Health Benefits of Urban Greening

Dr. Matthew Browning (MESc, 2012), Founder and Co-Director of the Virtual Reality & Nature Lab and Associate Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University, is a globally recognized scholar investigating the impact of nature on human health. His research aims to optimize nature-based solutions, measure nature exposure, and promote sustainability and nature-human interactions through technology. He has authored over 130  peer-reviewed publications and is ranked among the most productive and cited researchers in the fields of parks, recreation, and health based on recent PubMed metrics. He also acts as the Scientific Advisor for NatureQuant, developer of the personalized nature prescription app, NatureDoseTM.  Examples of his recent work include the role of virtual reality in hospice care and disaster readiness; the environmental determinants of fatal police shootings, suicides, healthcare expenditures, and other pressing issues; and the categorization of natural landscapes that promote health. He increasingly focuses on engaging vulnerable populations in scalable urban greening initiatives for heat reduction and climate resilience. Dr. Browning has a BA in Biology from Oberlin College, MESc from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and PhD in Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation from Virginia Tech.