Through the generosity of Currie C. and Thomas A. Barron ’74, the Princeton Environmental Institute established The Currie C. and Thomas A. Barron Visiting Professor in the Environment and the Humanities in 2003. This gift has enabled PEI to forge closer ties between the environmental sciences and the humanities and social sciences at Princeton by hosting accomplished humanists whose interests lie at the intersection of the humanities and the environment.

Barron Visiting Professors have explored issues including conservation, energy efficiency, clean air and water, global warming, species diversity, sustainable development, wilderness preservation, and environmental justice. They have added new courses to PEI’s curriculum, brought new interdisciplinary approaches to the study of environmental topics, advised students, given public lectures, and participated in many of PEI’s other activities.

PEI collaborates with principals of academic departments to identify and recruit outstanding scholars with expertise residing at the intersection of the environment and the humanities.

Steve Cosson

2009-2010 Currie C. and Thomas A. Barron Visiting Professor in the Environment and the Humanities and Guest Artist at the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University

Michael Friedman

2009-2010 Currie C. and Thomas A. Barron Visiting Professor in the Environment and the Humanities and Guest Artist at the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University

David Schlosberg

2008-2009 Currie C. and Thomas A. Barron Visiting Professor in the Environment and the Humanities and Visiting Professor at the University Center for Human Values

Kimberly K. Smith

2007-2008 Currie C. and Thomas A. Barron Visiting Professor in the Environment and the Humanities and Visiting Associate Professor in the Center for African American Studies