J. Mark Baker

J. Mark Baker is a Professor in the Department of Politics at Cal Poly Humboldt, where he has taught since 2006. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from the University of California, Berkeley, in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. His research focuses on the interdependence of community well-being and environmental sustainability, emphasizing equity, justice, and collective action in environment-community relationships. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in India’s western Himalaya on community-based irrigation management and in North America on community-based environmental governance.

His academic journey includes prior roles at the Sierra Institute for Environment and Community and the University of North Carolina at Asheville. At Humboldt, he integrates regional issues like the Klamath River conflict, dam removal, and watershed restoration into his teaching. Courses include Water Politics, Political Ecology, and Environmental Justice. His work bridges academic research with practical applications, emphasizing local case studies to inform policy and stewardship.