With heartfelt appreciation, the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs extends its best wishes to Professor George Hoberg who will be retiring this summer following a remarkable tenure as a teacher and scholar here at the University of British Columbia with a specialization in environmental and natural resource policy and governance.
Professor Hoberg’s dedication to mentorship and his commitment to fostering meaningful educational experiences has left a lasting impact on the many students he has worked with over the years.
“George has the mind of a genius, which we have all seen through his ability to make sense of and solve complex problems. But more importantly, he truly has the largest heart. He will go out of his way for anyone and everyone. George has changed the lives of tens of thousands of people through his many years of research, teaching and mentorship. We are blessed that he has touched our lives, and I can’t wait to see how he changes the world next.”
Dr. George Hoberg joined the SPPGA faculty in 2016 and served as the Graduate Program Director of the Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) program from March 2020 to June 2022. Dr. Hoberg first came to UBC as an Assistant Professor of Political Science, where he taught public policy and American politics for 13 years. In 2001, Dr. Hoberg moved to the UBC Faculty of Forestry, where he taught forest and energy policy from 2001 to 2015. From 2001-2006, he was head of the Department of Forest Resources Management at UBC. In 2002, Dr. Hoberg served as director of consultation for the BC government’s process to revise forest practice regulation. He is an Associate Faculty at the Department of Political Science and Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability.
“George has left an indelible mark on our school, and I have appreciated his wisdom and advice over the years. He set a high bar as one of the first Grad Directors for the MPPGA program, and I am grateful for his dedicated service. On behalf of all of the faculty and staff I wish him a fantastic retirement!”
Hoberg’s research interests include theories of the policy process, the role of knowledge in policy-making, and international influences on domestic policy, with an empirical focus on environmental, forest, energy, and climate policy. His scholarship has resulted in several noteworthy books written on B.C. and Canadian forest policy, environmental policy in the U.S., toxic substances regulation, and two edited books on comparative Canada-U.S. policies and the U.S. influence on Canada.
His latest book, The Resistance Dilemma: Place-Based Movements and the Climate Crisis, examines the effectiveness of place-based environmental movements in driving climate action. It was awarded the prestigious 2022 Donald Smiley Prize by the Canadian Political Science Association, hailed by the jury as being both an “innovative” and “captivating” publication.
“George is a great educator who understands that you don’t just teach content, you teach people. And his legacy, as he retires from a long and storied career at UBC, is not just the remarkable body of work that he leaves behind. It is also all the people whose lives are so much better for having had the opportunity to work with him, to study with him, and to learn from him.”
SPPGA would like to extend our greatest thanks to Professor Hoberg for his impactful and meaningful time at UBC.
Read more about Professor Hoberg’s work here.
