Professor Dr. Catharine Ward Thompson

Biography

Catharine Ward Thompson is a Professor of Landscape Architecture at the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA) and the Co-Director of the OPENspace research centre. Her research focuses on the link between inclusive access to outdoor environments and quality of life, environmental behaviour interactions, and landscape design for older people, children, and teenagers. Catharine has extensive expertise in urban park design, conservation, landscape aesthetics, and perception. She has been involved in various significant research projects, including the 'GreenHealth' initiative, and has led studies funded by the National Institute of Health Research and the Economic and Social Research Council, particularly concerning psychological well-being and child development in deprived communities. As a lecturer, she teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, while also supervising numerous PhD students in related research areas. Catharine's work has had a considerable impact on policy-making in public health and urban design.

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