John Linstrom

Dr. John Linstrom is an academic and writer specializing in American literature, environmental humanities, and creative nonfiction. He serves as series editor for Cornell University Press’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Library and holds a Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Climate and Inequality at The Climate Museum. His work bridges literary scholarship and public engagement, including editions of Liberty Hyde Bailey’s writings and creative works addressing ecological and cultural themes. Educated at New York University (PhD, 2021), Iowa State University (MFA, 2013), and Valparaiso University (B.A., 2010), Linstrom’s research explores intersections of race, environment, and literary form. His poetry collection To Leave for Our Own Country (2024) and edited volumes reflect his commitment to recovering marginalized voices in environmental thought. He teaches at Centenary College of Louisiana and actively participates in climate education initiatives.

Education:

• Ph.D., English and American Literature, New York University, 2021
• M.F.A., Creative Writing and Environment, Iowa State University, 2013
• B.A., English and Humanities, Valparaiso University, 2010

Research Focus: Linstrom’s work centers on environmental humanities, Black and Indigenous literatures, and creative nonfiction. He has presented at major conferences such as MLA and ASLE, addressing topics like interspecies fieldwork in climate humanities and Indigenous survivance in 19th-century texts. His edited collections and poetry often engage with historical figures like Liberty Hyde Bailey and Zora Neale Hurston, recontextualizing their contributions to ecological and cultural discourse.

Grants & Fellowships:

• Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, 2024–present

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with The Climate Museum and Cornell University Press on public-facing environmental humanities projects, including the Liberty Hyde Bailey Library series. His Bailey Project revitalizes underappreciated environmental thinkers through accessible editions and public programming.