Landscape architecture teachers to gather next month in Long Beach

Mississippi State's Department of Landscape Architecture and Division of Continuing Education are hosts for the Sept. 7-10 meeting at the Gulf Park Conference Center in Long Beach.

The program will focus on the role of history and culture in the evolution of the landscape, said Glenn Cook, an associate professor of landscape architecture and one of the conference coordinators.

"We will be sharing ideas, problems, theories, projections of the future, and research results as they relate to the education of future landscape architects," Cook said. Mississippi's historic and cultural heritage should provide "an appropriate crucible for the discussions," he added.

In addition to North America, educators will be coming from Europe and the Pacific region, Cook said.

Speakers include Edward Pickard of Ocean Springs, Dr. William Ferris of the University of Mississippi, McCray Davis of Mississippi State, and Edward Blake of Hattiesburg. Pickard is an architect and musician; Ferris, director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture; Davis, an assistant professor of music education; and Blake, co-designer/director of the Crosby Arboretum.