Ebru Özer, professor and chair of the Landscape Architecture + Environmental and Urban Design department, has been awarded the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) President’s Medal, recognizing her devoted service and leadership to the profession at the national level.
Presented at the annual ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture, the President’s Medal is awarded each year to an ASLA member who has demonstrated unselfish and devoted service to ASLA at the national level for at least five years. The award is presented at the discretion of the ASLA president, with one medal awarded each year.
Özer’s recognition reflects her longstanding commitment to advancing the field of landscape architecture and contributing to the profession beyond her work at FIU. Her national service with ASLA has helped support the continued growth and visibility of landscape architecture and its role in addressing environmental, social and urban challenges.
At CARTA, Özer brings that same commitment to professional excellence into her work with students. As chair of the Landscape Architecture + Environmental and Urban Design program, she helps prepare the next generation of designers to approach complex challenges through creative practice, research and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Her recognition exemplifies FIU’s commitment to excellence, leadership and impact. These values are reflected in the work of faculty who contribute to their professions while creating meaningful learning experiences for students. Through their scholarship, creative work and professional engagement, CARTA faculty extend their influence beyond the classroom and into the communities and industries they serve.
“Being named the 50th recipient of the ASLA President’s Medal is an extraordinary honor, especially within the distinguished history of an organization that has advanced landscape architecture since 1899. I am deeply humbled to join a remarkable lineage of leaders, including many ASLA Presidents and cornerstones of our profession whom I deeply respect, such as Darwina L. Neal, Jot D. Carpenter, Edward H. Stone II, and John Ormsbee Simonds. Their distinguished careers and service helped shape our profession and its impact on society.
Receiving this medal was one of the most unexpected and humbling moments of my career. I am deeply grateful to ASLA and to the students, colleagues, and professional partners who have been part of this journey. I will wear it proudly at every commencement as a reminder that the work we do matters, the people we inspire matter, and our greatest measure of success is what we leave behind in others. That is what we strive to do at FIU: use our knowledge, creativity, and partnerships to address real-world challenges, serve our local and global communities, and create meaningful change through teaching, research, design, and, above all, service,” said Özer.
Congratulations to Ebru Özer on this recognition and her continued contributions to landscape architecture and the profession.
