Robert Baldwin named recipient of the Class of ’39 Award for Excellence
Each year, the Class of ’39 Award for Excellence is presented to a distinguished Clemson University faculty member whose outstanding contributions for a five-year period have been judged by their peers to represent the highest service achievement to students and the larger University community. Last November, Clemson faculty named Robert Baldwin as the Class of ’39 Award recipient. As part of his recognition, Baldwin’s name will be etched into the monument under the bell at Carillon Garden on Clemson’s main campus.
A professor and chair of the Margaret H. Lloyd SmartState Endowment within the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation (FEC), Baldwin has been a Clemson faculty member for nearly 20 years. He was recently appointed executive director of the Clemson Experimental Forest, a self-sustaining, ecologically healthy living laboratory classroom and recreational resource.
Baldwin’s lifelong passion for ecology, wildlife and the environment began as a child growing up on the rural coast of Maine. When he got to college and discovered the field of ecology, he was amazed that he could turn his passion for wildlife and animal behavior into a fulfilling career.
“Robert Baldwin’s contributions to global conservation research, transformative mentorship, outstanding teaching and selfless service have left an indelible mark on Clemson University and the world. We are immensely proud to celebrate this remarkable achievement.”
Dean Matt Holt, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences
Over the last five years, Baldwin has published 35 peer-reviewed papers, which include 34 student authors, served on 29 graduate student committees across four departments, graduated four doctoral students, and mentored three postdoctoral scholars. Additionally, he has served on eight University committees within the last five years, two of which he chaired.
Baldwin’s contributions to the field extend globally. He participates in an international research program in the Central Indian Highlands, focusing on landscape-scale conservation. He also led the FEC’s contributions on the ClimateSmart Forestry proposal to the National Resources Conservation Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The project, funded at $70 million, represents the largest single grant in Clemson’s history.
“I am grateful to the Class of ’39 and my friends and colleagues in the Faculty Senate for this wonderful news — it is a great honor and unexpected. Over my years at Clemson, I have often noted the mystique of the Class of ’39 and its indelible impact on the University,” Baldwin said. “The Class of ’39 represents to me the ultimate expression of service to Clemson; in addition to pursuing their professions, they took the time to work on shared goals. I am honored to be among these names and will do whatever I can to further its mission.”
