Rate My Professor John Petersen

John E. Petersen serves as the Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology at Oberlin College, where he also directs the Environmental Studies Program. An alumnus of the institution, he received his B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College in 1988. He went on to earn an M.F.S. in Forest Hydrology from Yale University's School of Forestry & Environmental Studies in 1992 and a Ph.D. in Systems Ecology from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1998. Throughout his career, Petersen has advanced from roles including Associate Professor to his current distinguished position, contributing significantly to environmental education and research at Oberlin's Lewis Center for Environmental Studies.

A systems ecologist by training, Petersen's research examines flows of energy, cycles of matter, and control mechanisms in complex ecological and social systems. His work centers on developing real-time feedback display technologies, such as the Environmental Dashboard, to foster resource conservation, systems thinking, sustainability, and community resilience. He co-founded Lucid Design Group in 2004 with former students, whose software now monitors energy and water use in thousands of buildings across the United States and Canada. More recently, he founded Community Hub to extend these technologies. Notable awards include the 2024 Civic Collaborator Award from MidTown Cleveland Inc. for Community Hub, multiple U.S. EPA People, Prosperity and the Planet awards (2002, 2004, 2005), National Wildlife Federation Campus Solutions to Climate Change awards (2007, 2009), and fellowships such as the U.S. Department of Energy Global Change Fellowship (1992-1998). His publications encompass over 40 peer-reviewed articles, including "Combining real-time feedback on resource use with incentives stimulates dormitory residents to reduce electricity consumption" (International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2007), "Dimensional approaches to designing better experimental ecosystems" (Oecologia, 2005), and recent contributions on systems thinking and biochar impacts (2024-2026). Through collaborations with students, educators, businesses, governments, and non-profits, Petersen's innovations have driven measurable reductions in resource use and advanced sustainability transformations, particularly in Oberlin.