studio (Spring 2023, Spring 2024)
- LAA 6656 Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio (Fall 2022)