As director of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Paul Robbins oversees the institute's mission of serving as a world leader in addressing environmental change. He brings years of experience as a researcher, studying human interactions with nature and the politics of natural resource management, as well as administrative leadership. He has also taught a range of topics at both the University of Arizona and Ohio State University, from environmental studies and natural resource policy to social theory. Robbins comes to the institute from the School of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona, where he served for two years as director. Robbins helped establish the School of Geography and Development and during his time as director expanded its degree offerings, including two new master's degree programs and an interdisciplinary environmental studies major. A UW-Madison alumnus, he holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology, along with a master's degree and doctorate in geography, both from Clark University.
