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Packback is proud to welcome Joe Campbell, Research Associate and Lecturer at The Ohio State University’s School of Environment and Natural Resources, to the Packback Professor Advisory Board.
Dr. Joe Campbell is a researcher and lecturer at OSU, whose research, teaching and professional is focused on the balance between community economic development and natural resource management in rural areas of the U.S. and abroad.
He works on behalf of OSU’s School of Environment and Natural Resources to support and leverage several on-campus initiatives, including the Social Responsibility Initiative and the Sustainable and Resilient Economy Initiative. He serves as the co-chair of OSU Extension’s Shale Gas Working Group’s Environmental Subcommittee and is a former co-leader of the Ghana Sustainable Change program. He conducts applied research on the social impacts of energy development and regional planning.
He’s worked on community development and research projects in dozens of rural mining and agricultural communities in the U.S. and in Ghana, and teaches courses on community development in both domestic (U.S.) and international settings.
Joe is as committed to his research as he is to helping empower students. He works to create opportunities for enriching experiences for students during their time in college, and we are so excited to have him bring his unique perspective and experience to the Packback Professor Advisory Board.
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Jessica Tenuta: Can you tell me a little bit about why you got into education?
Dr. Joe Campbell: I think a part of my passion for education was inherited. Both of my parents were educators in various senses of the word. They did some side teaching in their respective fields, but I think more broadly they are teachers in the way they communicate, and learn and share knowledge. So I think part of it was built into my personality. At the same time, I found higher education very interesting, especially topics related to the “environment” and “human behavior,” and the ways in which the two are linked. Once you catch a bit of the intellectual fire, whether it’s an idea, a research paradigm, an author, it can be difficult to extinguish. I think it’s important that the fire is still lit for whatever subject you’re trying to teach. It’s difficult for me to teach if I’m not fired up about the subject.
JT: What is the most rewarding part of being a professor?
JC: I’m not sure yet. I’m still relatively new to this profession, and I think much of what we do — on both the research and teaching sides — is plant seeds of knowledge, curiosity, hard work and a commitment to ways of finding and communicating the “truth.” Often these goals aren’t realized in their full capacity until sometime later and one will never see the full effects of their impact. I look forward to seeing how the seeds that I’ve been trying to plant and grow perform, and to also continue to improve my “gardening” skills.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is the freedom and protection to explore and share very interesting ideas. I think it’s critical that there is a place in society where people can do this.
JT: What are you most proud of in your teaching career?
JC: Not completely failing from the start. Teaching is a work in progress. I heard someone say, “teaching is a process of refinement.” I’m glad that I haven’t completely fallen flat and I look forward to continuing to improve. Not much to be proud of yet, but bumping into former students and hearing that they apply certain aspects of our course to the betterment of their career, life, relationships then that feels good.
JT: If you could change anything about the structure of higher education, what would it be?
JC: Integrating ideas, concepts and disciplines to turn people on to education and to living more creative, productive and engaging lives. There are lots of “silos” within academia, which usually consists of really bright people researching and discussing identical or nearly identical topics but using different methods, terminology, assumptions, etc. to do so. This can overly compartmentalize topic areas and reduce the potential to develop creative solutions. I’ve found, and I think many others would agree, that the “truth” (or whatever we are seeking to unravel), such as solutions to problems that we’ve identified as humans, does not limit itself to the silos that we create. There is so much talent on both the professor and student sides. I think this is beginning to change, but it’s slow. We all need to be able to sit in the same room together to learn about, discuss and orient tactics to address these areas. I would love to see higher education identify the right strategies to incentivize this.
JT: Why are you interested in educational affordability, and textbook affordability?
JC: Knowledge is everywhere. This is not the sole domain of institutions of higher education. If students are able to get knowledge about how to change a tire, plant a garden or do many different daily activities through free, immediately accessible and viewable videos on-line (and which were once the domain of books or person-to-person communication), then why shouldn’t academic knowledge be exchanged in this form too? Textbooks are one piece to the puzzle of addressing the very high, and escalating costs of higher education. We could do society a major service by making this information more affordable. At the same time, it’s important that those who produce knowledge and communicate them in an approachable form are compensated for their work. I’m glad that Packback is working to make this possible.
JT: What excites you about the Packback model and the Packback Professor Advisory Board?
JC: Textbook affordability is a field that deserves strong and thorough review in the 21st century. If textbooks don’t justify their return on investment then students will eventually find information elsewhere. As an instructor, knowledge is everywhere. Students should focus on learning, developing critical thinking and workforce skills, including the ability to effectively collaborate and communicate on complex issues. I see Packback as an emerging platform that seeks to remedy some of the gaps that currently exist between knowledge and affordability. I’m also excited about the network of people they are forming that are buying into this model. Textbooks are just one area of a dramatically evolving higher education landscape. Their idea to have cross-institutional student collaboration is fantastic. I look forward to being part of Packback’s effort to change the nature of knowledge-sharing and education.
JT: What are 3 tips that you would give students to help them get more out of their four years of college, while spending less?
JC: 1. (If it’s not hosted on-line, then) Go to class! This was the single most important piece of advice that I received before I started college. If you go to class then you will hear everything that the professor says. This is the best way to stay on the same page with where the course is going and so you don’t miss any deadlines. It’s a very useful skill in life. For example, if you go to the meetings at work that your boss or the company hosts then you get a better sense of where they are trying to go (and you can make a better determination if it’s a direction you want to follow or if it’s time to find a new job!). Some of the best knowledge that I gained from a professor was not through the course book or the lecture slides, but the independent thoughts and expressions they voiced in class. Like a concert or other live performance, it’s difficult to access this knowledge/experience unless you are there. As my wise father once said, “you can party as much as you want the night before, just make sure your butt is in class in the morning.”
2. Find knowledge in the everyday. If you can’t afford to study abroad in Europe or someplace exotic, then study somewhere closer to home. Whether it’s opportunities on your campus, the other side of town (preferably where college students don’t hangout), or your own personal road trip, try to find ways to engage what you’re learning in the classroom in the real world, on your own terms. Make the most of the location where you live. No matter what your field of study is, you don’t need to go to England or Ethiopia or Ecuador to find the answers to your questions or to apply your knowledge.
3. Be humble and communicate with your classmates and professors. College is one of the greatest periods of your life to learn about yourself and others. One of the best ways to learn about yourself and others is through conversation and shared experience. Be humble and open to learning from someone new (or old!). Be quicker to say “yes” than to say “no” to a new conversation. Similarly, do your best to stay in communication with your professors and don’t hesitate to engage them in conversation. Personal humility, curiosity, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone can take you very far in four years of college without having to spend much money!
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To learn more about Joe’s research, lectures and projects, visit his website.
To learn more about to the Professor Advisory Board, visit Packback for Professors.
Apply to the Professor Advisory Board or recommend an innovative professor here.
