Hong Wu

Hong Wu joined the Department of Landscape Architecture in 2016. She is currently an associate professor, professor-in-charge (PIC) of graduate studies, and director of the Penn State Stormwater Living Lab. She also serves as vice president for research & creative scholarship of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA). Previously, she was an elected co-chair of Penn State’s Water Council and co-chair of CELA’s Geospatial and Digital Analytics Track. Additionally, Wu is associate editor of the Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment and Studies in the History of Gardens and Designed Landscapes.

Trained in both architecture and landscape architecture, Wu leads an interdisciplinary research program focused on climate adaptation, green infrastructure, environmental planning, and human-environment interactions. Her work integrates landscape planning and design with artificial intelligence, geospatial science, environmental modeling, and the social sciences to develop evidence-based planning and decision-support approaches for resilient and equitable landscapes. Since joining Penn State, she has contributed to externally funded research projects totaling more than $9 million and has authored or co-authored 57 scholarly publications, including 40 refereed journal articles.

A major focus of Hong’s recent research is the application of machine learning, deep learning, spatial optimization, and explainable AI to environmental planning. Her group has developed computational approaches for optimizing multiple environmental outcomes, including stormwater management, urban heat mitigation, air-quality improvement, and biodiversity conservation. She also often co-leads community engagement and decision sciences teams within large interdisciplinary projects, helping integrate community knowledge, behavioral research, and decision-support approaches into climate solutions.

Through the Penn State Stormwater Living Lab, which she has directed since 2019, Wu advances interdisciplinary and translational research on green stormwater infrastructure. Her work examines its hydrologic, ecological, climatic, social, and governance dimensions while connecting research with education, extension, community engagement, and professional practice. She also leads research on the human dimensions of environmental planning, including public adoption and stewardship of green infrastructure, perceptions of prescribed fire and biodiversity, urban forest conservation, and responses to long-distance wildfire smoke.

Her research and professional contributions have received several honors, including the 2023 CELA Excellence in Research and/or Creative Works Award, the 2024 CELA Outstanding Paper Award, and the 2024 Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment Translational Research Award. Before entering academia, Wu practiced professionally as a principal of Urban People + Space Landscape Design Studio in Beijing and as a consultant for the Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning and Design Institute. Projects to which she contributed as a core member received three international awards, including a 2012 American Society of Landscape Architects Professional Honor Award.

• B.Arch. from Tsinghua University, Beijing
• M.L.A. from Tsinghua University, Beijing
• Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture from University of Oregon

• LARCH 112: Introductory Design Studio
• LARCH 216/311/321/530/816: Landscape Systems Studio & Seminar
• LARCH 231/235: Design Implementation: Grading
• LARCH 336/431/838: Design Implementation: Stormwater Management

2024

• Translational Research Award, Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment
• Outstanding Paper Award, Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture

2023

• Excellence in Research and/or Creative Works (Junior Level), Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture
• ASCE Outstanding Reviewer, Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

2022

• McPhillips, L., Brent, D., Clark, S. E., Gotsch, S., Hoffman, M., Wu, H. (Co-PI). "Ecosystem services assessment for green stormwater infrastructure in Lancaster, PA." Pennsylvania Sea Grant, $120,000.

2021

• Wu, H. (PI), Rosas, C. E., Azari, R. "Healthy Interactive K-12 Educational Environments for the Pandemic Times and Beyond," College of Arts and Architecture Sustainability Research Team Grant, Penn State, $5,000.
• Wu, H. (PI), Flohr, T. L., & Yencha, A. “A Web App for Enhancing Knowledge Transfer and Science Communication in Community Engagement during Pandemic Time and Beyond”. Hamer Center for Community Design, College of Arts and Architecture, Penn State, $10,000.
• McPhillips, L., Clark, S. E., Hoffman, M., Wu, H. (Co-PI). "Impacts of salt loading on nutrient and metal processing in stormwater bioretention," Chesapeake Bay Trust, $196,183.
• Hoffman, M., McPhillips, L., Wu, H. (Co-PI), Skvarla, M. "Green Stormwater Infrastructure: Design, Maintenance and Location Impacts on Biodiversity," Mainstreaming Biodiversity in a Decade of Action Seed Grant, Sustainability Institute, Penn State, $9,910.
• Clark, S. E., Mysliwiec, T. H., Felker, J. M., Blaszczak-Boxe, C., McPhillips, L., Wu, H. (Co-PI), Driscoll, W. W., Moazeni, F., Spear, J. M. "Water quality assessment of an urban watershed in Lancaster, PA: implications for environmental justice," Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment, $30,000.

