Board of Advisors

David W. Orr
Chair, Environmental Studies, Oberlin College

David W. Orr is Paul Sears Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Environmental Studies Program at Oberlin College . He is perhaps best known for his pioneering work on environmental literacy in higher education and his recent work in ecological design. He raised funds for and spearheaded the effort to design and build a $7.2 million Environmental Studies Center at Oberlin College , a building described by the New York Times as "the most remarkable" of a new generation of college buildings.

He was awarded a Bioneers Award in 2002, a National Conservation Achievement Award by the National Wildlife Federation in 1993, and numerous other awards and distinctions. He holds three Honorary Doctorates and has been a distinguished scholar in residence at Ball State University (1995) and Westminster College in Salt Lake City (1996).

Dr. Orr is contributing editor of Conservation Biology. He is a Trustee of the Educational Foundation of America and the Compton Foundation. He is also an advisor and consultant to the Trust for Public Land , the National Parks Advisory Committee, and other organizations. He is a frequent lecturer at Schumacher College (UK) and has lectured at hundreds of colleges and universities throughout the U.S.

David Orr has published 120 articles in scientific journals, social science publications, and popular magazines. He is the author of four books, including The Last Refuge: Patriotism, Politics, and the Environment in an Age of Terror (Island Press, 2004) and Ecological Literacy: Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World (SUNY, 1992).

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