APLU Announces 2023 Malone International Leadership Award Recipient

Washington, DC – The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today announced that Dr. Aaron Wolf, professor of geography at Oregon State University, is the 2023 recipient of the Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award. The Malone Award, a national honor sponsored by APLU and awarded annually, recognizes individuals who advance international education at public universities.

“Congratulations to Dr. Aaron Wolf on winning the 2023 Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award,” said APLU President Mark Becker. “His more than 30 years of work to advance the frontiers of knowledge and help prevent or resolve conflicts over water resources around the globe exemplifies high-impact international scholarship, leadership, and engagement.”

Dr. Wolf is being recognized for his efforts to make curriculum more inclusive, advance internationally engaged scholarship, and engage communities to prevent or solve complex issues over access to water resources.

His research centers on preventing or resolving disputes over water resources that are shared by multiple political entities. Dr. Wolf led the development of the Transboundary Freshwater Diplomacy Database, a comprehensive coded collection of over 800 water treaties and River Basin Organizations, aimed at advancing the state of knowledge around water resource cooperation and conflict around the globe that has been used in more than 1,500 publications around the world. At Oregon State University, he co-developed a course elevating issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in geography.

He has also advised national and international organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations, the World Bank, and many governments on water resource conflict prevention and resolution.

APLU’s Office of International, Community, & Economic Engagement leads the association’s diverse array of international initiatives. These initiatives help support campus internationalization, enhance and expand study abroad opportunities, strengthen engagement with the developing world, and support members’ efforts to engage with partners worldwide to address global challenges.

The Malone Award honors the legacy of the late Michael P. Malone, a champion of international education and one-time chair of the APLU Commission on International Education. Malone served as president of Montana State University from 1991 until his death in 1999.