Nathan Drake

Nathan Drake is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of History at Mississippi State University, where he also serves as the Director of Graduate Programs at The Graduate School. His research focuses on the intersections of environmental history, animal symbolism, and Southern cultural narratives.

• Education
  • Ph.D. in United States Environmental History, Mississippi State University (2020)
  • Master of Arts in United States History, East Tennessee State University (2011)
  • Bachelor of Science in History, University of Southern Indiana (2009)

Drake’s work explores the symbolic roles of animals in shaping American Southern identity, particularly through environmental history and cultural analysis. His publications and presentations often address human-animal relationships, ecological impacts of historical policies, and the representation of nature in literature.

His recent publications include a 2025 review analyzing enslaved communities and animal symbolism in the British Atlantic World, and a 2016 review of wetland ecology in the Atchafalaya River Basin. These works reflect his expertise in environmental history, agricultural history, and cultural studies.

Scientific Awards

• James W. Garner Scholarship, Mississippi State University Department of History (2011-2015)
• Graduate Student Travel Grant, Agricultural History Society (2013-14)

Drake has served on multiple university committees, including the Graduate Policy and Advisory Committee and the University Committee on Courses and Curricula. His professional affiliations include the Agricultural History Society, American Society for Environmental History, and Phi Alpha Theta.