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SUNY Potsdam Professor Dr. Claudia Ford Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the University at Buffalo

SUNY Potsdam Environmental Studies Faculty Member Dr. Claudia Ford Selected as Distinguished Visiting Scholar for UB's School of Arts & Sciences

Potsdam, NY (05/22/2023) — SUNY Potsdam Professor Dr. Claudia Ford, chair of the College's Department of Environmental Studies, has been selected as a 2023-24 Distinguished Visiting Scholar for the University at Buffalo's School of Arts and Sciences.

The Distinguished Visiting Scholar program provides scholars and artists of exceptional accomplishment with the unique opportunity to join a cohort of visiting faculty to promote diversity, equity and inclusion at UB. Dr. Ford, who was part of the inaugural cohort of the SUNY PRODiG Faculty program, recently completed a prestigious residency at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, the Panel on Planetary Thinking.

As a UB Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Dr. Ford will lead mentoring for diversity, equity and inclusion, and engaged learning. In particular she plans to coordinate with the departments of indigenous studies and environment and sustainability to develop a program focused on student skill development through service to community organizations, and to collaborate with the DEI office and the SUNY PRODiG program in a pilot faculty mentoring project for select underrepresented and women in STEM faculty.

Ford has enjoyed a global career in academia, international development and women's health spanning four decades and all continents. A tenured professor and chair of the Department of Environmental Studies at SUNY Potsdam, she teaches ethnobotany, indigenous knowledge, gender studies, international business, environmental justice and environmental literature in classrooms and workshops. Ford is a visual artist and writer and serves on the boards of directors of organizations that are committed to ending poverty, racism and injustice in food systems, along with transforming the practice of agriculture to renew the vitality of the earth, the integrity of our food, and the health and wholeness of our communities.

She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Columbia University, a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, a Master of Business Administration degree in health administration from Antioch University, and Ph.D. in environmental studies, also from Antioch University.

Environmental studies is a truly interdisciplinary major at SUNY Potsdam, incorporating course offerings from 14 departments and programs designed to prepare the environmental leaders of the future. For more information, visit www.potsdam.edu/envstudies.

About SUNY Potsdam:

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges -- and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.

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SUNY Potsdam Professor of Environmental Studies Dr. Claudia J. Ford has been selected as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar by the University at Buffalo’s School of Arts and Sciences.

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