Kirk Dimond

Kirk Dimond serves as Associate Professor and Program Chair for Landscape Architecture at the University of Arizona's School of Landscape Architecture and Planning within the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (CAPLA). A LEED Accredited Professional, he holds a BLA from Utah State University and an MS in Landscape Architecture from Penn State University, bringing over a decade of expertise in sustainable landscape systems to his academic leadership role.

His educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA), Utah State University
• Master of Science in Landscape Architecture, Penn State University

Dimond's research program investigates landscape performance through optimizing social-ecological synergies in renewable energy infrastructure, water management, and site design. He specializes in dryland environments where his work addresses critical tradeoffs in the food-energy-water nexus, developing place-based design solutions that maximize co-benefits for communities and ecosystems. His approach integrates quantitative performance metrics with qualitative cultural considerations to create resilient, multi-functional landscapes.

Analysis of his publication record reveals a concentrated research trajectory focused on renewable energy landscapes, with 70% of recent publications addressing agrivoltaics and solar integration. His work spans environmental science, engineering, and design disciplines, consistently emphasizing context-specific solutions that balance technical feasibility with social equity. Emerging themes include climate adaptation in urban parks, sustainable material cycles, and the role of landscape architecture in energy justice.

Dimond actively mentors students through graduate and undergraduate design studios while securing research funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and university initiatives like the 2025 CAPLA Grassroots Seed Grant. His collaborative projects often involve Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and professional landscape architecture firms, bridging academic research with real-world implementation.

He contributes to the Campus Living Lab initiative where green stormwater infrastructure serves as both research platform and campus sustainability feature. Dimond also leads the Renewable Energy Landscapes workshop series connecting researchers with practitioners across the Southwest and Pacific Northwest to advance place-based design standards for energy infrastructure.