Kristina Hill

Kristina Hill serves as Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning and Urban Design at the University of California, Berkeley, focusing on the intersection of urban ecology, hydrology, and climate-resilient design with social justice imperatives.

Her academic credentials include a Ph.D. and Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard University, and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Tufts University.

Professor Hill's research investigates adaptation strategies for urban districts and shorezones facing climate change impacts, with emphasis on redesigning urban water systems to support ecological health (including salmon habitats in the Pacific Northwest) and protecting coastal communities from sea-level rise. Her work spans the San Francisco Bay Area, US Mid-Atlantic, Europe, and Hawaii, consistently integrating physical design solutions with social equity considerations while examining international case studies of urban waterfront transformation.

Her professional recognition includes:

• Fellow of the Urban Design Institute (New York)
• Fulbright Scholar research appointment in Stockholm, Sweden

Professor Hill has held faculty positions at MIT, University of Washington (where she co-founded and chaired a transit agency), and University of Virginia (as Landscape Architecture Department Chair) before Berkeley. She authored 'Ecology and Design: Frameworks for Learning' (Island Press, 2002) and is developing a new book on climate-adaptive urban waterfronts. Her practical experience includes serving on the Dutch-American engineering team that developed New Orleans' post-Katrina water management strategy and ongoing international collaborations on coastal resilience design.