MLA students honored with American Society of Landscape Architects award in research category

Master of Landscape Architecture students Annalise Hummel, Christian Aguilar Murrieta and Cordell Lee were honored by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) with an award in the Research Category for their project titled “Smart Tree Watering in Southern Arizona’s Urban Environment.”

The students were guided by Dr. Bo Yang, Dr. Vanessa Buzzard, Grant McCormick, Dr. Shujuan Li and Dr. Douglas Loy at the University of Arizona, as well as Dr. Zhihua Wang and Dr. Tianfang Xu at Arizona State University.

“It is a truly interdisciplinary endeavor that involves CAPLA, College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Science and U of A Planning, Design & Construction, demonstrating CAPLA’s leadership in built environment research, learning and collaboration,” says Yang.

This year, ASLA received 382 eligible entries, of which 38 received awards. Each year, the ASLA Student Awards give the field a glimpse into the future of the profession.

The driving forces behind the project were the pressing issues of water shortages and extreme heat. 

“It's becoming increasingly important to combat these issues by increasing the urban tree canopy throughout Southern Arizona," says Hummel. “Trees can provide low-cost cooling benefits on an urban scale, and by demonstrating successful smart watering treatments, we are optimistic that urban communities in Southern Arizona can become greener and safer for everyone without using unnecessary amounts of precious water.”

The student team described the invaluable mentorship they received while crafting their award-winning product.

“These fantastic faculty advisors were eager to incorporate our feedback and ideas,” says Hummel. “Throughout every step of the process, our collaboration has been our strength.”

“It was because of Dr. Bo Yang and Dr. Vanessa Buzzard that our team was able to work so efficiently from the very creation of the tree plots, to the moment we hit the submit button for our ASLA presentation,” says Lee. 

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When asked what the students learned from the experience, they took the opportunity to highlight the power of diversity. 

“Hearing all these voices from different backgrounds was a great learning experience for me,” says Aguilar Murrieta. “Now I can't imagine working on a project by myself.”

“None of this could have happened without a strong diverse team who were willing to put everything they had into this project,” says Lee. 

Being recognized by such a respected institution led Lee and Aguilar Murrieta to reflect on the places they call home and the unique perspectives that provides. 

“As an international student originating from Hong Kong, it feels amazing to know my contributions can make an impact to places other than my home, and that I am able to give back to the University of Arizona who is responsible for my choice in career path and success,” says Lee. 

“Being originally from the Sonoran Desert on the Mexican side, it means a lot to know that with this recognition we are opening the door to more research that could benefit cities and communities on both sides of the border,” says Aguilar Murrieta. 

Hummel is hopeful that by sharing their project with powerful stakeholders, the team will be able to bring smart watering to urban trees in Southern Arizona. 

“Of course, on a personal level, I'm overjoyed and full of pride,” says Hummel. “But on a more meaningful level, this project is a win for Southern Arizona.”

The official awards ceremony will take place during the Conference on Landscape Architecture in Washington, D.C. from October 6-9. 

“It fills me with pride to know that in October, we are going to Washington, D.C. representing CAPLA, The University of Arizona, Tucson and the Sonoran Desert,” says Aguilar Murrieta.