Research Assistant Professor

James Barnes, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor in the College of Design, Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, and the Natural Learning Initiative. A landscape ecologist and designer by training, his research explores the intersection of biodiversity, human well-being, and the design of environments. Barnes’s current work focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to integrating biodiversity into the built environment, particularly in public schools and other learning environments, leveraging these spaces as ecological hubs for community resilience and environmental education through emerging technologies.

Dr. Barnes holds a Ph.D. in the Constructed Environment from the University of Virginia, where he researched “Tactical Growth: Socio-Ecological Investigations of Biophilic Tactical Urbanism in Learning Environments.” His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, ACADIA (Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture), and Divergence in Architectural Research. James has received national fellowships from The U.S. Geological Survey, The National Audubon Society, and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. 

Prior to his doctoral studies, James led landscape-scale ecological restoration projects for over a decade with organizations such as the U.S. Forest Service, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and the Piedmont Environmental Council. He also initiated and led the Augmented / Virtual Reality & Spatial Technologies program at James Madison University X-Labs.

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