Dr. Browning is interested in people’s connections and interactions with the natural world. His research focuses broadly on ways to evaluate and ultimately enhance the frequency, richness, and meaningfulness of these connections and interactions. His ultimate goal is to better understand in what ways nature might promote human health and well-being. He’s particularly interested in utilizing new and emerging technologies in his research, such as immersive experiences in virtual reality and psychological, physiological, and sociological data collection with mobile devices. Many of Dr. Browning’s interests span social and natural sciences, and he attempts to overlay psychological or sociological frameworks on environmental management issues. Much of this work is conducted within nature-based recreation and environmental education contexts.
Dr. Rigolon is interested in environmental justice issues related to urban green spaces. Given limited funds and increasing health problems, how can public agencies help increase access to health-promoting facilities like parks and trails in underserved neighborhoods? And how can they address potential gentrification processes related to the implementation of these new facilities? Much of Dr. Rigolon’s studies to date have exposed inequitable access to parks for different socioeconomic and ethnic groups. But his work also goes to the root of the problem by analyzing how land use planning processes, housing policy, and park funding measures determine how and for whom parks are established, maintained, and improved. More recently, he has studied gentrification and displacement processes linked to the implementation of new green infrastructure such as parks and greenways. Overall, Dr. Rigolon’s research sheds light on the connections between park equity and neighborhood change.
William (Bill) Stewart is a Professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois. His teaching and research is related to the development of parks and protected areas to improve quality of life and enhance sense of place. Dr. Stewart’s research is concerned with landscape change in urban and rural areas, and recognizes the need to integrate community-based voices into environmental decision-making. He and his colleagues build working relationships with stakeholders to move forward on land management initiatives through the integration of expert, community-based, and experiential knowledge. He co-edited a book entitled Place-based Conservation: Perspectives from the Social Sciences along with Drs. Daniel Williams and Linda Kruger published by Springer-Verlag. Dr. Stewart publishes his research in journals related to recreation, tourism, and landscape planning, such as Journal of Leisure Research, Leisure Sciences, and Landscape and Urban Planning. His research program has been continuously supported by sponsors such as the USDA Forest Service, the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture, and the US National Park Service, as well as other agencies related to landscape change and park development. Dr. Stewart is a Fellow of the Academy of Leisure Sciences and has served as Treasurer for the Academy since 2010. At the University of Illinois, Dr. Stewart is associated with the Parks and Environmental Behavior Research Group, adjunct faculty with the Department of Landscape Architecture, and serves as the Director of the undergraduate program in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences.