Robert Booth

Robert Booth is Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Lehigh University. With extensive expertise in paleoecology and environmental change, his research bridges long-term ecological processes with contemporary environmental challenges. His work is particularly influential in using paleoecological records from peatlands and lakes to understand ecological responses to climate variability and land use changes.

Dr. Booth earned his educational credentials from prestigious institutions: B.S. in Biology from Penn State University (1995), M.S. in Biology from Georgia Southern University (1998), Ph.D. in Botany from the University of Wyoming (2003), followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin (2003-2005).

His research program focuses on understanding ecological responses to environmental changes including climate variability, altered disturbance regimes, and land use changes. As a broadly trained ecologist, Booth exploits 'natural experiments' of the past through paleoecological records, particularly pioneering the use of testate amoebae in ecological and paleoenvironmental studies. His work spans multiple areas including testate amoeba ecology, forest paleoecology and dynamics, peatland development, and Holocene paleoclimate reconstruction. The research has significant implications for anticipating future ecological responses to global change.

Dr. Booth teaches a range of courses including Conservation and Biodiversity (EES 028), Ecology (EES 152), Wetland Ecology (EES 386), Reconstructing Environmental Change (EES 459), and Advanced Topics in Paleoecology (EES 497). His teaching philosophy emphasizes experiential learning, critical thinking development, interdisciplinary approaches, and fostering inclusive classroom environments. He particularly values field-based learning experiences that allow students to engage directly with ecological processes.

His research group maintains active collaborations through the Neotoma Paleoecology Database, contributing to large-scale paleoenvironmental research efforts. Recent publications demonstrate continued productivity with significant contributions in 2025 on testate amoeba calibration datasets, tephra deposition patterns, and ecological responses to drought.