The University of Georgia, being both a land and sea-grant university, places a great deal of emphasis on research, its further development, and the quality and encouragement of education that research promotes. Research is one of the three missions derived from the University's motto; the other two being teaching and service. The charge of research here at the University of Georgia is to not only teach students and faculty alike how to answer, but also how to question. Furthermore, it is the primary goal of the Office of the Vice President for Research to "create and maintain an environment in which UGA research can develop to a position of enhanced national prominence."

In many ways, the School of Environmental Design subscribes to and perpetuates these ideals concerning research through our faculty's excellence in teaching, direction, continuing practice and leadership in their respective fields, and their specific areas of research, expertise, and project development. Moreover, for students in the School of Environmental Design, research and project work is intended to strengthen the educational foundation by providing a basis for questioning teachings and established procedures; and specifically for graduate students, the research and project work is a prime component of the educational process.

The School of Environmental Design, with its foundations and varied components, is in a unique position to further research in the fields of landscape architecture and historic preservation not only by means of traditional modes of research, but also through community service and outreach, evolving proactive instruction, and our faculty's continued and expert leadership in their fields. Hence areas and themes which are studied and researched here in the School of Environmental Design can be wide ranging but all are concerned or premised upon the ideas of materials, resource, and landscape conservation and preservation. Areas of exploration include:

• project work and research by Professor Allen Stovall in rural planning;
• research by Professor Kwesi DeGraft-Hanson on paving materials and irrigation methods;
• research by Professor Henry Methvin in alternative ways of studying environments;
• writings by Professor Mark Reinberger on early American architecture, decorative arts, and American city planning;
• studies, publications, and research in preservation planning, cultural resource assessment, and landscape conservation by Professor John Waters;
• continued practice and community outreach by Professor Marianne Akers in community based revitalization initiatives in economically distressed urban areas;
• project work by Professor Pratt Cassity concerning green space and historic corridor planning projects;
• studies in irrigation conservation work, porous pavement, watershed restoration, and storm water management by Professor Bruce Ferguson;
  
• research and project work in improving development regulations to protect water quality by Professor David Nichols led to the publication of Land Development Provisions to Protect Georgia Water Quality, in which Professor Nichols was the principal investigator, he has also lead research on the applications of "grass pavers";
• research in, around, and documentation of, as well as the further sensitive development of the Ecolodge San Luis/ Research Station, Costa Rica (a recent purchase for these purposes and for expansion of study abroad opportunities, by UGA);
• development this past year of a service learning studio in Croatia, focusing on developmental issues in a tourist based economy;
• and more generally: landscape management, urban design, planning and development, planting and landscape design, study of native landscapes, and environmental interpretation, and historic preservation.

As one can see, it is of particular interest to the School of Environmental Design to couple and interweave research and efforts in proactive community involvement and service. The School's wonderful geographic location makes much of this work easier by providing both faculty and students with either on-campus, local, regional, or nationally accessible virtual nearby "labs" for this research, development, and action. It is also worth noting that many of the faculty within the School of Environmental Design are affiliated with and/or lead several citizen and decision making agencies throughout Georgia, the United States, and internationally who attend to the issues addressed within the disciplines of landscape architecture and historic preservation.

With the different foci -regional, national, international- and the diversity of ongoing projects and research, it is the School of Environmental Design's goal to attain civic oriented solutions, while coming to critical understandings of our natural, built, and historic landscapes. The School of Environmental Design will continue to strive to be at the forefront of identifying and addressing fundamental issues in landscape architecture and historic preservation through our continued research and project application.

Also See:

Research at the Institute of Ecology