Long Bio
Dr. Puneet Dwivedi is a Professor and the Glenn ’65 and Heather Hilliard Endowed Chair in Environmental Sustainability in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University. His work brings together forest policy, economics, sustainability science, and community engagement to address practical questions about how forests can support people, livelihoods, biodiversity, and climate solutions.
At the heart of Dr. Dwivedi’s research is a commitment to understanding the decisions people make about forests. His lab studies family forest landowners, conservation programs, forest certification, ecosystem services, sustainable forest products, and emerging markets that can shape the future of forest management. Much of this work is rooted in the Southern United States, while also connecting to broader national and international conversations about sustainable forestry and environmental stewardship.
Dr. Dwivedi joined Clemson University in Fall 2024 after more than a decade at the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, where he served as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Earlier in his career, he completed postdoctoral appointments at Yale University and the University of Illinois, experiences that deepened his interest in forest carbon, bioenergy, and the connections between land use, energy systems, and public policy.
His academic path began in India, where he earned a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Devi Ahilya University, and an MBA in Forestry from the Indian Institute of Forest Management. He later earned his Ph.D. in Forest Policy and Economics from the University of Florida. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he worked with Winrock International India in the Natural Resource Management Division, an experience that helped shape his long-standing interest in applied, people-centered environmental work.
Dr. Dwivedi has mentored more than 40 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. He views mentoring as one of the most meaningful parts of academic life and works to help students build confidence, develop strong research questions, and connect their scholarship to real-world needs. Many of his former students and postdoctoral researchers now work in universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector.
His scholarship includes more than 160 peer-reviewed articles and over $8 million in external funding. His research has appeared in journals across forestry, environmental management, bioenergy, land use, rural studies, and sustainability. He also contributes to the scholarly community through editorial service, including his work with Global Change Biology Bioenergy and Trees, Forests and People, as well as prior editorial roles with Forest Policy and Economics, Scientific Reports, PLOS ONE, and Small-Scale Forestry.
Dr. Dwivedi’s contributions have been recognized through several honors, including the 2024 Sustainable Forestry Initiative Conservation Leadership Award, the University of Georgia Creative Research Medal, and the Southeastern Society of American Foresters Award of Excellence in Research and Development. These recognitions reflect the applied nature of his work and his efforts to connect research with landowners, agencies, forest professionals, and communities.
Beyond publishing and teaching, Dr. Dwivedi regularly engages with stakeholders through workshops, invited talks, outreach events, and professional networks. He is especially interested in making forestry research useful to people who make decisions on the ground, including family forest landowners, underserved producers, natural resource professionals, agencies, and non-profit partners. Through the Dwivedi Forest Sustainability Lab, he continues to advance inclusive, science-based solutions for sustainable forest management in the United States and beyond.