Emilio Moran

Emilio Moran is a Hannah Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geography at Michigan State University, affiliated with the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Center for Global Change Science, and Center for Global Change and Earth Observations. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and focuses on merging human and environmental sciences to address critical issues like climate change, land use, and sustainability in the Amazon region.

• Academic Rank: Professor
• Research Themes: Tropical agriculture, hydropower sustainability, biodiversity conservation, satellite-based earth observations, and human-environment interactions
• Email: moranef@msu.edu

His recent research explores the compound effects of drought and pandemics on soybean production, energy justice frameworks for off-grid communities, and multidimensional impacts of large hydropower dams. He advocates for participatory approaches to sustainable development and uses remote sensing to analyze deforestation and land transitions.

Notable awards include the Distinguished Partner Award for International Community-Engaged Scholarship (2024) and the Rachel Carson Distinguished Lecture (2011). He has secured grants such as the NSF grant for off-grid energy empowerment (2020). His work bridges anthropology, ecology, and policy analysis to tackle Amazonian development challenges.