TSU’s “Father of Environmental Justice” selected to join American Academy of Arts & Sciences
By: Media
Dr. Robert D. Bullard, distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University, has been selected for membership to the prestigious American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Bullard, who also serves as founding director of the Bullard Center for Environmental & Climate Justice at TSU, is one of three individuals representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on the 2022 cohort of Academy honorees. He was recognized in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences class under the Astronomy, Astrophysics and Earth Sciences section.
Founded in 1780, the Academy honors excellence and convenes leaders to examine new ideas, address issues of importance to the nation and the world, and advance the public good. For more than 240 years, the Academy has been electing and engaging exceptional individuals. This year’s election of 261 new members continues a tradition of recognizing accomplishments and leadership in academia, the arts, industry, public policy, and research.
“It is truly an honor be elected to such a prestigious body and to have the American Academy of Arts and Sciences recognize and lift up our justice and equity work,” said Dr. Bullard. “I accept the honor on behalf of the struggles in frontline and fence-line communities where there is still much work to be done to secure environmental and climate justice for all.”
“We are celebrating a depth of achievements in a breadth of areas,” said David Oxtoby, President of the American Academy. “These individuals excel in ways that excite us and inspire us at a time when recognizing excellence, commending expertise, and working toward the common good is absolutely essential to realizing a better future.”
Professor Bullard is often called the “father of environmental justice.” He is also co-founder of the HBCU-CBO Gulf Coast Equity Consortium and HBCU Climate Change Consortium, and co-chair of the National Black Environmental Justice Network. Bullard is the author of 18 books that address environmental racism, urban land use, housing, transportation, sustainability, smart growth, climate justice, and community resilience.
