Penn State’s landscape architecture program full of ‘green solutions’
Water Blues, Green Solutions
Penn State’s landscape architecture undergraduate program is described as the best in the United States, providing students with hands-on experiences both in and out of the classroom.
Penn State Public Media filmmakers relied on the expertise of Stuart Echols, an associate professor of landscape architecture, during production of an interactive documentary “Water Blues, Green Solutions,” an interactive documentary about water issues across the United States.
Stuart Echols encourages his students to explore new innovations in green infrastructure.
“The reason I think it is important for our students to have the background in green infrastructure is that they are the ones that are going to need to be leading the way,” Echols said in the video.
His dedication, coupled with that of the rest of the department, translates not only into curriculum for landscape architecture students, but also extracurricular engagement. According to Echols, undergraduates are participating in design competitions on their own — not for class credit.
“Professor Echols and his colleague’s Penn State’s landscape architecture program are doing innovative research and gathering information on who’s doing the best work in green infrastructure across the country,” said Cheraine Stanford, producer of “Water Blues, Green Solutions.” “This wealth of knowledge gave us a new perspective about the importance of having green infrastructure that is not only functional but also beautiful so that people love it, are invested in it and take care of it.”
Stuart Echols Interview
To view the first in a set of video briefs based on the Penn State documentary, click on Urban Stormwater Retrofits. This features an interview with Stuart Echols.
To Learn More:
For more on the “Water Blues, Green Solutions” documentary and Penn State’s involvement in green infrastructure, visit www.waterblues.org.