Dr. Wilke is a
University of Wisconsin System Distinguished Professor of Environmental
Education in the College of Natural Resources at the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Resource
Management and a Ph.D. in Environmental Education. Dr. Wilke is a
past President of NAAEE, a member of the North American Commission on
Environmental Education Research, and a consulting editor for the Journal
of Environmental Education. He has authored over 50 articles and
four books on environmental education. Dr. Wilke has made over 100
presentations on environmental education at state, national, and
international conferences and workshops and has led environmental
education foreign study programs in Latin America, Europe, Australia, and
Asia. He has served as the committee chair and thesis supervisor for
over 30 graduate students in environmental education and currently teaches
graduate courses in environmental education. Dr. Wilke has also
taught environmental studies at the high school level and was the first
director of the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station. He has been
the principal investigator for grants and contracts with a total value in
excess of 10 million dollars. Dr. Wilke has directed six National
Science Foundation- and U.S. Department of Education-supported projects
for teacher training in environmental education and six grants and
contracts from the U.S. EPA for environmental education training.
Dr. Wilke provided leadership in efforts to obtain several statewide
environmental education initiatives in Wisconsin. The initiatives
include a pre-service teacher training requirement, school district EE
curriculum requirement, a state environmental education board,
environmental education grants program, and legislatively mandated
environmental literacy assessments for teachers and students. He
chaired the Council of State Governments Committee that developed Model
State Environmental Education Legislation. He is currently the Director of
EETAP and co-directs the National Environmental Education Advancement
Project, which assists states in their efforts to build capacity to
support environmental education programs.
In 1991, U.S. EPA Administrator, William Reilly, appointed Dr. Wilke to
chair the newly created National Environmental Education Advisory
Council. He was reappointed chair by U.S. EPA Administrator Carol
Browner and served on the Council until 1997.
Dr. Wilke is the only faculty member in the history of the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point to receive all three of the major campus awards
for teaching, scholarship, and service. He is the recipient of
numerous other awards from external groups. Among these is the
Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Distinguished Service Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Aldo Leopold Award from the Wisconsin Association for Environmental
Education, Outstanding Contributions Awards from the Izaak Walton League,
Soil Conservation Society, Wisconsin Land Conservation Association, and
Wisconsin Federation of Garden Clubs.
