Luis Vivanco

Luis Vivanco is Professor and Chair of the Anthropology Department at the University of Vermont's College of Arts and Sciences. A cultural anthropologist specializing in environmentalism and mobility, he earned his PhD from Princeton University in 1999. His office is located in Williams Hall at 72 University Place, Burlington.

Research examines cultural dimensions of environmental change and sustainability movements across diverse contexts including Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, and the U.S. Key interests include:

• Environmental social movements and nature conservation politics
• Ecotourism economies and indigenous rights
• Urban bicycle transportation and sustainable mobility
• Media representations of environmental issues
• Latin American environmental transformations

Publications demonstrate strong interdisciplinary engagement with environmental humanities and mobility studies. Recent books explore bicycle anthropology and cycling cultures globally, while articles examine visual culture's role in environmental understanding.

Awards and fellowships:

• Wenner-Gren Foundation Grant
• MacArthur Foundation Grant
• Two Fulbright Scholar Awards (Costa Rica and Colombia)
• U.S. Department of Transportation Grant
• UVM Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award (2012)
• UVM Outstanding Faculty Advising Award (2023)

Courses taught include Environmental Anthropology, Anthropology of Mobility, Culture and Global Environmental Problems, and Bicycles, Globalization, and Sustainability. Founded UVM's Global Studies Program and established their Oaxaca study abroad program.