معرفی
Professor Daniel B. Ahlquist serves as a Professor in the Social Relations & Policy division of James Madison College at Michigan State University, with additional affiliations as Affiliate Faculty in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, Science Technology Environment & Public Policy (STEPP), Asian Studies, and Peace & Justice Studies.
He holds a Ph.D. in Development Sociology from Cornell University, forming the foundation for his interdisciplinary approach to political-ecological research.
Ahlquist's scholarly work centers on political ecology and environmental justice, examining how inequalities manifest through uneven relationships between social groups and environmental systems, state policies, and market forces. His fieldwork in Indigenous highland communities of northern Thailand investigates intersections of forest conservation, agrarian change, land rights, and displacement. Current projects include the Henry Luce Foundation-funded Mekong Culture WELL initiative studying dam development impacts in the Lower Mekong River Basin, and new research on rewilding politics in the northern Great Plains.
His publication portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on hydrological changes from infrastructure development, healthcare disparities in marginalized communities, climate migration dynamics, and the socio-ecological consequences of conservation policies across Southeast Asia and North America.
His scientific recognition includes:
- 2023 MSU Teacher-Scholar Award
- 2020 Ken and Sandy Waltzer Teaching Excellence Award (inaugural)
- 2016 Outstanding Faculty Leadership in Sustainability Award from Duke University
Major grant leadership encompasses a $1 million Luce Initiative on Southeast Asia for Mekong Basin research and a $707,893 NASA Earth Science Division grant assessing dam impacts on wetlands. Ahlquist prioritizes cross-disciplinary collaboration with academic and community partners globally, reflected in his teaching of courses including Environmental Justice & Global Change and Social Policy.
