This past week, Ishraq Awashra represented the Purdue Center for Community and Environmental Design (Thompson’s Lab) and the Diverse Corn Belt Project (#DCB) at the Council for Educators in Landscape Architecture conference that was held in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ishraq’s presentation, titled “ The Forgotten 40%: Agriculture Needs More Attention” presented some initial findings on why…Read more about Ishraq Awashra Presented at CELA[Read More]
The March 2026 issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine—the premier publication in the field, with a readership exceeding 80,000—features a cover story by Dr. Aaron Thompson, Associate Professor and Director of the Purdue University Center for Community & Environmental Design (CCED). His article, “The Co-Design Catalyst: Developing a Process for AI Text-to-Graphic Tools to Unlock the…Read more about LAM Cover Story Features Aaron Thompson’s AI Workflow[Read More]
Congratulations to Ishraq Awashra (Thompson Lab) for passing her prelim exam!
How much thought do we give to the design of the landscapes that feed us? Living Landscapes has launched a new series on Designing Agricultural Landscapes, exploring how farms—covering nearly 40% of the world’s land—can be reimagined for resilience, ecology, and community. Join Ishraq Awashra and guests as they unpack design principles, challenges, and innovative…Read more about Living Landscapes Podcast Releases New Series[Read More]
Erin Percevault, HLA faculty and staff, and Purdue Extension educators are partnering with Watch Us Farm to support planning and design efforts for their future campus in Zionsville, Indiana. The organization, which helps adults with disabilities find meaningful employment, was recently featured in the Indianapolis Business Journal (https://www.ibj.com/articles/zionsville-organization-helps-adults-with-disabilities-find-work – subscription required), highlighting their impactful mission…Read more about Planning for Purpose – Purdue Collaborates with Watch Us Farm in Zionsville[Read More]
Purdue University’s Center for Community & Environmental Design has published a new article titled, “Generative AI text-to-image for community participation in landscape planning,” in Landscape and Urban Planning showcasing. The research, led by graduate research assistant Ishraq Awashra and Dr. Aaron Thompson, introduces a new approach that streamlines the process of translating community feedback into…Read more about New Publication from CCED[Read More]
HLA’s Aaron Thompson, Linda Prokopy, Liz Maynard, Brennan Radulski, Ishraq Awashra, and Emily Usher-DeaKyne hosted Diverse Corn Belt’s “Reimagining Agricultural Diversity” meeting at Dulls Tree Farm in Thorntown, Indiana. With over 25 participants, we had lively discussions about agricultural policy and markets in Indiana.
Ishraq Awashra and Grace Lentz (Dr. Thompson’s lab) presented our research at the Institute for a Sustainable Future 2nd Annual Research Expo on Monday, October 14th. Ishraq’s poster presentation topic: AI Text-to-Image for Participatory Design. Grace’s poster presentation topic: Navigating Conservation Planning through Social and Ecological Structures in Northwest Indiana.
The Diverse Corn Belt Team (Dr. Linda Prokopy, Dr. Aaron Thompson, Dr. Liz Maynard, PhD student Ishraq Awashra, and Project manager Emily Usher-DeaKyne) had another successful Reimagining Agricultural Diversity meeting at Dulls Tree Farm in Thorntown, Indiana. Great conversations about the future of agriculture across the Midwest!
