2026 APRU SCL Conference

The APRU SCL Conference brings together students and members to explore the various initiatives offered by APRU SCL. The APRU-SCL 2026 Conference will be hosted and organized by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The conference will take place in and around Shanghai, along with related field trips. The conference will provide time for both working groups to meet and discuss collaborations while also enjoying a variety of guest speakers. There will be a Student Symposium incorporated into the conference program to allow young researchers to experience and be exposed to the valuable conversations of the APRU-SCL network. Students will present their work and receive feedback from faculty in related fields. This symposium is open to students of all levels. 

2026 Working Groups: 

• Urban AI, led by Associate Professor Youngchul Kim, KAIST, & Senior Lecturer Elham Bahmanteymouri, University of Auckland
• Human Development and Nature Preservation, led by Professor John Dunn, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
• Climate Justice, led by Senior Lecturer Iresh Jayawardena, University of Auckland
• Moral Ecologies of Infrastructure, led by Professor Anne Taufen, University of Washington Tacoma & Professor Yiliang He, Shanghai Jiao Tong University 
• Urban Landscape Biodiversity, led by Professor Ruishan Chen, Shanghai Jiao Tong University &  Associate Professor Shiqiang Du, Shanghai Normal University
• Age Friendly Cities and Communities (virtual), led by Assistant Professor Alex Li, National University of Singapore &  Assistant Professor Mei Lan Fang, Simon Fraser University
• Civic Engagement and Community Design, led by Professor Jeff Hou, National University of Singapore 
• Landscape and Human Health, led by Professor Tzuhui Angie Tseng, National Tsing Hua University & Researcher Rosita Samsudin, National University of Singapore
• Botanical Urbanism, led by Associate Professor Yun Hye Hwang & Associate Professor Xiaoxuan Lu, National University of Singapore

2025 APRU SCL Conference

The Eighth Annual APRU Sustainable Cities & Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium took place in Vancouver, BC in partnership with the Simon Fraser University. This event gathered over 130 registered participants from15 APRU member institutions, including 55 students, along with researchers, practitioners, and community partners from across the Pacific Rim. Guided by the theme “Living with Water across the Pacific Rim”, the conference explored water as a powerful connector across climate adaptation, energy systems, food security, ecosystems, and livelihoods - while emphasizing justice, equity, and Indigenous-led sustainability approaches.

2025 Working Groups:

• Water and Wastewater, led by Assistant Professor Kory Russel, University of Oregon & Professor of Practice Zafar Adeel, Simon Fraser University
• Climate Justice & Community Resilience, led by Professor Chingwen Cheng, Pennsylvania State University & Associate Professor Maya Gislason, Simon Fraser University
• Smart Urban Technologies, led by Senior Lecturer Mohsen Mohammadzadeh, University of Auckland & Assistant Professor Sami Khan, Simon Fraser University
• Landscape & Human Health, led by Professor Tzuhui Angie Tseng, National Tsing Hua University & Assistant Professor Shih-Han Hung, National Taiwan University
• Civic Engagement & Community Design, led by Professor Jeff Hou, University of Washington & Associate Professor Mari Fujita, University of British Columbia
• Urban Landscape Biodiversity, led by Associate Professor Fei Mo, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Assistant Professor Sohyun Park, University of Connecticut; and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Chaeri Kim, Penn Institute for Urban Research
• Moral Ecologies of Infrastructure, led by Professor Anne Taufen, University of Washington Tacoma & Associate Professor Meg Holden, Simon Fraser University
• Renewable Energy Systems & Landscapes, led by Associate Professor Yekang Ko, University of Oregon; Assistant Professor Nicholas Pevzner, University of Pennsylvania; and Associate Professor Taco Niet, Simon Fraser University
• Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, led by Assistant Professor Alex Li, National University of Singapore & Assistant Professor Mei Lan Fang, Simon Fraser University
• Future Regenerative & Differential Cities, led by Associate Professor Manfredo Manfredini, University of Auckland 

2024 APRU SCL Conference

The Seventh Annual APRU Sustainable Cities & Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium took place in Manila, Philippines, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Los Baños. This event gathered 219 registered participants from 10 economies, which helped build on our initiatives for international collaboration on sustainable urban development and environmental resilience.

