Celebrating Dr. Joseph Baust: KAEE’s 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

We are overjoyed to announce that Dr. Joseph Baust has been named the recipient of the 2025 KAEE Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes extraordinary contributions to the field of environmental education, and Dr. Baust’s career, spanning more than four decades, has truly shaped the way Kentucky and beyond think about, teach, and live out environmental stewardship.

Throughout his career, Dr. Baust has been a visionary leader. At Murray State University, where he served as an Emeritus Professor and Director of the Center for Environmental Education, he inspired countless students and colleagues. His leadership extended far beyond the classroom. He has served as President of both the North American Association for Environmental Education and the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education, and he chaired the Kentucky Universities Partnership for Environmental Education, bringing together eight public universities to strengthen environmental learning across the state.

The impact of his work is both wide-reaching and deeply felt. He has been recognized with

prestigious honors such as the Kentucky Earth Day Award and the Walter E. Jeske Award. Over the course of his career, he has secured more than $4.8 million in grants and contracts, funding programs that expanded environmental literacy and access to education. One of his most notable achievements was creating a sustainability program in Bregenz, Austria. This long-standing initiative has given professionals from government, business, and education a global perspective on sustainability, enriching their work and deepening their understanding of how interconnected our world truly is.

What makes Dr. Baust’s legacy especially remarkable is his belief in a holistic approach to learning. He has always emphasized that the arts are just as important as the sciences in understanding the world around us. His collaborations with artists like Peter Yarrow and Josh White Jr. demonstrate his commitment to creating experiences that are joyful, creative, and deeply meaningful. For Dr. Baust, environmental education is not just about facts and figures—it is about connection, perspective, and a shared sense of responsibility for the web of life.

KAEE is honored to recognize Dr. Joseph Baust with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. His vision, dedication, and passion have left an indelible mark on our community and the field of environmental education as a whole. His work has inspired generations and will continue to guide and influence us for many years to come.

We are honored to have Dr. Baust and our 2025 award winners as part of the KAEE network. We look forward to celebrating them at this year’s KAEE Conference and to hearing Dr. Baust’s insights as part of our Excellence in EE Panel. Awards will be presented during our Annual Awards Luncheon on Friday, November 14, from 12:00–1:30 PM at the Owensboro Convention Center.