2019

• Wu, H. (PI), L. McPhillips, O. Mina, D. Brent, M. Hoffman, S. E. Clark, C. A. Cole, A. D. Gutberlet, T. Richard, M. Hoskins, J. Fetter, & D. A. S. Hoag. “Greening our stormwater: using campuses as living labs for green stormwater infrastructure”. University Strategic Initiatives, Penn State, $249,883.
• Wu, H. (PI), O. Mina, L. McPhillips, D. Brent, & C. A. Cole. “Improving Green Stormwater Infrastructure Performance and Cost-effectiveness on Penn State’s University Park Campus”. Penn State Office of Physical Plant, $33,665.
• McPhillips, L., D. Brent, A. K. Chaudhary, S. E. Clark, J. M. Duncan, R. Cibin, Wu, H. (Co-PI), & M. Royer. “Identifying sweet spots for green stormwater infrastructure interventions in Pennsylvania urban communities,” Institutes of Energy and the Environment, Penn State, $50,000.
• Mcgraw, E., A. Rosinger, Wu H. (Co-PI), & L. McPhillips. “Healthy Houses, Healthy Communities: Improving Water Management to Enhance Health Outcomes and Global Security,” Center for Security Research and Education, Penn State, $15,000.
• Wu, H. (PI) & B. Yang. “Understanding Societal Impacts of the Case Study Investigation Program: Perspectives from Professionals”. Ecology + Design annual research grant, Penn State, $5,396.

2018

• Wu, H. (PI) & O. Mina. “Multi-variate Evaluation of Green Stormwater Infrastructure on Penn State University Campus”. Ecology + Design annual research grant, Penn State, $14,000.
• Chaudhary, A. K., C. Raj, J. M. Duncan, M. Royer, C. Grady, S. Echols, Wu, H. (Co-PI), K. Curry, & J. Fetter. “Urban Stormwater Management Initiative”. College of Agricultural Sciences, Environment and Natural Resources Institute Centers of Excellence Grant, Penn State, $15,000.
• Flohr, T., D. Miller, Wu H. (Co-PI), & N. Tebyanian. “Developing a computational planting design and decision-making tool for assessing and predicting pollinator habitat resilience”. The Stuckeman Center for Design Computing Interdisciplinary Faculty Research Grant, Penn State, $13,200.
• Bose, M., Wu, H. (Co-PI), & B. Abhinandan. “Hydrological Corridors and Urban Decisions - A Study of Eastern Canals in Calcutta as Social-Ecological Systems (SES)”. Ecology + Design annual research grant, Penn State, $14,000.

2017

• Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) Case Study Investigation (CSI) Research Fellow.
• Wu, H. (PI). “Exploring Maintenance-friendly Design for Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Pennsylvania”. College of Arts and Architecture Faculty Research Grant, Penn State, $7,500.
• Wu, H. (PI). “LAF Case Study Investigation Program”. Landscape Architecture Foundation, $7,840.

2016

• Smithwick, E. A. H., K. Y. Zipp, M. W. Kaye, A. Taylor, P. B. Newman, & Wu, H. (Co-PI). “Firescapes in the mid-Atlantic: mismatches between social perceptions and prescribed fire use”. USDI Joint Fire Sciences Program, $327,726.

2012

• Honor Award, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Professional Awards, Analysis and Planning Category.

2011

• Presidential Award, the 8th International Federation of Landscape Architecture Asian Pacific Region (IFLA APR) Award, Landscape Design Category.

2009

• Second Prize, Torsanlorenzo International Prize in Section A - Landscape Design in Transformation of the Territory.

2026

• Spangler, A., Hadjimichael, A., Blash, C., Adib, M.^†, Wu, H., Cameron, M., Welty, C., Minor-Terrell, D., & Zaitchik, B. Collaborative Development of a Pluvial Flood Model and Adaptation Strategies to Advance Resilience in Baltimore. Sustainable Cities and Society, 149, 107750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2026.107750
• Dong, Y.^†, Yu, M., & Wu, H.* (2026). Bridging Prediction with Planning: Integrating Image-to-Image Deep Learning with Green Infrastructure Optimization for PM_2.5
  Mitigation. Applied Geography, 194, 104111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2026.104111
• Esperón-Rodríguez, M., Gallagher, R. V., Arndt, S., Asibey, M. O., Augustinus, B. A., …, Wan, M.^†, …, Wu, H., et al. (2026). Rethinking Urban Forests as Essential Infrastructure for Resilience, Equity, and Biodiversity in the Current Climate Emergency. PLOS Climate 5(7), e0000953. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000953
• Adib, M.^†, Cruz, S., & Wu, H.* (2026). Breaking Barriers to Green Stormwater Infrastructure: Understanding Resident Stewardship Intentions in Three Major U.S. Cities. Environment and Behavior 58(4), 512–544. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139165261422058

