Alan Townsend Named Sabin Center Executive Director
Internationally Respected Scientist and Acclaimed Author To Join WFU in July
We’re thrilled to announce our new Executive Director, Alan Townsend. An internationally respected environmental scholar and academic leader, Alan will be joining us in July 2026 from the University of Montana, where he served as dean of the Franke College of Forestry and Conservation and professor of ecosystem ecology. Over a distinguished career, he has served as the first provost of Colorado College, associate vice chancellor at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he also directed the environmental studies program, and dean of the Nicholas School of Environment at Duke University.
His research goes to the heart of how ecosystems work and how they are changing, with research programs spanning temperate and tropical forests from Costa Rica to Hawaii, and has helped build and lead major collaborative efforts like the North American Nitrogen Center.
Just as importantly, he brings a deep commitment to connecting science with society. In addition to serving as a Board Member for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Alan appeared in the documentary series “Let Science Speak” and published a profoundly moving memoir, “This Ordinary Stardust,” in 2024.
“We’ve built a center grounded in discovery, partnership and real-world change. Alan brings the rare combination of an elite research career, a gift for public storytelling and deep administrative experience. He brings people together and builds programs across disciplines to solve hard, complex environmental problems. It’s exactly the kind of leadership we need to take the Sabin Center into the future.”
Founding Director Miles Silman
At his core, Alan is a builder – of ideas, partnerships, and communities. His vision for universities as conveners of knowledge and catalysts for action aligns deeply with the Sabin Center’s mission, and we are excited for what comes next.