The Mweka Campus in Tanzania, Photo by Paul Stouffer ’21
From Amazon Rainforest to Asian Oceans: Paul Stouffer ’21 Named Luce Scholar
April 23, 2026
- Author
- Mary Elizabeth DeAngelis
Complacency makes Paul Stouffer uncomfortable.
It’s likely his childhood, spent in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with extended stays in Tanzania, the Amazon rainforest and other faraway places, contributed to that.
At Davidson College and after his 2021 graduation, he worked to solve tough societal problems, pursuing projects to protect the environment, support urban biodiversity, prevent youth homelessness and foster sustainable shopping.
In 2024, a fall during a climb in England nearly paralyzed him. Complacency became even more reviled as he spent a pain-filled year after surgery undergoing grueling physical therapy, spending months recalibrating his legs and relearning how to walk while also working on a graduate degree. The severity of the accident had him thinking not only about recovering, but also about how he could have the most impact on the world’s most challenging problems.
Stouffer presents as part of his dual master’s degree program
He’ll learn many new ideas as a 2026-2027 Luce Scholar.
The Henry Luce Foundation’s highly competitive Luce Scholars Program selects emerging leaders for immersive professional experiences in Asia. Scholars develop a deeper understanding of Asia while building relationships to tackle global challenges. Stouffer is the first Davidson alum to receive the fellowship since 2007 and is among 16 scholars in this year’s class.
In June, he’ll head to the Philippines with his cohort before entering a two-month intensive language program to learn Bahasa Indonesia, the official national language of Indonesia. He plans to spend the year working for an organization based in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, that strives for social and sustainable development throughout Southeast Asia.
“I think it will be a great fit as they combine research with design to address environmental and socio-economic challenges,” he said. “It feeds my interest in people and the environment.”
A leopard in Tanzania; photo by Stouffer
A baby gorilla in Rwanda; photo by Stouffer
A Researcher Bloodline
Stouffer’s childhood travels prepared him for different climates and cultures.
His parents, Phil Stouffer and Kelli Gilbert, are college professors and researchers at Louisiana State University and Southeastern Louisiana University respectively. As a child, Paul spent summers with his dad and graduate students researching the effects of climate change and deforestation on wildlife in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest.
His mom influenced his interest in how changing climates shape migration patterns among both humans and wildlife, leading to lost homes and habitats.
“I got really interested in human-wildlife conflict and sustainable development,” he said. “It set me down that path of environmentalism and sustainability.”
He was 15 when his dad picked him up from school one day and told him they were going to spend the next year in Tanzania, where his dad would be a visiting professor. What trepidation he felt faded quickly.
“Mostly I was excited about the new adventure,” Stouffer said. “It was such an interesting place. I made lots of great new friends that I still keep in touch with.”
At Davidson, he majored in Environmental Studies while having a deep interest in the arts. Classes with Jennifer Garcia Peacock, the Thomson Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, sparked new ideas.
“Dr. Garcia Peacock taught me how to think in terms of systems, and not just one point in time,” he said. “That pushed me to get into design and creative problem solving.”
For his capstone project, he analyzed and compared Indigenous landscape management techniques from Peru, India and Indonesia with a vision toward inspiring future sustainable design.
“His work in Environmental Studies was exceptional, bridging environmental justice and creativity in sophisticated ways,” Garcia Peacock said. “His capstone was nuanced, rigorous, and inspired, providing important insights into how architecture, public policy, and traditional environmental knowledge can be mobilized to create culturally appropriate and energy efficient design solutions to local communities.”
Stouffer (right) at a campsite in the Amazon
Stouffer holds a hummingbird
Creative Problem Solving
After Davidson, Stouffer worked as a freelance graphic designer before moving to London to pursue dual master’s degrees in arts and engineering through a joint program between the University of the Arts London & Kyoto Institute of Technology in Japan.
That pursuit included conducting community-based research around revitalizing green spaces and addressing youth homelessness in London.
“You look into who’s vulnerable, what tipping points might lead someone into homelessness and then work toward creative interventions,” he said. “How can you change a school’s curriculum to expose people to these issues and show what resources are available? Once someone is experiencing homelessness, how can you help them out most effectively?”
In Kyoto, he worked on designing a system that prioritized local food items in supermarkets as a more sustainable option than large scale food production and global trade. Those efforts supported local farmers while boosting the local economy.
He currently works for a climate consultancy firm in London, where he’s done extensive research and design work to break down complex climate and mitigation issues to help policy makers and project developers understand what’s at stake and how to proceed. He has fully recovered from his injuries and is now back to his favorite pastimes, which include running and soccer.
He looks forward to his next challenge in Asia.
“It’s a place with incredible biodiversity, landscapes, and cultures, but also really complex social and environmental challenges. You have sea level rising; how do you help communities address that?,” he said. “In Indonesia, people share territories with tigers, elephants and other wildlife as climate change affects their environment.”
He says the Luce Scholars Program will help him work with others on issues that balance respect for culture and tradition with the innovation and resilience needed to adapt to change.
“I’ve researched so many interesting environmental projects happening across Southeast Asia,” he said. “Now I’m ready to dive headfirst into the year. I’d like to be an active part of these projects, not just researching them from afar.”
For more information about applying for the Luce Scholars Program, contact Davidson College's Office of Fellowships.
