WITH A BACKGROUND IN GEOSPATIAL MODELING, CLIMATE ADAPTATION RESEARCH & PUBLIC DESIGN, MARIYA AIMS TO BRIDGE GAPS BETWEEN DISCIPLINES — LINKING DESIGN, POLICY & ADVOCACY IN SERVICE OF A MORE EQUITABLE & RESILIENT BUILT ENVIRONMENT. HER WORK AND INTERESTS CENTER ON WATER, IN ALL HER SHAPES AND FORMS.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS ARE ACTIVE AGENTS THAT WORK IN CONCERT, ACTIVELY MAKING AND REMAKING ALL ELEMENTS OF THE BROADER EARTH SYSTEM OVER SPACE AND TIME. RATHER THAN RESISTING CHANGE, WE SHOULD LOOK FOR PATHWAYS TO EMBRACE MULTIPLICITY & UNCERTAINTY AS SOURCES OF RESILIENCE.
EXPERIENCE
YH LAB
SENIOR DESIGNER
DEC 2024 - PRESENT
EMLAB, THE MCHARG CENTER - UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
SEPT 2023 - PRESENT
LANDING STUDIO
DESIGNER
SUMMER 2023
CLIMATE AND COMMUNITY INSTITUTE
RESEARCH FELLOW
SUMMER 2022
MIKYOUNG KIM DESIGN
DESIGNER ASSOCIATE, JULY 2020 - AUGUST 2021
DESIGNER, JULY 2018 - JULY 2020
GLOBAL DESIGN INITIATIVE FOR REFUGEE CHILDREN
DESIGN LEAD
MARCH 2017 - JULY 2021
EDUCATION
MASTER’S OF CITY PLANNING + LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE [MLA/MCP]
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
AUG 2021 - MAY 2025
Weitzman School of Design Merit Scholarship, 2021 - 2025
McHarg Center Dual Degree Fellowship, 2024 - 2025
Landscape Architecture Foundation Olmsted Scholar University Nominee, 2025
Gaia Award for Excellence in Environmental Planning, 2025
Laurie D. Olin Prize in Landscape Architecture, 2025
American Society of Landscape Architecture Merit Award, 2025
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ARCHITECTURE [BSc. ARCH]
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
AUG 2013 - MAY 2018
University Scholars Program, Full-Tuition Scholarship
College of Arts, Media, and Design’s Scholarly and Creative Achievement Award Recipient, 2018
Alpha Rho Chi Medal, 2018
Scholars Independent Research Grant: The State of Inclusive Play in the US, 2016
Scholars Independent Research Grant: Investigating the Public Realm in Urban Brazil, 2014
TEACHING
WEITZMAN SCHOOL OF DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
SUMMER INSTITUTE DIGITAL MEDIA COURSE
INSTRUCTOR
SUMMER 2025
WEITZMAN SCHOOL OF DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
CORE STUDIO II - GROUNDWORK, PROJECTS FOR PHILADELPHIA’S WATERFRONT
TEACHING ASSISTANT
WEITZMAN SCHOOL OF DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
MEDIA I - PHYSICAL & DIGITAL MEDIA AS THINKING TOOLS
TEACHING ASSISTANT