Anthony Kolenic serves as the Director of the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. Passionate about the natural world and our roles within it, Kolenic is particularly interested human health outcomes through specific nature-based interventions, translating research and emergent best practices across Sustainability domains into public experiences, and working with community to create new models of power through land-relations both traditional and emergent.

In addition to his directorial role, Kolenic also serves as Faculty Associate in American Culture, Faculty Affiliate in the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG), and on the Executive Committees of the Arts Initiative, the Well-being Collective, and on the Office of Research’s Council of Centers and Institutes. Kolenic returned to the University of Michigan after serving as Associate Dean for Research + Strategic Initiatives and Associate Professor of Digital Arts + Sciences at the University of Florida.