For Immediate Release The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture
Email: communications@thecela.org
The CELA Announces 2025 Annual Award Winners in Landscape Architecture Education
The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) has announced its 2025 Annual Award Winners. This year, the CELA Awards Committee has identified thirteen awardees who exhibit excellence in teaching, research, creativity, and design innovation. The CELA awards serve to not only recognize these individuals, but also to inspire us, elevate our standards, and build this growing community of educators.
Over 56 applicants competed for the two main Faculty and Student Award categories this year. Faculty Awards recognize Excellence in Teaching (Junior and Senior), Excellence in Design Studio Teaching (Junior and Senior), Excellence in Research or Creative Work (Junior and Senior), Excellence in Service Learning (Junior and Senior), Outstanding Educator, and Outstanding Administrator. Student Awards recognize Creative Scholarship and Research.
The 2025 Award winners were honored at an Awards Dinner and Reception at the Annual CELA Conference held in Portland, Oregon, March 27-29, 2025.
2025 CELA Award Winners
Faculty Award Winners
| Excellence in Teaching – Junior | Kirby Barrett | Kansas State University |
| Excellence in Teaching – Senior | Rosalea Monacella | Harvard Graduate School of Design |
| Excellence in Design Studio Teaching – Junior | Anne Weber | Cornell University |
| Excellence in Design Studio Teaching – Senior | Jill Desimini | University of Connecticut |
| Award of Excellence in Research or Creative Work – Junior | Stefania Staniscia | West Virginia University |
| Excellence in Service Learning – Senior | Sarah Little | University of Oklahoma |
| Outstanding Educator | Roberto Rovira | Florida International University |
| Outstanding Administrator | Bradley Cantrell | University of Virginia |
| Excellence in Professional Advisory Service | Chandra Goldsmith Gray | Illinois Institute of Technology |
| Outstanding Paper Award | Emily Moore | Kansas State University |
| Sara Hadavi | Kansas State University; Pennsylvania State University |
Student Award Winners
| Student Research Award | Montsy Estrany Bover | University of Arizona |
| Student Creative Scholarship | Jessie Crownz, Leo Frampton, Lucy Gonzalez, |
| Inanna Hencke, Justin Mouledous | University of Oregon |
About CELA:
The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) is composed of virtually all the programs of higher learning in landscape architecture in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. There also are individual and institutional members from many other parts of the world who belong to the CELA family. All members of the faculties from these institutions are invited to participate in CELA as are others who possess an interest in the academic practice of landscape architecture. The Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture can trace its beginnings to 1920 and for more than ninety years it has been concerned with the content and quality of professional education in landscape architecture. CELA publishes the highest quality research conducted in the profession through its refereed publication, Landscape Journal.
The CELA Awards are an annual program administered by the CELA Awards Committee and overseen by the CELA Board of Directors. The award nomination process begins in the autumn. Once applications are received, the CELA Awards Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the CELA board. The committee, in any year, may choose not to bestow an award.
The CELA Awards are an annual program administered by the CELA Awards Committee and overseen by the CELA Board of Directors. The award nomination process begins in the autumn. Once applications are received, the CELA Awards Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the CELA board. The committee, in any year, may choose not to bestow an award.