Lori Hunter

Dr. Lori Hunter is a Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on migration-environment linkages, climate change impacts, and rural development in South Africa, Mexico, and the U.S. She has contributed to UN policy integration of population issues into the Sustainable Development Agenda and advised the World Bank on climate, migration, and gender. Her work includes NIH-funded studies on health disparities in aging populations affected by extreme weather events. Dr. Hunter served as Editor-in-Chief of Population and Environment (2007–2017) and leads National Academy of Sciences initiatives on climate-macro economy linkages.

Her research explores rural social mobility, food security, and environmental non-migration dynamics. Notable studies include the first International Handbook of Population & Environment (2023) and frameworks linking climate change to health vulnerabilities. Dr. Hunter’s work bridges environmental demography with policy, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to global challenges like aging populations and environmental justice.

Advising includes NIH grants analyzing Health and Retirement Study data, while grants focus on spatial poverty dynamics and rural livelihoods. Her affiliations include the Rocky Mountain Research Data Center and the Institute of Behavioral Science, which she directs. Ongoing projects address wildfire migration impacts and gendered natural resource use in South Africa.