Dr. Joe Darden Named Diversity Champion

February 16, 2021

Congratulations to Dr. Joe Darden on being named a Diversity Champion by the College of Social Science at Michigan State University. Dr. Darden has been a beloved and integral member of MSU's faculty for over 40 years. A professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences, Dr. Darden has authored 8 books, won countless awards, and earned international recognition for his work as a geographer. These awards include the MSU Distinguished Faculty Award (1984), Fulbright Scholar Award (1997), and American Association of Geographers (AAG) Lifetime Achievement Award (2019) - to name just a few. He also fought for a policy to admit and support more underrepresented graduate students of color within the Geography department, which was passed in 2018. Reflecting on his career, Dr. Darden said, "First of all, I’d like to say that my career has been enhanced by the fact that Michigan State University is, and has been, a very good place to work."

Dr. Darden's research focuses on the impact, causes, and solutions for racial residential segregation. To read more about the goals and outcomes of his important research, please click here.