معرفی
Robert B. Powell is the George B. Hartzog, Jr. Endowed Professor in Philosophy, Parks, and Environmental Ethics in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at Clemson University's College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. He also serves as Director of the Institute for Parks, an interdisciplinary institute focused on research, training, and outreach for park and protected area management. With over 100 publications and extensive international experience across 40+ countries, Dr. Powell is a leading scholar in environmental education, interpretation, and park management.
Dr. Powell earned his Ph.D. in Forestry and Environmental Studies from Yale University in 2005, followed by an M.E.M. in Environmental Management from Yale in 2001. His undergraduate degree is a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (1983).
Dr. Powell's research focuses on environmental education and interpretation, parks and protected area management, ecotourism, outdoor recreation, and biodiversity conservation. His work examines the human dimensions of conservation, exploring how interpretation and educational programs influence visitor experiences, environmental literacy, and conservation behaviors. He investigates effective strategies for park management, with particular attention to equity, accessibility, and the impacts of sociopolitical contexts on environmental education outcomes.
His international research spans over 40 countries across 6 continents, addressing cross-cultural dimensions of conservation education and sustainable tourism. Recent work emphasizes evidence-based approaches to improve environmental education field trips for adolescents, with a focus on how preparation, setting, and teaching methods influence learning outcomes.
Dr. Powell's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on evidence-based environmental education, particularly examining what makes field trips effective for adolescent learners. His work explores how factors like naturalness of settings, preparation activities, teaching approaches, and sociopolitical contexts influence educational outcomes. He also investigates strategic planning for interpretive services in the National Park Service and barriers to participation in environmental education programs.
Dr. Powell has received numerous honors for his contributions to environmental education and conservation:
- 2023 College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences Outstanding Journal Publication Award
- 2022 Outstanding Contributions to Research in Environmental Education Award from the North American Association for Environmental Education
- 2016 Bronze Medal (Co-Recipient) from the Viet Nam Urban Planning Awards for "Best Regional Plan" for Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geo-Park Planning
- 2016 Clemson University College of Health, Education, and Human Development Excellence in Research Award
- 2014 Clemson University Calhoun Honors College and Pearce Center Thoughts Worth Thinking Speaker
Dr. Powell has mentored numerous graduate students, many of whom are co-authors on his publications. His research program is supported by substantial external funding, with over $5 million in grants since 2007 from diverse sources including the National Science Foundation, National Park Service, US Forest Service, and various foundations. Current major projects include a $1.983M NSF grant on enhancing outdoor STEM learning for youth and a $923,905 National Park Service grant on evidence-based learning networks for interpretation.
As Director of the Institute for Parks, Dr. Powell leads an interdisciplinary team focused on providing research, training, and outreach to support park and protected area management. The Institute serves as a hub for collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and students interested in parks and protected areas. Dr. Powell also collaborates extensively with researchers at Virginia Tech (particularly Dr. Martha Monroe Stern), UNC-Wilmington, and international partners on environmental education and conservation projects worldwide.