2025

• Adib, M.^†, Janardhanan, A.K., Tariq, T.^†, Iulo, L., Wu, H., & Azari, R. Community-based Approaches to Creating Adaptive Solutions for Urban Challenges: Two Case Studies. (2026). 2024 European Association for Architecture Education-Architectural Research Centers Consortium Conference Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.51588/prxsee02
• Dong, Y.^†, Subramanyam, A., & Wu, H.* (2025). Spatially Explicit Optimization of Urban Green Infrastructure for Multiple Ecosystem Services Using Deep Learning Surrogates. Environmental Modelling & Software 196, 106758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106758
• Esperón-Rodríguez, M., Arndt, S., Asibey, M. O., Augustinus, B. A., Bach, A., …, Wan, M.^†, …, Wu, H., et al. (2025). Urban Forests Are Essential for Climate Resilience and Biodiversity: A Call to Policymakers. Plants, People, Planet 8, 14–19. http://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.70125
• Zhu, X., Srirangam, S., Mari, T., Wu, H., & Xiao, S. (2025). Spatially Informed Quality of Rural Life Model for Land Use Suitability in Mountainous Regions of Wumeng. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/210362
• Shang, Y., Liu, J., Wu, H., & Chen, L. (2025). Spatial Layout Strategy for Stormwater Management Measures 2 in Mountainous Cities Based on the “Source-Sink” Theory. Water 17(11), 1591. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111591
• Wu, H., Gong, C., Wang, R.^†, Niu, X., Cao, Y., Cao, C., & Hu, C. (2025). Moderating Effects of Park Accessibility and External Environment on Park Satisfaction in a Mountainous City. Land, 14(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/land14010077

2024

• Gong, C., Cao, Y., Wu, H. & Cao, C. (2024). Walking Accessibility of Mountainous City Parks Based on Improved Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) Method: A Case Study of Yuzhong District, Chongqing. ArchiCreation, 04, 166–176. doi:CNKI:SUN:JZCZ.0.2024-04-003
• Wu, H.*, Hoffman, M., Wang, R.^†, Kelley, K. M., & Adib, M.^† (2024). Revealing Public Perceptions of Biodiverse vs Turf Swales: Balancing Enhanced Ecosystem Services with Heightened Concerns. Water, 16(20), 2899. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16202899
• Smithwick, E. A. H., Wu, H., Spangler, K., Adib, M.^†, Wang, R.^†, Dems, C., Taylor, A. H., Kaye, M. W., Zipp, K., Newman, P., Miller, Z. D., & Zhao, A. (2024). Barriers and Opportunities for Implementing Prescribed Fire: Lessons from Managers in the Mid-Atlantic Region, United States. Fire Ecology, 20(1), 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-024-00315-6
• Wang, R.^†, Wu, Y., Niu, J., Wang, N., & Wu, H.* (2024). Evaluating Public Satisfaction and Its Determinants in Chinese Sponge Cities Using Structural Equation Modeling. Land, 13(8), 1225. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081225
• Wang, X., Wang, R.^†, Lyn, X., & Wu, H.* (2024). Using Public Perceptions to Inform Urban Protected Area Buffer Zone Planning. Environmental Management, 74(2), 300–316. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-024-01992-4
• Wang, R.^†, Wu, H.*, Chiles, R. M., & Yang, Y. (2024). Sustainability Outcomes and Policy Implications: Evaluating China’s “Old Urban Neighborhood Renewal” Experiment. PLOS One, 19(4), e0301380. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301380
• Flohr, T., Garcia, L., Figueiredo, C., Heris, M., Hoffman, M., Lindemann, J., Wu, H., & Richardson, L. (2024). Exploring a Just and Diverse Urban Forests’ Capacity for Mitigating Future Mean Radiant Temperatures. Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, 9-2024, 302–313. https://doi.org/10.14627/537752028
• Hendricks, L.^†, Hoffman, M., Wang, R.^†, & Wu, H.* (2024). Bioretention Planting for Pollutant Removal. Landscape Research Record No. 12, 119–133. https://thecela.org/wp-content/uploads/LRR12_2.4.pdf
• Pu, B., Li, Y., Wu, H., & Xu, X. (2024). Selecting Appropriate Acoustic Indices for Biodiversity Assessments in Different Acoustic Environments. Landscape Research Record No. 12, 77–91. https://thecela.org/wp-content/uploads/LRR12_2.4.pdf (Outstanding Paper Award)

