David Voelker

David Voelker is a Professor in the Humanities and History departments at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB), within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. He holds a PhD in United States History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is deeply committed to teaching early American history, environmental history, and Indigenous studies. His work bridges scholarship and public engagement, focusing on sustainability, climate justice, and decolonizing education.

His educational background includes a doctorate in U.S. History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which laid the foundation for his interdisciplinary approach to history and environmental humanities.

Voelker’s research interests center on environmental history, the integration of First Nations perspectives into historical narratives, ecocentrism, and innovative pedagogy. He emphasizes the intrinsic value of nature, the role of Indigenous knowledge systems, and the ethical imperative to address climate disruption. His teaching philosophy is deeply informed by Indigenous values, particularly through the '4Rs' framework (Respect, Reciprocity, Responsibility, and Reverence), which he has developed and shared publicly. He is passionate about reimagining sustainability not as mere maintenance but as mutual flourishing, drawing inspiration from thinkers like Robin Wall Kimmerer.

His scholarly and public-facing articles reflect a consistent trajectory toward ecological ethics, climate communication, and educational transformation. Themes across his work include confronting climate disinformation, honoring ecological grief, and designing curricula that foster interconnectedness and responsibility. He advocates for land acknowledgment as a living practice and critiques the historical erasure of Indigenous peoples in U.S. narratives.

• Co-author, 'The End of the History Survey Course: The Rise and Fall of the Coverage Model,' Journal of American History (2011)
• Co-editor, Big Picture Pedagogy: Finding Interdisciplinary Solutions to Common Learning Problems (2018)
• Co-editor, Debating American History series (Oxford University Press), including The Powhatans and the English in the Seventeenth-Century Chesapeake (2019)

Voelker is an active mentor and educator, having guided hundreds of students through online and in-person courses. He has facilitated numerous workshops on sustainability and inclusive pedagogy at UWGB and other institutions, such as Saint Cloud State University and UW-River Falls. His commitment to dialogue and respectful classroom discourse is evident in his development of 'Dialogue Principles' for online learning. He has also been involved in initiatives like the Common CAHSS conferences, focusing on truth, sustainability, and justice.

He leads and contributes to various educational projects, including the development of open-access teaching resources on land acknowledgment, ecological self-reflection, and sustainability. These are shared under Creative Commons licenses, reflecting his dedication to accessible and collaborative education. He is also affiliated with the First Nations Studies program at UWGB and works closely with Indigenous elders and colleagues to integrate authentic perspectives into his teaching.