During its October 5, 2018 Triennial Awards Ceremony, the Hawaii Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) honored Associate Professor Judith Stilgenbauer with the Pookela Award–the highest recognition it can bestow on landscape architects in the state.

The award name stands for “striving for the best, commitment to excellence, champion, or pinnacle of excellence.” The Pookela Award recognizes landscape architects who have made significant contributions and changed the way the profession looks at landscape architecture.

Excerpts from award nominations include:

“For her dedication, commitment, and leadership in the pursuit of excellence in the study, practice and theory of landscape architecture. What was once only a dream of the landscape architecture profession in Hawaii is now a reality. Judith deserves to be recognized for establishing Hawaii’s first MLA program at UHM.”

“Judith brings an important international perspective to Hawaii landscape architecture and has helped link our local issues to the broad issues now confronting the larger world we live in…. Judith has been essential in the successful creation of the new MLA program at UH Manoa. This new program, with Judith’s leadership, promises to train a new generation of practitioners who will re-define the role of landscape architecture and its response to the energy, water, and climate change challenges we are facing.”