An image of a fountain pen and leather bound sketchbook

Core Methodologies

A greenhouse or botanical garden with a metal framework and glass panels, integrated with lush green plants and trees inside.

Curricular Outcomes + Assessment Matrix

Design education requires objective hard data. My research assesses the critical gap between what students believe they have learned and what faculty intend to teach. I map these internal metrics against the specific skill and knowledge achievements required at graduation as defined by externally validated industry surveys. This assessment matrix removes the guesswork from design instruction, ensuring our curriculum delivers essential technical competencies while cultivating the critical thinking and reflective skills future designers need to thoughtfully shape the built environment.

Skill and Knowledge Achievement
Group of people at a conference or exhibition booth. A firm representative in white is demonstrating something on a laptop to four students on the other side of the table.

Professional Preparation + Mentorship

The transition from the academic studio to professional practice is a critical gap. Through directing the co-op program, I use internship data, post graduation placement rates, and longitudinal tracking of student well being to refine how we prepare designers. This work treats mentorship as a measurable outcome. It ensures students leave Purdue ready to contribute, innovate, and lead in top tier firms.

Student Well-Being and Employability
Sankey chart of Purdue's landscape architecture curriculum 
Methods for Student Success

Systems Thinking in Design Education

Design learning requires rigorous curricular scaffolding and deliberate content throughput. I structure pedagogy like a root system where foundational knowledge threads gather and feed upward to support advanced professional competencies. To successfully navigate this complex structure, students need distinct behavioral frameworks. My forthcoming book, How to Survive, Succeed, and Thrive in Design School, codifies the methods, studio cultures, and procedural habits necessary for success. It gives students the exact blueprint they need to thrive under the unique pressures of the design studio.

  • Access full text versions of published studies regarding student matriculation, GPA tracking, and curricular pacing

  • Review abstracts and presentation materials from national and international design education conferences focused on assessment and pedagogy

  • Examine data summaries regarding internship performance, professional skill acquisition, and post graduation placement for Purdue Landscape Architecture students

  • Information and current status of the book project 'How to Survive, Succeed, and Thrive in Design School,' including the table of contents and current draft abstracts