NEWS

Robert E. Rhoades

Distinguished Research Professor 2006

Robert E. Rhoades, Professor of Anthropology, works on agricultural and environmental issues in developing countries. His research, which involved studying the ways that indigenous people’s traditional knowledge of agriculture contributes to sustainable production, challenged the widespread assumptions that third world farming systems are inefficient. He demonstrated the need to incorporate traditional knowledge into policy by illustrating how local knowledge must be crossed with scientific understanding in order for villagers – who may not entirely understand the concept of global warming – to cope with the melting of the Andean glaciers.

Previous Award

William A. Owens Award 2003