Leader in sustainability Chris Boone inaugurated as USC Price dean

Chris Boone’s diligent Canadian grandmother may not have attended Monday’s inauguration ceremony for the new dean of the USC Price School of Public Policy, yet the late Mary Boone was present in spirit thanks to her grandson’s sincere words.

“My father was the sole child, which enabled his mother to save whatever little extra income she earned as a seamstress,” Boone shared from the podium within the Town and Gown ballroom on the University Park Campus. “[He] recalled from his early years that his mother would discuss his college attendance — not if, but when and where.”

His grandmother’s resolve has thus far led to two generations of educators in the Boone lineage, including the new USC Price dean who also occupies the C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Dean’s Chair at the institution. Boone highlighted other significant mentors in his journey during the ceremony attended by USC President Carol Folt, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Andrew T. Guzman, and numerous leaders of USC’s 22 other schools and academic divisions.

“Achievements are never solely ours,” Boone remarked. “I am here due to the kindness, encouragement, and sacrifices of many, many individuals on my behalf.”

During her address, Folt characterized Boone as “an outstanding academic leader and visionary thinker — a leader for the future.”

Folt also humorously conveyed to the audience that Boone prefers not to be referred to as Christopher because it contains too many syllables. It’s also what his mother called him in moments of trouble.

“I find it hard to believe Chris was ever much of a troublemaker,” Folt remarked. “However, if he were, it might have been due to a broad and restless intellect and a profound curiosity about the world. It is fitting that he is now leading USC Price — a distinguished school with nearly a century-long legacy of nurturing disruptors, changemakers, innovators, and creative thinkers of all varieties.”

A sustainable history for new USC Price dean

Boone joins USC after 18 years at Arizona State University, where he held various leadership positions, including serving as dean of the School of Sustainability from 2013 to 2020 and founding dean of ASU’s College of Global Futures. He also co-established and acted as interim president of the National Sustainability Society.

Boone specializes in urban sustainability, global environmental change, urban development, and environmental justice, whose research enhances scholarship and practice in those realms. He has authored and co-authored three books, 21 book chapters, and 56 journal articles. His academic work has been supported by 62 research grants amounting to $40 million.

Boone has additionally held guest professor roles in the biology department at Georgetown.
“`

University and at the Yale University School of the Environment. His initial academic position was at California State University, Los Angeles, thus returning to Southern California represents a sort of homecoming for Boone and his spouse, Marcia Nation. The duo has two grown sons, Alexander and David.

“[We] would occasionally visit the USC campus to work in the Doheny Library,” Boone remarked. “[We] cherished our time spent on this stunning campus.”

The appeal of USC Price

Boone expressed that he was enticed by USC Price’s “dedication to solutions, tangible impact, and interdisciplinary approaches.”

“At Price, we engage in research and activities that shape policies, plans, and guidelines that address current needs — but also foresee future necessities,” he stated. “Our objective is to resolve issues, and there are numerous challenges to tackle. However, our aim should also prioritize the avoidance of problems.”

Boone was also captivated by USC’s dedication to sustainability, which has been one of Folt’s five “moonshot” initiatives since she joined USC in 2019. This encompasses the establishment of Assignment: Earth, USC’s framework to ensure the institution stays at the forefront of sustainable practices, research, and education.

“We require more higher education institutions involved in sustainability, and I am eager to contribute my expertise and experience to enhance the commendable sustainability initiatives already in progress at USC,” Boone expressed.

New USC Price dean: Family role models of Boone

Thanks to his grandmother’s vision, Boone’s father, John, was the first in his extended family to earn a university degree, graduating from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia in 1962 before obtaining a master’s degree in history at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He went on to become a high school history educator and later a principal.

Like his father, Boone graduated from Queen’s University with a bachelor’s degree in geography prior to receiving both a master’s and doctoral degree in the same field from the University of Toronto.

His mother, Betty Boone, served as a medical laboratory technologist at a hospital, ultimately attaining her own university degree over several years as a part-time student, before becoming a dean at a local community college.

“The transformative influence of education was a common topic at our dinner table,” Boone noted. “I’m excited to be joining a prominent research university alongside its remarkable and inspiring faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters.”