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Landscape Design Studio

Landscape Design Studio

International Projects and Activities

Most of my international projects include teaching design workshops and guest lectures in landscape architecture departments and urban planning programs at foreign universities. Some trips were to accompany environmental horticulture students on their international trips and others were to present at international conferences. I have had the privilege to travel to eight countries for extension and research related projects including: China, Australia, Turkey, France, England, Italy, Denmark, and Austria.

  • Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin Turkey

    I was an invited speaker along with staff from the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program to give several campus planning and landscape design workshops. Students and faculty from the landscape architecture department attended the workshops and participated in campus tours to discuss design options for green spaces on campus and improving several plazas on campus. While in Turkey we toured the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus, one of the first Roman cities.

    Ziraat Fakültesi


    Ayden Adnen Menderes University Campus tour Aydin Turkey

    Faculty from UF and Ayden University (Dr. Esen Momol on the right) tour the campus to discuss redesign of the fountain and landscape.


    Dr. Gail Hansen, Turkey, Ancient City of Ephesus

    Ancient Roman city of Ephesus, in Turkey. The Library of Celsus is in the background, built-in 117 A.D., it is the oldest surviving library of the Roman Empire.

  • Curtin University, Perth, Australia

    In 2018 I received an Endeavour Professional Fellowship from the Australian Government to study for 10 weeks at Curtin University in Perth on the western coast of Australia. While there I worked with Joseli Macedo, the Head of the School of the Built Environment, to begin writing a co-authored book on urban ecology. I also participated in desk critiques for several design classes and gave lectures in the John Curtin Institute for Public Policy. Art and craft activities, such as painting paper umbrellas, were open to anyone on campus and the food trucks were great.

     Curtin University students painting paper umbrellas

    Students and faculty could participate in many craft activities on campus, such as painting paper umbrellas or planting pots with plants.


    Curtin University campus Food trucks campus

    Students take a break at several food trucks on campus. At least 20 food trucks offered a variety of international foods on campus.


    Curtin University campus Perth Australia

    Taking a break at the Health Services Building at Curtin University. Curtin is ranked in the top one percent of universities worldwide in the highly regarded Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

  • Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China

    I was invited by a former PhD student, Shangchun Hu, to give several class lectures and other presentations to faculty in the landscape architecture department at the Northeast Forestry University in Harbin, China. Harbin is located on the northern border with Russia and was an interesting city with signs in Russian and Chinese. Students were eager to share their projects and took me on tours of the city to see the “Sponge City” stormwater features.

    Harbin China Hotel at Northeast Forestry University

    Dr. Hansen outside the Expert Hotel for campus visitors. Northeast Forestry University is the largest Forestry University in China. Key disciplines include forestry, ornamental plants and horticulture, botany, and ecology. Harbin is in the center of the largest state-owned forest region in China and is located near the Russian border.


    Harbin China with faculty from Northeast Forestry University

    Dr. Hansen stands with her PhD student, Shangchun Hu (left) and another faculty member from the LA department in the student garden on campus.


    Harbin China Northeast Forestry University teaching in Landscape Architecture Department Dept

    Dr. Hansen giving a lecture on sustainable landscapes to a class of 100 students. Class sizes averaged about 200 students and there were over 1,000 students in the landscape architecture department.

  • ENH Student International Trips, France and England

    Traveled with students on their annual international trip to France and England. The England trip included visits to many famous English gardens and castles, including Kew Gardens and the Princess Diana Garden in London. The France trip included visits to Paris and the beaches of Normandy to tour the garden memorial, burial grounds commemorating the allied invasion on D-Day.

    London England Entry to Kew Gardens with ENH Students

    Waiting in line with the students to tour Kew Gardens. The 300-acre gardens, founded in 1840 in southwest London, house the largest collection of living plants and one of the largest herbariums in the world.


    London England, Princess Diana Park with ENH students

    Environmental Horticulture students relaxing by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain at Hyde Park in London.


    Paris France Gathered with students in a Paris tunnel

    Students and faculty gathered to listen to our guide (in the center) before we entered one of many parks on the other side of the tunnel.


    Paris France with students at Monets Garden

    Students gathered to listen to the guide on the famous Japanese bridge in the Water Garden at Monet’s house in Giverny.


    Paris France with students at the beaches of Normandy

    Students take a lunch break while learning about the allied invasion at the beaches of Normandy


    Tower Bridge London England with ENH students

    Dr. Hansen pauses by the Tower Bridge while on a walking tour of London with the ENH Students.