Ryan Holifield

Ryan Holifield is a Professor of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with an additional affiliation as Professor in Urban Studies. He teaches courses including Environmental Problems and Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice, and maintains an active research agenda focused on environmental justice and urban political ecology.

Education:

• PhD in Geography, University of Minnesota, 2007
• MA in Geography, University of Georgia, 2001
• AB in English, Duke University, 1993

Professor Holifield's research centers on human dimensions of environmental change, emphasizing democracy, governance, and social/environmental justice through theoretical lenses including urban political ecology and actor-network theory. His work examines environmental justice policy in the EPA, health risk assessment at hazardous waste sites, brownfield redevelopment, and urban green space politics, primarily using historical and qualitative methodologies.

Analysis of his 2015-2024 publications reveals consistent engagement with environmental justice in urban contexts, with recent emphasis on Indigenous inclusion in federal screening tools (Justice40), racial dynamics in public spaces (Central Park), and global gentrification processes (Busan). His scholarship bridges theoretical advances in political ecology with practical applications in Great Lakes restoration and community-based environmental management.

As Principal Investigator for an NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning grant (2021-2025), Holifield leads Milwaukee's WaterMarks project, integrating art, science, and community action around water infrastructure. While he collaborates extensively with graduate students, specific advisees are not documented in available materials.

Through WaterMarks and related initiatives, Holifield engages interdisciplinary teams of artists, scientists, and community members to foster public understanding of urban environmental systems, particularly water infrastructure in Milwaukee's river networks.