Chris Sellers

Chris Sellers is a Professor in the Department of History at Stony Brook University, part of the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from Yale University and an M.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Medical School, reflecting his interdisciplinary focus on environmental and medical history.

His research centers on the environmental, health, and social impacts of industrialization and urbanization, particularly in the United States and Mexico. Key areas include the history of capitalism, inequality, democracy, and the environmental and civil rights movements. He has made significant contributions to the history of industrial hazards, suburban environmentalism, and the petrochemical industry’s role in climate change.

His recent and ongoing work analyzes transnational environmental issues, with a focus on oil and petrochemical industries, urban development, and climate science. His publications reveal a consistent trend toward interdisciplinary, socially engaged scholarship that connects environmental history with public health, policy, and justice.

• National Science Foundation Grant
• National Humanities Center Fellowship
• National Library of Medicine Award

Sellers has advised numerous graduate students and led major collaborative initiatives, including the History of Environment and Health Network (HEHN), H-EnviroHealth, and the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative. He has secured significant research funding and continues to mentor emerging scholars in environmental history and health.

He is actively involved in academic communities through digital platforms, public scholarship, and network-building, contributing to both scholarly and public understanding of environmental and health challenges.