McAndless Distinguished Professor Chair
Dr. Kyle Whyte Is the 2025-26 McAndless Professor
Dr. Kyle Whyte
The College of Arts and Sciences is proud to announce that Dr. Kyle Powys Whyte will be the 2025-26 McAndless Distinguished Professor Chair in the Humanities. Professor Whyte will present a series of events on the theme of “Indigenous Peoples and Climate Justice: Rights, Knowledge, and Climate Action” on Eastern’s campus during the Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 semesters.
“The vision for the professorship is to foster education and new opportunities on campus for learning about Indigenous peoples’ leadership in the pursuit of climate justice, and spanning interdisciplinary issues in science, law and policy, and the arts and humanities,” said Whyte. “Faculty, students, and other learners who attend and participate in the activities on campus will come away with new knowledge on how Indigenous peoples are shaping environmental advocacy, what visions and movements Indigenous peoples are enacting to foster transformation, and a set basic orientations that will support their improved capacity to collaborate and connect with Indigenous-led organizations and Indigenous governments. A key aspect of the activities will be demonstrating how partnership between the humanities, arts, and STEM is a necessary condition for research and educational advocacy of Indigenous peoples rights and knowledge.”
Public Events
"Environmental Science, Human Rights, and Biodiversity Protection"
Wednesday, September 24th, 5:00-6:30 p.m., in Strong Auditorium (room 100)
In this lecture, Professor Whyte will discuss some of the major ways in which environmental sciences have made a difference for Indigenous peoples' conservation, and how students can envision their involvement in policy and advocacy as future scientists and concerned citizens.
Students pursuing studies and careers in environmental science fields have opportunities to advance critical conservation goals through research and education. Indigenous peoples are among the groups who have shown how environmental sciences have huge roles to play in protecting ecosystems and habitats in Indigenous territories. Indigenous peoples have become more involved in environmental science fields in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and have led and participated in studies that demonstrate the importance of Indigenous values of environmental stewardship and knowledge of ecosystems for mitigating environmental change, protecting landscapes and agroecological food systems, and increasing global environmental literacy.
This lecture will be followed by a reception in Strong Atrium. This event is open to the public and is approved for LBC credit.
"Indigenous Peoples and Climate Justice: Global Movements and Contributions to Mitigation and Adaptation"
Wednesday, February 11th, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Additional public events will be added to this schedule.
Class Visits
Professor Whyte will be available to visit classes to speak on such topics as Indigenous sustainability; Indigenous peoples and climate science; Indigenous knowledge and climate change; laws and policies for Indigenous rights advocacy; and Indigenous environmental justice movement building. Instructors interested in inviting Dr. Whyte to visit their classes, or in integrating discussions of Indigenous peoples and climate justice into their classes, are encouraged to contact Dr. John Koolage, Department Head of History and Philosophy, at [email protected].
About Professor Kyle Whyte
Dr. Whyte is a faculty member at the University of Michigan where he is the George Willis Pack Professor in the School for Environment and Sustainability and University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor. Dr. Whyte teaches in and coordinates the School’s environmental justice graduate specialization. His research on environmental justice addresses moral and political issues facing Indigenous peoples in the areas of climate change, conservation, and cooperative relationships between Indigenous peoples and science institutions. He is an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
At the University of Michigan, Dr. Whyte is the founding Faculty Director of the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment, Principal Investigator of the new Environmental Justice + Humanities Hub, Faculty co-Director of the Energy Equity Project, co-Principal Investigator of SEAS’ Global Center for Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Transboundary Waters, Faculty Associate of Native American Studies, affiliate Professor of Philosophy, and Senior Fellow in the Michigan Society of Fellows. He is the primary author of over 50 publications in refereed journals and books. He is a U.S. Science Envoy and served on the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. He continues to serve on the National Academies’ Resilient America Roundtable and as President of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition.
Nominations For the 2026-27 McAndless Chair Are Now Being Accepted
Nominations are due November 1, 2025. Please see the form for more information.
About the McAndless Distinguished Professor Chair
Every year the M. Thelma McAndless Distinguished Professor Chair in the Humanities brings to the College of Arts and Sciences a visiting scholar, writer, or artist of national prominence in the arts or humanities. The chair was established in 1986 through a generous bequest from the late M. Thelma McAndless, Professor of English Language and Literature.
McAndless Committee Members
Victor Okafor, Africology & African-American Studies
Leslie Atzmon, Art & Design
Jeromy Hopgood, Communication, Media & Theatre Arts
Melissa Jones, English Language & Literature
Mary Strasma, History & Philosophy
Anderson Romero, Music & Dance
Laura McMahon, Women's & Gender Studies
Audrey Viguier, World Languages
Andrew Cornett, Honors College
James Egge, Dean's OfficePast McAndless Professors
2024 Joey Quiñones
2023 The Formosa Quartet
2022 Petra Kuppers
2021 Kevin Boyle
2020 Jeremy Crampton, Claudia Hart, and Stephanie Kerschbaum
2019 Corine Vermeulen
2018 José Carlos Aguiar de Souza
2016 Alison Kafer
2015 Annette J. Saddik
2014 Daniel Johnston
2013 Laurie A. Finke
2012 Evan Roth
2011 Mark Carnes
2010 Farzaneh Milani
2009 Ali Mazrui
2008 Marshall Poe
2007 N. Scott Hofmann
2006 Scott McCloud
2005 Ben Vereen
2003 Jayne Cortez
2002 Cheryl Dileo
2002 Gillian Eaton
2000 Bouthaina Shaaban
1999 Susan Tatershall
1998 Roger W. Wilkins
1996 Sarah Daniels
1996 Tom Regan
1995 Gwynne Dyer
1993 Bei Dao
1993 Nicholas Pennell
1991 Sondra Freckelton
1990 Kenneth Burke
1990 Nancy Ford
1988 Peter Strevens
1988 Richard Hunt
1986 Maxine Hong Kingston