School of Architecture Announces 2023-24 Design Excellence Awardees

CAPLA Associate Professor Philip Stoker is advancing research on heat resilience with a new study highlighting how residents of mobile and manufactured housing in Arizona’s urban areas face heightened vulnerability to extreme heat due to limited access to vegetation and land ownership.

Esmeralda Rubi Carrasco, Class of 2026, is pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture at CAPLA after earning her Doctor of Business from Grand Canyon University. Inspired by her family’s garden center, Ponderosa Cactus, she’s passionate about plant-forward, community-rooted design that honors the Sonoran Desert. In addition to serving as COO of Ponderosa Cactus, Esmeralda leads as the Arizona chapter president of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, sits on the Better Business Bureau board for Southern Arizona, and was named to the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2024. At CAPLA, she’s brought real-world experience into the classroom, served as president of the ASLA Student Chapter, and contributed to research as a graduate assistant for Dr. Bo Yang. Her ultimate goal is to open her own landscape architecture firm grounded in sustainability, cultural relevance, and mentorship.

CAPLA researchers are leading efforts to ensure community sustainability and equitable growth in Santa Cruz County as part of a university-led, cross-disciplinary study funded by South32.