Emily Wakild

Emily Wakild is Professor of History and Environmental Studies at Boise State University, holding the Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Chair for Environment and Public Lands in the School of Public Service. She leads the Environmental Studies program with a focus on problem-based learning and Idaho as place-based educational context, regularly teaching ENVSTD 200 (Methods and Approaches) and ENVSTD 441 (Animals in Time and Space).

Dr. Wakild earned her PhD in Latin American history from the University of Arizona in 2007. She joined Boise State's History Department in 2012 and transitioned to Environmental Studies in 2018 following a semester as a Visiting International Scholar at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago.

Her research excavates historical documents, images, and interviews to explain how large conservation spaces emerged throughout the Americas. Focusing on the intersection of environmental history, conservation policy, and social justice, she has pioneered approaches to teaching environmental history through her publications and curriculum development. Her work reveals how political movements, scientific knowledge, and local practices shaped conservation landscapes across Latin America.

Dr. Wakild's publications trace the evolution of conservation thought from early 20th century national parks to contemporary biodiversity frameworks. Her scholarship spans Mexico, Patagonia, and the Amazon, demonstrating how conservation concepts translated across different ecological and social contexts in the Americas.

Her significant scholarly recognition includes:

• Multiple awards for Revolutionary Parks (Conference of Latin American History, Forest History Society, Southeastern Council on Latin American Studies)
• School of Public Service Commitment to Leadership Award (2021)

Her research has been supported by prestigious grants including a Fulbright-Hays fellowship, National Endowment for the Humanities Grants, and a National Science Foundation Research Award. Dr. Wakild actively incorporates experiential learning components throughout her curriculum, connecting classroom learning with real-world environmental contexts.

Currently developing research on the 'llama diaspora,' Dr. Wakild is expanding her investigation of human-animal-environment relationships in historical context, examining how animal bodies and associated labor practices have circulated beyond the Andes region.