Jamie Vanucchi

Jamie Vanucchi is an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Her work focuses on designing landscapes shaped by dynamic environmental processes like floods and climate change. She leads research initiatives on floodplain restoration, urban forestry in informal settlements, and climate mitigation through designed forests.

• Education: Master of Landscape Architecture (Cornell University), Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Virginia Tech)

Her research interests include 'strong sites'—landscapes driven by powerful constructive/destructive forces—and how design can proactively engage these processes. She emphasizes design as a mode of knowledge production critical to addressing climate uncertainty. Key projects include floodplain buyout strategies and urban forest management in Nairobi’s informal settlements.

Her grants include funding from NIFA, Cornell’s Atkinson Center, and the Landscape Architecture Foundation. Awards include the 2021 CSI Research Fellowship and 2019 Atkinson Faculty Fellowship.

• Awards: CELA Design Studio Teaching Excellence (2018), Kendall Carpenter Advising Award (2019), CALS Teaching Excellence (2019)

Jamie collaborates with the Great Lakes Design Labs and LoDo Lab at CU Denver. Her design-build practice integrates academic research with applied projects.