Laura J. Martin

Laura J. Martin is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Williams College and a Faculty Affiliate in History. Her interdisciplinary work bridges environmental history, science & technology studies, and conservation biology.

Education:

• S.B. in Biophysics from Brown University
• M.S. and Ph.D. in Natural Resources from Cornell University

Her research focuses on ecological restoration, environmental justice, and the historical evolution of environmental science. She has authored influential publications on biodiversity solutions and human impacts on ecosystems, featured in journals like Environmental History and Trends in Ecology & Evolution. Her book Wild by Design (2022) examines the history of ecological restoration.

Her publications span topics including Anthropocene wildness, indoor biome evolution, and global biases in ecological research. Keywords include environmental history, conservation biology, and science & technology studies.

Scientific Awards:

• Harvard University Center for the Environment Fellow
• Stanford Humanities Center Fellow
• American Council of Learned Societies Fellow

She has contributed to media outlets like the New York Times and The Atlantic, and is currently writing a book on synthetic herbicides' impact on Earth's ecosystems.