2021

• [J] Wu, H., Yang, Y., & Hu, J. (2021). Nurturing nature in a mega-city: a decadal assessment of the Beijing Olympic Forest Park. Socio-Ecological Practice Research.https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-021-00076-5 (Selected as Editor’s Choice)
• [J] Xu, X., & Wu, H.* (2021). Audio-visual Interactions Enhance Soundscape Perception in China’s Protected Areas. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127090 (SSCI, 2020 IF=4.63).

2020

• [J] Wu, M., Liu, Z., Li, H., & Wu, H.* (2020). Urban River Ecological Restoration from the Landscape Hydrology Perspective - Case Study of the Los Angeles River Revitalization (in Chinese). Landscape Architecture (Chinese).
• [J] Miller, Z., Wu, H., Zipp, K. Y., Dems, C. L., Smithwick, E. A. H., Kaye, M. W., Newman, P. B., Zhao, A., & Taylor, A. H. (2020). Hunter and Non-hunter Perceptions of Costs, Benefits, and Likelihood of Outcomes of Prescribed Fire in the Mid-Atlantic. Society and Natural Resources. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2020.1780359 (SSCI, 2020 IF=2.821)
• [P] Flohr, T. L., Wu, H., & Tebyanian, N. (2020). A Web App for Urban Pollinator Site Assessment. Landscape Research Record No. 9. https://thecela.org/wp-content/uploads/LRR_v.9_FINAL_2020_Reduced-1.pdf
• [J] Adib, M., & Wu, H. (2020). Fostering Community-engaged Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) through the Use of Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS). Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture. https://doi.org/10.14627/537690056
• [J] West, C., & Wu, H.* (2020). The Next Green Revolution: Rebuilding Urban Abundance through Plant Community-Based Design (in English and Chinese). Landscape Architecture (Chinese).
• [J] Wang, X., Gorenflo, L. J., Wu, H., & Wu, C. (2020). Evolution Mechanism of Social-Ecological System Based on Cultural and Political Ecology: A Case Study of Hangzhou and West Lake (in Chinese). Landscape Architecture (Chinese).

2019

• Wu, H., and B. R. Johnson. Climate Change will both Exacerbate and Attenuate Urbanization Impacts on Streamflow Regimes in southern Willamette Valley, Oregon. River Research and Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3454
• Wu, H. Advancing Landscape Performance Evaluation: One Project at a Time. Ecology and Design. Penn State College of Arts and Architecture. State College, PA. https://issuu.com/stuckemanschool/docs/eplusd_symposium_vol1_single-pages

2017

• Wu, H. & C. Silviera. “Yanxiu Park.” Landscape Performance Series. Landscape Architecture Foundation. https://doi.org/10.31353/cs1310
• Wu, H. & C. Silviera. “Huludao-Xingcheng Coastal Trail.” Landscape Performance Series. Landscape Architecture Foundation. https://doi.org/10.31353/cs1300
• Wu, H. & C. Silviera. “TAXI II.” Landscape Performance Series. Landscape Architecture Foundation. https://doi.org/10.31353/cs1290

2013

• [J] Wu, H. *, J. Bolte, D. Hulse, & B. Johnson (2015). A Scenario-Based Approach to Integrating Flow-Ecology Research with Watershed Development Planning. Landscape and Urban Planning https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.08.012 (Cover story).

• Lotus Lake National Wetland Park, Tieling, Liaoning, China
• Urban People + Space Rain Garden, Beijing, China
• Dianchi Dounan Wetland Park Planning and Design, Kunming, Yunnan, China
• Tianjing Lake Landscape Planning and Design, Tongling, Anhui, China

• Vice President for Research & Creative Scholarship, Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (2026–Present)
• Associate Editor, Journal of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment (2026–2029)
• Associate Editor, Studies in the History of Gardens and Designed Landscapes (2025–Present)
• Editorial Advisory Board Member, Studies in the History of Gardens and Designed Landscapes (2019–Present)

Landscape architecture faculty recognized at international conference

Landscape architecture faculty honored by international education organization

Landscape architecture professor recognized for interdisciplinary research

• Research Gate
• sites.psu.edu/stormwaterlivinglab
• bit.ly/GoogleScholar-WuHong