Nathaniel Otjen

Nathaniel Otjen is an Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey, joining in 2024. His research focuses on environmental humanities, multispecies justice, and critical animal studies, exploring how narratives shape human-nonhuman relations.

• Ph.D., Environmental Sciences, Studies and Policy, University of Oregon, 2022
• M.A., English, University of Oregon, 2018
• B.A., English (Creative Writing) and Anthropology, University of Iowa, 2016

His teaching includes World Sustainability, Environmental History, and Environmental Literacy. Recent publications address themes such as climate crisis, postcolonial ecology, and energy humanities across journals like Environmental Humanities and Animal Studies Journal.

Selected Awards:

• 2023 Schachterle Essay Prize
• Mildred Throne – Charles Aldrich Academic History Award

Current projects include the book Entangled Lives: Multispecies Selves, Justice and Narratives and collaborative research on energy transition equity.