Dr. Claudia J. Ford is a professor of the department of Environmental Studies at State University of New York, Potsdam, a Fellow of the Panel on Planetary Thinking at Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany, a Fulbright Scholar, and a Distinguished Visiting Faculty and Research Professor at the University at Buffalo.

Dr. Ford holds degrees in biology, midwifery, business administration, fine arts, and a PhD in environmental studies. Dr. Ford has held faculty positions at Antioch University, Goddard College, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Virginia, and the University of Witwatersrand and other colleges and universities. Her transdisciplinary scholarship reflects her ongoing commitment to racial, gender, environmental, food, and class justice. Dr. Ford is sought after for public speaking and lectures, and she teaches and creates responsive mixed media and collage visual arts projects across the subjects of traditional ecological knowledge, spiritual ecology, entheogenic plant medicine, women’s reproductive health, and sustainable agriculture.

Dr. Ford has been the recipient of numerous awards including: a SUNY PRODiG Faculty; the President’s Award for Excellence in Fostering a Welcoming and Inclusive Campus Climate at SUNY Potsdam; The John R. Frazier Award for Excellence in Teaching at Rhode Island School of Design; the Environmental Excellence Alumna Award at Antioch University New England; the Millicent Carey McIntosh Award for Feminism at Barnard College; the Barnard College Alumna in Action award; The Sojourner Truth Memorial Award for Excellence in Research on Gender and Race in the Academy at George Mason University; and The Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Award as Team Leader for Excellence in Community Service Learning Pedagogy at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Dr. Ford’s visual arts solo and group exhibits have been displayed at the Rhode Island School of Design, Johnson & Wales University, SUNY Potsdam, Vermont College of Fine Arts, and Justus Liebig University, Germany. Dr. Ford’s essays and articles have appeared in Art Review Oxford, Journal of the American Herbalists Guild, Journal of Global Ethics, Journal for the Study of Radicalism, Legacy, Manual, Orion Magazine, and the Journal of Theory in Action. Her new book project is funded by a research grant from the Kalliopeia Foundation, entitled, Grandmother Epistemology: Ecology, Culture, Spirit; revealing African American environmental wisdom and traditions for the purpose of planetary healing at this time of environmental crisis.