Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture
Haas (rhymes with “moss”) is a registered landscape architect in the state of West Virginia. Before joining WVU in 2013, she worked in practice for EDAW, one of the largest design and planning firms (later absorbed by AECOM). As a Fulbright Grantee (2008-2009), she worked with City officials to examine how public spaces and city planning can better promote ethnic integration in Tallinn, Estonia.
At West Virginia University, her research and creative scholarship promotes social equity and diversity in public greenspace. To this end, she pursues two research tracks: 1) exploring public space with sensitive histories or the potential to enhance ethnic/cultural inclusivity, and 2) seeking to improve social equity with better physical access to greenspace, while simultaneously protecting and enhancing ecological resources within green corridors in West Virginia.
Haas especially enjoys working on projects where a timely application of engaged scholarship can dramatically shift the community outcome. Her students build understanding of course concepts through service-learning projects, often generating site analysis and design concepts to support non-profits’ grant-writing and fundraising for professional design work. Her recent efforts were integral to WVU securing an International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Trail Accelerator Grant (2020), and she is involved with the Youth Cycling Coalition’s Morgantown pilot city program (2021). Her engagement has been recognized with several awards, including the university-wide Faculty Award for Excellence in Community Engagement (2019) and the international Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture’s Service Learning Award - Junior Level (2017).
Publications
- Haas, V. (2021). Tammsaare Park’s lost landmarks of revolution, Soviet-era path layout and pedestrian use: Tallinn, Estonia. Journal of Baltic Studies, published online, April 2021.
- Haas V. (2019). Teaching landscape 'triage' through fieldwork: site analysis at White Park, Morgantown, West Virginia. Landscape Research Record, 8-14, 344-358.
- Haas, V. (2019). Marks on the City: The Impacts of Coastline Emergence, Foreign Rule and Bombing on Contemporary Tallinn. Journal of Baltic Studies, 50-2: 205-232.
- Haas, V. (2018). Building a New Central Park through Civic Engagement and Service Learning: Falling Run Greenspace, Morgantown, West Virginia. Landscape Research Record, 7, p. 280-293.