Robert Michael Morrissey

Robert Michael Morrissey is Professor of History at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he also holds faculty appointments in the Program in Medieval Studies and the American Indian Studies Program. In addition to his scholarly roles, he currently serves as Associate Dean for Technology and Online Learning in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Education

• PhD, M.Phil, MA – Yale University
• BA – Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota

Research Interests

Morrissey’s scholarship centers on the environmental and cultural history of early North America, especially the tallgrass prairie ecotone and Indigenous power dynamics. His work integrates deep-time environmental change with Indigenous histories, examining how climate, ecology, and colonialism shaped societies from Cahokia’s collapse through the eighteenth century. He also explores the environmental consequences of modern agricultural drainage in the Midwest “corn belt.”

Recent Publications

His 2022 monograph People of the Ecotone reframes early American history through the lens of Indigenous agency and environmental change, while forthcoming and recent chapters extend his analysis to French colonial networks and Midwestern regional identity.

Honors & Awards

• Hal K. Rothman Prize (2023)
• University Scholar (2024)
• Conrad Humanities Scholar (2016–2021)
• National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship (2015–2016)
• George and Gladys Queen Excellence in Teaching Award (2014–2015)
• Lester J. Cappon Award for best article in William and Mary Quarterly
• IPRH Prize for Best Faculty Research (2012)

Collaborations & Outreach

Beyond campus, Morrissey co-directs the Reclaiming Stories initiative, partnering with Miami and Peoria communities to revitalize Indigenous hide-painting and tattooing traditions. He also founded the Environmental Studies of the Great Lakes book series and regularly leads public-facing lectures and webinars on tallgrass prairie history.