Long Bio

Dr. Puneet Dwivedi is a Professor and the Glenn’65 and Heather Hilliard Endowed Chair in Sustainable Forestry in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University. With over two decades of interdisciplinary experience, Dr. Dwivedi’s work focuses on forest sustainability, landowner engagement, forest-based climate solutions, and bioeconomy development—particularly within the southeastern United States. His academic journey reflects a commitment to bridging ecological, economic, and social dimensions of natural resource management.

Dr. Dwivedi holds a Ph.D. in Forest Policy and Economics (minor in Food and Resource Economics) from the University of Florida (2006-2010), an MBA in Forestry from the Indian Institute of Forest Management (2003-2005), and a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Devi Ahilya University (1999-2003) in India. Prior to joining Clemson in Aug of 2024, he served on the faculty of the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources (2013-2024), where he held positions as Assistant, Associate, and Full Professor. His earlier postdoctoral research at Yale University (2010- 2012)and the University of Illinois (2012 - 2013) focused on climate change, energy transitions, and forest carbon dynamics.

Dr. Dwivedi’s research addresses the role of forests in climate mitigation, equity in federal conservation programs, sustainable aviation fuel from forest and agricultural residues, and the challenges and opportunities faced by underserved and minority forest landowners. He has secured over $8 million in competitive grants from federal and state agencies, including the USDA Farm Service Agency, NIFA, and NRCS. He currently leads and contributes to large, multi-institutional projects on forest carbon markets, sustainable forest management, and equitable conservation policy implementation.

His research lab has produced over 150 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, with current editorial responsibilities on the boards of Global Change Biology Bioenergy, Forest Policy and Economics, Trees, Forests and People, and Scientific Reports. He is widely recognized for his collaborative mentorship, having advised more than 30 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers and served on numerous thesis and dissertation committees.

Dr. Dwivedi is a recipient of numerous awards, including the 2024 Sustainable Forestry Initiative Conservation Leadership Award, the 2020 University of Georgia Creative Research Medal, and the 2019 Award of Excellence in Research and Development from the Southeastern Society of American Foresters. He was also featured in the University of Georgia’s “Focus on Faculty” series in 2020.

Beyond academia, Dr. Dwivedi actively engages with stakeholders through community workshops, extension events, and symposiums that translate science into actionable insights for landowners, practitioners, and policymakers. He has organized major events such as the Woman Landowner Symposium and led outreach on forest carbon market literacy and heirs’ property issues in the rural South.

At Clemson, Dr. Dwivedi continues to promote applied, inclusive, and policy-relevant research that enhances forest sustainability and strengthens rural economies. His long-term vision is to foster resilient landscapes and communities through science-driven solutions, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the empowerment of traditionally marginalized stakeholders in forestry and conservation.