Sara Hadavi, Ph.D.

I entered the field of landscape design about two decades ago. I got my bachelor’s in Landscape Design, and my Master’s in Environmental Design in Iran. Then I worked with a wide range of planning and architectural design firms as a freelance designer for about five years. Afterwards, I got my Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and my MLA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before joining the K-State community, I taught at the Department of Landscape Architecture, and did research at the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois.

I am interested in translational design of everyday urban landscapes through interdisciplinary work, linking environmental psychology, planning and design. My research area includes understanding the role of the physical attributes of the environment on people's use patterns, satisfaction, and wellbeing from a designer's perspective. I have explored people's needs and preferences that can be addressed through planning and design to create restorative environments in urban areas. My current research project examines vacant lot greening programs and their spatial/social outcomes such as visual quality and sense of safety in vulnerable communities. You can find my publications here.