Robert A. McLeman

Robert McLeman is Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada. A former Canadian diplomat and award-winning teacher, Dr. McLeman studies how changes in the natural environment influences the well-being of households and communities. His empirical research projects have investigated historical drought-related migration on the Great Plains, adaptation to climate change in remote and resource-dependent communities, drivers of modern-day settlement abandonment, and the effects of environmental events and conditions in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean on international migration to Canada. Dr. McLeman's foreign service postings included Belgrade, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seattle, and Vienna. His scholarly articles on migration as an adaptation to climate are widely cited, and government agencies in Canada, Europe, and the US have sought his advice on policy issues related to climate change, migration, and security. A frequent contributor on environmental issues to French and English-language public radio in Canada and the US, Dr. McLeman enjoys teaching large first-year classes and engaging the wider public in citizen science. He is also co-founder of the popular www.RinkWatch.org citizen science project, which engages families with environmental science by tracking skating conditions on outdoor rinks.