Kate Shirley  

shirleykatharine8@gmail.com / kateshirley.com

The University of Texas at Austin

Masters of Landscape Architecture - 2023

B.A. Geography, minor Sociology - 2019

EXPERIENCE 

Ecological Design Group — Landscape Designer OCT 2023 - PRESENT

Supports all phases of project development, focusing on document production. Ensures that design and delivery align with company values: creating ecological resilient, functional, and appealing spaces. 

Siglo Group — Ecological Design Intern OCT 2021 - AUG 2023

Works under the Ecological Design team on projects associated with natural area management, park planning, and urban ecology. Duties include site assessment, field data acquisition, monitoring, plant identification, report writing, graphics creation, and map creation. I most often support the creation of deliverables for clients through GIS and cartographic work, designing and drawing engaging and information graphics, and report editing and formatting.

UT School of Architecture — Graduate Research Assistant JAN 2021 - MAY 2021

Supported spatial analysis and mapping investigations in two classes taught by assistant professor Aleksandra Jaeschke - Advanced Design: Plant Potential and Sustainability: Why This Way. Designed and led workshops to introduce undergraduate and graduate architecture students to GIS technology and data, created tutorial videos, and assisted students with obstacles toward their deliverables. 

UT Austin, Center for Sustainable Development — Graduate Research Assistant MAY 2020 - AUGUST 2020

Identified and summarized professional and scholarly literature to understand anti-fragility of systems relating to urban settlements and terrain. Duties included weekly literature review and write ups along with creating systems diagrams.

UT Microfarm — Project Leader AUGUST 2017 - JULY 2019

Led the design and development of our half-acre farm, managed a student team of twenty members, ran weekly farm workdays with up to 50 volunteers, supervised >2000 sq. ft. of growing space and 40 community garden rental plots. 

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Horticulture Intern MAY 2018 - AUGUST 2018

Learned and performed upkeep tasks in the botanic garden, including leading small volunteer groups in garden chores, took on sole maintenance responsibility of the Texas Mixed Border demonstration garden.

SERVICE AND TEAMWORK

Green Fund Committee — Committee chair 2021, At-large member 2019-20 AUGUST 2019 - Present

Advise on, review, and vote on applications for competitive grants, awarding ~$500,000 per year to fund student-led sustainability projects and research benefiting the UT-Austin campus community.

Texas Master Naturalist — Capital Area Chapter member NOVEMBER 2017 - JULY 2019

As a member of Texas Parks and Wildlife’s trained volunteer corps, I have a wide knowledge of the state’s natural systems and processes, focused on Central Texas; conducted surveys of the endangered Golden Cheeked Warbler on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve in the Spring 2019 and 2023 breeding seasons.

SKILLS

• Proficient with ArcGIS; AutoCAD; Rhino; Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Premiere; adept in creating engaging and informative graphics and maps, writing and compiling packaged reports

• Knowledge of site engineering concepts and grading skills with experience using AutoCAD Civil 3D 

• Extensive horticultural experience, including light equipment, invasive species removal, and trail maintenance 

• Native plant knowledge and identification, especially of Texas and the Gulf Coast, and use of dichotomous key to identify unfamiliar plants; experienced birder, including identifying species by sight and sound 

• Data collection, management, and analysis, including vegetative and soil surveys 

• Construction experience and knowledge of methods, competent using power tools without supervision

• Interpretive writing and speaking, Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association of Interpretation

• Skilled writer in technical, scientific, and public communications contexts

• Comfortable in a leadership role among peers and with collaborative work, can prevent and resolve conflict on a team