JOSE MANUEL ALVAREZ is currently pursuing his Masters of Landscape Architecture degree from Florida International University. While at FIU, he  has refined a unique understanding of tropical and subtropical landscapes in areas including South Florida, the Caribbean, and South America. He has had the opportunity to work for Studio Roberto Rovira in a wide variety of projects ranging from Miami, Seattle, Jordan and Colombia. Jose is proud to have been recognized with Awards of Merit in 2011 and 2012 by the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. His work has strongly focused on the Latin American context, and in using landscape architecture as a catalyst for urban and cultural regeneration. In 2012 he was awarded the EDSA Minority Scholarship for his focus on Latin culture, with projects featuring designs in Miami and the Dominican Republic. He was elected as the 2012-2013 National Student Representative for the American Society of Landscape Architects, where he serves as a liaison voicing concerns and the best interest of the national student body of the profession. He has also contributed and collaborated in design projects for the National Park Service, the city of South Miami, and several projects renovating open spaces at Florida International University.