Robert Watson

Robert N. Watson is a Distinguished Professor at the Department of English, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has held significant administrative roles including Chair of the Department of English, Chair of the Faculty of the UCLA College of Letters and Science, Associate Vice-Provost for Educational Innovation, and Associate Dean of Humanities. His interdisciplinary work bridges Renaissance literature, ecocriticism, and cultural evolution.

Education:

• B.A., summa cum laude, Yale University (1975)
• Ph.D., Highest Honors, Stanford University (1979)

Research Interests span Shakespearean studies, Ben Jonson scholarship, environmental and animal ethics in the Renaissance, cultural systems as parasitic entities, and the intersection of Darwinian theory with humanities. His work often examines how cultural evolution impacts human values and environmental sustainability.

Notable Scientific Awards:

• Guggenheim Fellowship
• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Fellowship
• UCLA Distinguished Teaching Prize (2001)
• Gold Shield Prize (2006-08)

Teaching and Leadership: Professor Watson has taught Shakespeare, Renaissance poetry, and historical ecocriticism at UCLA since 1986. He pioneered a General Education course on the 1960s and served as Head Scholar at the Folger Shakespeare Library’s Teaching Shakespeare Summer Institute for seven years.