Jennifer Bousselot, GRP, Ph.D.
Jennifer Bousselot is an assistant professor at Colorado State University in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. She has studied green roof species selection, water use, and substrates in Colorado for over 15 years. She is also the co-author of the Colorado Native Plant Society published the third edition of Common Southwestern Native Plants and the upcoming third edition of Trees and Shrubs of Colorado. We checked in with Jennifer to learn more about her experiences as a GRP and how they’ve helped her career path in the education sector!
Why did you become a Green Roof Professional (GRP)?
Education is a major focus of my life and achieving a certification that accentuates my expertise is a good idea. Also, I have been teaching the Green Roof Plants and Growing Media class for GRHC for years. I should have the certification that I help others achieve!
How has it enhanced your career?
I am an educator, an author, and a researcher first. That means that I am often asked to help out on green roof projects in the industry. Having the GRP certification gives potential collaborators extra confidence in my skill set.
What is your favourite part of your job?
The students! I just love introducing them to the world of green roofs. They are always so thrilled to find this frontier.
What advice would you provide to someone interested in pursuing a similar career path to yourself?
Network! It is amazing what can be accomplished in our industry when you know others and what projects they are working on!
What do you see as the role of green infrastructure in resilience and the COVID-19 recovery?
Slowing down and staying home more means that people looked around and noticed their surroundings. They also realized that they needed more GREEN. Almost the only available space remaining in ultra urban spaces to green are rooftops. We’re going to see a LOT more green spaces on buildings soon.
Tell us about a recent project:
The first photo is a green roof my husband and I built on our Fort Collins home. The second picture is of a roof that I helped Andy Creath of Green Roofs of Colorado install near Nederland, Colorado in 2008 and now I’m doing a plant survey on it. The final photo is of a live roof installation on campus at Colorado State University.
From the Living Architecture Monitor
