Dr. Lori M. Hunter is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Faculty Research Associate with the Environment and Behavior Program of the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

"My educational background and current interests stem from my concern with both societal and environmental well-being. As an undergraduate at the University of Washington in Seattle, a "light bulb" turned on for me during a course in classical social theory. I realized that the examination of social issues, problems, and patterns from a scientific perspective is both fascinating and essential. As a graduate student, I pursued studies within Social Demography with an emphasis on migration and population redistribution. Yet, I felt something was missing. With the introduction to courses in Environmental Sociology, I realized that what was missing for me was consideration of the environmental context within which social relations occur. Hence, my research and teaching in human-environment interactions. Personally, I believe the integrity of the natural environment is at risk. Professionally, I believe that we cannot fully understand this risk, or work towards lessening this risk, until we grapple with the human dimensions of environmental change. As a Sociologist, I believe we must understand how humans come to perceive the natural environment, and how these perceptions influence human interaction with the natural environment. Finally, I believe we must work to understand the implications of these human-environment interactions. These objectives guide my professional life."