Kevin D. Hatfield

Kevin D. Hatfield is an NTTF faculty member in the Department of History and the Robert D. Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as the Director of Academic, Residential, and Research Initiatives (DARRI). His work bridges academic and student affairs, fostering collaborations through Academic Residential Communities (ARCs), Faculty-in-Residence programs, and the Undergraduate Research Symposium. He is deeply engaged in transformative pedagogy and community-based scholarship.

His research centers on the history of the American West, with a focus on the Northern Paiute and Basque communities of the Northern Great Basin. He specializes in environmental history, immigration, race/ethnicity, property, and community formation. Hatfield co-coordinates the Reacting to the Past curriculum and leads the Decolonizing Research: The Northern Paiute History Project, a community-engaged course developed with tribal partners from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the Burns Paiute Tribe. This course emphasizes respect, reciprocity, and reconciliation through oral history, archival research, and collaborative ethics.

His recent publications and projects reflect a strong interdisciplinary focus on Indigenous studies, decolonizing methodologies, public history, and innovative pedagogy. The research trends emphasize community-driven scholarship, ethical engagement with Indigenous knowledge, and immersive, experiential learning models that connect students with real-world historical and cultural contexts.

Scientific Awards and Recognitions:

• Students under his supervision have won the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship.
• Students have received the Oregon Heritage Fellowship.
• Recipients of the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Essay Award.
• Multiple Vice President for Research & Innovation (VPRI) Fellowships awarded to students.
• UO Libraries Undergraduate Research Awards.

Kevin Hatfield has advised numerous undergraduate students in capstone research and honors theses, particularly through the Northern Paiute History Project. He has secured and participated in significant grants, including multiple U.S. Department of Education 'Teaching American History' grants, which supported K-12 educator professional development. His students have presented at national and regional conferences, including the American Historical Association and Western Social Science Association.

He is a key figure in the Academic Residential Communities Council and collaborates closely with tribal elders, cultural leaders, and academic partners. His work with the Northern Paiute History Project has evolved into a formal, sustained collaboration between the Clark Honors College and tribal communities, involving annual visits, shared research protocols, and joint presentations.