Originally from the plains of rural Nebraska, Parker joined Schmidt Design Group, Inc. after completing a Masters of Landscape Architecture at Kansas State University. His academic experience culminated in a hands-on field study with researchers at KSU and the University of Chicago that utilized biofeedback devices to illustrate university students’ physiological responses to design-related stimuli found across different urban and natural spaces. Parker’s background in sprawling natural and agricultural landscapes drove him to pursuits in more urban environments, where he can better study how to incorporate natural and agricultural components into the world’s increasingly dense urban centers.