2024 Working Groups:

• Future Energy Landscapes and Smart Cities, led by Senior Lecturer Alessandro Premier, University of Auckland; Senior Lecturer Mohsen Mohammadzadeh, University of Auckland; Associate Professor Edgar M. Reyes Jr., University of the Philippines Los Baños; and Associate Professor Casper B. Agaton, University of the Philippines Los Baños
• Civic Engagement and Community Design, led by Professor Jeff Hou, University of Washington & Associate Professor Efraim D. Roxas, University of the Philippines Los Baños
• Urban Waterfronts, led by Professor Anne Taufen, University of Washington Tacoma & Assistant Professor Kyle Pierre R. Israel, University of the Philippines Los Baños
• Urban-Rural Linkages, led by Professor Yizhao Yang, University of Oregon & Assistant Professor Edwin R. Abucay, University of the Philippines Los Baños
• Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Justice, led by Professor Chingwen Cheng, Pennsylvania State University; Assistant Professor Almira Geles L. De Mesa, University of the Philippines Los Baños; and Associate Professor Joan Pauline P. Talubo, University of the Philippines Los Baños
• Urban Landscape Biodiversity, led by Professor Gail A. Langellotto, Oregon State University & Associate Professor Ma. Catriona E. Devanadera, ANU Philippines Institute
• Water and Waste Management, led by Associate Professor Samad Sepasgozar, University of New South Wales; Assistant Professor Sheila B. Austero, University of the Philippines Los Baños; and Assistant Professor Janssen Andrew S. Calvelo, University of the Philippines Los Baños
• Food and Nutrition Security, led by Dean and Associate Professor Jennifer Marie S. Amparo, ANU Philippines Institute & Associate Professor Aileen R. de Juras, University of the Philippines Los Baños

2023 APRU SCL Conference

The Sixth Annual APRU Sustainable Cities & Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium was held in Quito, Ecuador, and San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos, in partnership with Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ). The event welcomed 65 participants from 17 economies. 

2023 Working Groups:

• Energy and Climate Justice, led by Professor Chingwen Cheng, Pennsylvania State University; Andreanne Doyon, Simon Fraser University & Juan Sebastián Proaño Avilés, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
• Sustainable Urban Design, led by Assistant Professor Natalia Echeverri, University of Hong Kong; John Dunn & Jaime Lopez, Universidad San Francisco de Quito
• Urban Biodiversity, led by Professor Bart Johnson, University of Oregon & Associate Professor Fei Mo, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• Water and Wastewater, led by Professor Valerie Ochoa-Herrera, Universidad San Francisco de Quito

2022 APRU SCL Conference 

The first in-person Annual Conference since COVID took place in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The event brought together 83 attendees from 11 countries.

2022 Working Groups:

• Children, youth, and environments
• Civic engagement and community design
• Future energy landscapes
• Landscapes and human health
• Pandemics, humanitarian emergencies, and health
• Smart cities
• Sustainable urban design
• Urban landscape biodiversity
• Urban-rural linkages
• Vulnerable, resilient, and climate justice communities
• Water and wastewater

2020 APRU SCL Conference

The Fourth Annual Conference, hosted by the University of Auckland, was held entirely online due to COVID-19. A key highlight of the event was the student symposium, which featured presentations from 24 PhD students, showcasing their research and insights.

2020 Working Groups: 

• Children, youth, and environments, led by Professor Kate Bishop, University of New South Wales & Emeritus Professor Linda Corkery, University of New South Wales
• Food nutrition security, led by  Senior Lecturer Robert Dyball, Australian National University 
• Future energy landscapes, led by Senior Lecturer Alessandro Premier, University of Auckland; Professor Ali Ghaffarianhoseini, Auckland University of Technology; Professor Amir Ghaffarianhoseini, Auckland University of Technology
• Indigenous knowledge and wisdom, led by Lecturer Lena Henry, University of Auckland & Professor Rebecca Kiddle, Victoria University of Wellington
• Landscape and human health, led by Professor Chun-Yen Chang, National Taiwan Normal University & Professor Po-Ju Chang, National Taiwan University
• Smart cities, led by Senior Lecturer Mohsen Mohammadzadeh, University of Auckland & Professor Mohammed Ali Berawi, University of Indonesia 
• Sustainable urban design, led by Professor Errol J Haarhoff, University of Auckland; Professor Paola Boarin, University of Auckland; Associate Professor Manfredo Manfredini, University of Auckland
• Transitions in urban waterfronts, led by Associate Professor Catherine Evans, University of New South Wales; Professor Anne Taufen, University of Washington Tacoma; Professor Ken Yocom, University of Washington
• Urban-rural linkages, led by Professor Yizhao Yang, University of Oregon & Associate Professor Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, University of New South Wales
• Vulnerable, resilient, and climate-just communities, led by Professor Chingwen Cheng, Pennsylvania State University
• Water and wastewater, led by Assistant Professor Kory Russel, University of Oregon

2019 APRU SCL Conference

The Third Annual Conference, hosted by the University of New South Wales in August 2019, brought together representatives from 24 different universities.

APRU SCL launched a partnership with the Mayors Academy for Sustainable Urban Development in the Asia-Pacific. This initiative, led by the United Nations University Institute for Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) in collaboration with UNESCAP, UN-HABITAT, and United Cities and Local Governments-Asia Pacific (UCLG-ASPAC), aims to support sustainable urban development efforts. University of Oregon faculty member, SCL Working Group leader, and Steering Committee member Yizhao Yang has been actively involved in the Mayors Academy since its initial connection with the SCL program in 2019.

2019 Working Groups: 

• Sustainable urban design, led by Professor Errol J Haarhoff, University of Auckland & Professor Paola Boarin, University of Auckland
• Vulnerable communities, led by Professor Chingwen Cheng, Pennsylvania State University
• Food and nutrition security, led by Senior Lecturer Robert Dyball, Australian National University 
• Transitions in urban waterfronts, led by Professor Anne Taufen, University of Washington Tacoma; Professor Ken Yocom, University of Washington; and Associate Professor Catherine Evans, University of New South Wales
• Landscape and human health, led by Professor Chun-Yen Chang, National Taiwan Normal University & Associate Professor Jiang Bin, University of Hong Kong
• Urban renewable energy, led by Professor Makena Coffman, University of Hawai'i at Manoa; Associate Professor Yekang Ko, University of Oregon; and Associate Professor Kirk Dimond, University of Arizona
• Infrastructure ecologies, led by Associate Professor Mathew Pryor, University of Hong Kong
• Smart cities, led by Senior Lecturer Mohsen Mohammadzadeh, University of Auckland
• Urban biodiversity, led by Senior Lecturer Caroline Dingle, Capilano University & Professor Bart Johnson, University of Oregon
• Urban-rural linkages, led by Professor Yizhao Yang, University of Oregon & Associate Professor Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, University of New South Wales
• Water and wastewater, led by Dr. Adam DeHeer

2018 APRU SCL Conference

The Second Annual Conference, hosted by the University of Hong Kong in September 2018, brought together over 110 attendees from across the Pacific Rim. 

2018 Working Groups:

• Productive cities, infrastructural ecologies, led by Lecturer Wang Ting, University of Hong Kong, and Associate Professor Mathew Pryor, University of Hong Kong
• City-landscape sustainability, led by Postdoctoral Researcher Edwin Schmitt, Arizona State University
• Urban biodiversity, led by Senior Lecturer Caroline Dingle, Capilano University 
• Urban renewable energy, led by Professor Makena Coffman, University of Hawai'i at Manoa & Assistant Professor Yekang Ko, University of Oregon
• Sustainable urban design, led by Professor Errol J Haarhoff, University of Auckland
• Urban water and sanitation, led by Assistant Professor Kory Russel, University of Oregon
• Urban-rural linkages, led by Associate Professor Yizhao Yang, University of Oregon & Lecturer Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, University of New South Wales
• Transitions in urban waterfronts, led by Professor Anne Taufen, University of Washington Tacoma & Associate Professor Ken Yocom, University of Washington
• Vulnerable communities, led by Professor Stephanie Pincetl, University of California Los Angeles; Assistant Professor Kian Goh, University of California Los Angeles; and Associate Vice Chancellor Mark Gold, University of California Los Angeles
• Landscape and human health, Associate Professor Bin Jiang, University of Hong Kong & Professor Chun-Yen Chang, National Taiwan Normal University
• Smart Cities, led by Senior Lecturer Mohsen Mohammadzadeh, University of Auckland

2017 APRU SCL Conference

The First Annual Conference, held in Portland in September 2017, brought together over 120 attendees from 14 countries. Participants and delegates were welcomed by Michael H. Schill, President of the University of Oregon; Christoph Lindner, Dean of the UO College of Design; Christopher Tremewan, APRU Secretary General; and Bart Johnson, APRU SCL Steering Committee Chair and Head of the UO Department of Landscape Architecture. 

2017 Working Groups:

• Containing Urban Expansion Using “Boundaries” in the Era of Rapid Urbanization, led by Professor Yizhao Yang, University of Oregon
• From Urban Agriculture to New Urban Commons: Productive Landscapes and Infrastructural Ecologies, led by Assistant Professor Jacques Abelman, University of Oregon
• Redrawing Our Urban Waters, led by Professor Adell Amos, University of Oregon & Professor Brook Muller, University of Oregon
• Resolving Conflicts of “Greens”: Energy Planning for Sustainable Landscape Conservation, led by Associate Professor Yekang Ko, University of Oregon
• Sustainable Transportation in an Era of Autonomous Vehicles, led by Professor Marc Schlossberg, University of Oregon
• Sustainable Urban Design, led by Professor Nico Larco, University of Oregon
• The Chengdu Plain and Dujiangyan Irrigation District, Sichuan, China: A Case of City-Landscape Sustainability in Comparative Perspective, led by Associate Professor Dan Abramson, University of Washington
• The Future of Urban Water and Sanitation, led by Assistant Professor Kory Russel, University of Oregon
• Transitions in Urban Waterfront Operation and Development, led by Associate Professor Ken Yocom, University of Washington; Professor Anne Taufen, University of Washington Tacoma; and Nicole Faghin, University of Washington
• Urban Biodiversity, led by Professor Marina Alberti, University of Washington