UTA Landscape Architecture Professor Among Nation’s Newest ASLA Fellows
The University of Texas at Arlington’s College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA) announces that Dr. Taner R. Özdil, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, has been elevated to the 2026 Council of Fellows by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), one of the profession’s highest honors.
Dr. Özdil joins an esteemed group of leaders recognized for advancing the field through research, leadership, and service. He and the 2026 class of ASLA Fellows will be formally elevated during a special investiture ceremony at the 2026 Conference on Landscape Architecture, to be held September 16–18, 2026, in Los Angeles.
Fellowship status in ASLA represents one of the highest forms of professional recognition awarded by the nation’s leading landscape architecture organization since 1899. Dr. Özdil said he is “truly honored” to be nominated by Texas ASLA and elevated by National ASLA for contributions that influence knowledge creation, research, scholarly inquiry, and professional practice at both national and international levels. Having worked on three continents for more than three decades, he added that the recognition reflects not only his professional journey but also the support, collaboration, and recognition from colleagues, students, and peers throughout his career.
Among the elected categories, Dr. Özdil was recognized in ASLA’s Knowledge category, which honors individuals whose research, scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and published work have significantly advanced the art, science, stewardship, and social responsibility of landscape architecture. According to ASLA, the category recognizes professionals whose contributions expand existing knowledge and communicate it with exceptional impact across academia and practice.
“Dr. Özdil’s elevation to the ASLA Council of Fellows reflects the transformative impact of his work on research, practice, and education,” said CAPPA Dean Ming-Han Li, ASLA Fellow. “His leadership helps position CAPPA at the forefront of shaping resilient and diverse built environments worldwide.”
Over nearly two decades at UTA, Dr. Özdil has built an internationally respected body of work centered on urban landscapes, environmental design, sustainability, and community-focused planning. Through research and collaborations that connect academic inquiry with professional practice, his work has helped shape conversations about resilient and equitable urban environments at regional, national, and global levels.
“My work at CAPPA and UTA has allowed me to actively collaborate with academic and professional practitioners, as well as students, while creating and disseminating knowledge in urban landscapes for communities,” Dr. Özdil said. “That daily engagement not only helped me grow as a design and planning professional, but it also fueled meaningful contributions in landscape architecture that influence research, practice, and policy.”
Dr. Özdil’s elevation to the ASLA Council of Fellows further highlights CAPPA’s growing national and international reputation for advancing innovation, scholarship, and leadership in the built environment disciplines.