Kansas State University Landscape Architecture Brownfield Fellowship Call for Applications
The Landscape Architecture Brownfield Student Fellowship is a merit-based paid graduate research assistant (GRA) and graduate teaching assistant (GTA) position for one student applying to the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program at Kansas State University. It is open to first-professional and post-professional degree applicants. The position begins in the fall semester of 2025.
Amount for a first-professional MLA (3-year path): Up to $90,000
· $75,000 salary award to be used at the Student Fellow’s discretion, such as costs of education and housing, distributed over three years.
· Up to $15,000 for travel, supplies, and expenses, distributed as needed over three years.
· Tuition waivers are not included; however, the student fellow will pay in-state tuition rates.
Amount for a post-professional MLA (2-year path): Up to $60,000
· $50,000 salary award to be used at the Student Fellow’s discretion, such as costs of education and housing, distributed over two years.
· Up to $10,000 for travel, supplies, and expenses, distributed as needed over two years.
· Tuition waivers are not included; however, the student fellow will pay in-state tuition rates.
Deadline to submit
Review of applications will begin on January 5, 2025, at 9 AM CDT and continue until the position is filled. International students must apply to the Graduate School prior to the deadline of January 8 to be considered. Submit all application materials as a single pdf emailed to Associate Professor Blake Belanger at belanger@ksu.edu with “Brownfield Fellowship” in the email subject line. If the file is large, a link to cloud storage (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer) is also acceptable. Questions may be directed to Professor Belanger at the same email address.
Background
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that there are 450,000 to 1 million brownfield sites across the United States. Found in virtually every community in America, brownfields are frequently contaminated with hazardous substances, present potential health risks, and inhibit redevelopment or reuse. Brownfields, which include former gas station sites, industrial facilities, laundromats, scrapyards, and sites containing buildings with lead paint or asbestos, require specialized expertise to evaluate and clean for reuse. Landscape architecture faculty and students contribute to the brownfield revitalization process through site analysis, community engagement, visioning, and site design.
The intent of the fellowship is to support faculty-led graduate student research focused on innovative methods of community engagement and best practices of conceptual visioning for brownfield redevelopment. The student fellow will emerge from the MLA program with unique expertise in brownfield revitalization and community engagement, preparing them for professional practice and/or post-graduate research. The student fellow will be working with Professor Blake Belanger, who will serve as their mentor and thesis major professor. Funding and expertise supporting the fellowship is provided by K-State Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB), with funding from the EPA.
Eligibility
The position is merit-based and is open to first-professional and post-professional degree applicants pursuing the Master of Landscape Architecture. First professional degree candidates will possess a bachelor’s degree in a field other than landscape architecture and will follow the three-year path to the MLA. Post-professional degree candidates will possess a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture or equivalent (or are currently BLA students scheduled to graduate in spring of 2025) and will follow the two-year path to the MLA.
Requirements for first-professional degree applicants (3-year path to the MLA)
· A bachelor’s degree or higher in a field other than landscape architecture
· Excellent writing and communication skills
Requirements for post-professional degree applicants
(2-year path to the MLA)
· A Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree or its equivalent, or are currently a BLA student scheduled to graduate in spring of 2024.
· Understanding of landscape architecture, with demonstrated skills in design and graphics
· Excellent writing and communication skills
Preferred skills for both paths include:
· Demonstrated interest in brownfield revitalization and/or community engagement
· Experience using digital tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, 3D modeling software, and/or GIS
Expectations
The student fellow is expected to:
· Be qualified for, apply to, and be accepted into the MLA program
· Remain in good academic standing and complete the MLA degree on schedule
· Complete a master’s thesis in a topical area relevant to community engagement and brownfield visioning under the supervision of Professor Belanger. The specific research question and research design will be developed by the student fellow under supervision of Professor Belanger.
· Dedicate a portion of summer months each year of study to paid supervised project efforts, including the summer after graduation.
· Co-present outcomes through academic outlets including papers, conferences, and/or webinars.
· Serve as a GRA or GTA to Professor Belanger during fall and spring semesters during each year of study
Required Application Materials
· Two-page statement describing your interest in the fellowship, how it aligns with your background, and how it might shape your future practice or research.
· Two-page resume or CV including educational background, work experience, extra-curricular activities, honors, and awards.
· Unofficial academic transcript
· Names and contact information for two references, who should be current or former professors and/or professional supervisors.
· Portfolio
o A portfolio is optional for first-professional degree applicants, but is not required. Applicants may include examples of writing, research, artwork, photography, graphic design, or other relevant work. Maximum 15 pages.
o A portfolio of student work (and if applicable, professional work) is required for post-professional degree applicants. Maximum 15 pages
