Bruce Martin, Ph.D.

Bruce Martin's love of the outdoors led him from being a camp counselor, raft guide, kayak instructor and Outward Bound instructor to his work as a researcher, speaker, writer and professor.

"I've always been curious about the meaning that people derive from adventure experience and how outdoor leaders can help people derive meaning from it," Martin said.

His curiosity has led him to a busy teaching schedule and extensive research and writing on myriad topics, including how challenge course programming can transform the cancer experience and how judgment and decision-making develop in outdoor leaders.

Martin somehow finds the time to keep his outdoor skills sharpened and is a wilderness first responder, a master educator instructor with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and a certified coastal kayak instructor with the American Canoe Association.

Prior to coming to Ohio University, Martin taught at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska and Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. He is the lead author of  Outdoor Leadership: Theory and Practice  (2nd Ed.) (Human Kinetics, 2017). He is the co-editor of  Connecting children with nature: Ideas and activities for parents and teachers  (Wood N Barnes, 2014) and  Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming  (Human Kinetics, 2012), in addition to numerous academic journal articles.

Martin won the Distinguished Faculty Research Award from Ohio University’s Patton College of Education in the 2014-15 school year.

Martin earned a B.A. in History from Virginia Commonwealth University, a M.S. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University, a M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University and a Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education from the University of Virginia.