Minnue Uhm

What kind of questions or curiosities did you have when you decided to pursue a degree in landscape architecture?

How can landscapes be used to mitigate and adapt to climate change? How does landscape architecture relate to ecology? How can landscape architecture bear witness to existing systems in ecology?

Being at Cornell, has living in the Finger Lakes region informed your view on the field, or even broader, the environment?

I see a lot of similarities between the Finger Lakes region and my hometown in New Hampshire—rural fields, big forests, farms. One major difference is that Cornell’s situated in a relatively urban setting, so it’s exciting to see the environmental variance, as well as the transitions between these urban and rural spaces.

Reflecting on your interests, how do you hope to define your concentration in the program?

Right now I’m really interested in exploring vineyards and viticulture, especially what those can look like if adapted to an urban environment.  Vineyards conjure this rustic, rural aesthetic in our minds, but I’m curious how these highly designed, rural landscapes can be adapted and designed to fit within the urban fabric.

What kind of organizations or activities have you become involved in within Ithaca?

You can find me at football and hockey games in the big red marching band and pep band!

What would you tell your younger self from ten years ago? What would you tell your future self ten years ahead?

I think design offers incredible potential in mitigating and adapting to climate change. I’m excited by Cornell’s interdisciplinary approach to Landscape Architecture, and through classes in environmental science and rural development, I hope to specifically gain a more nuanced understanding of the ecological and agricultural functions of landscapes.