Dr. Germán Vergara

Biography

Germán Vergara specializes in environmental Latin American history, focusing on the historical roots of ecological problems and the interaction between capitalism and industrialization in Latin America. He has published a book titled 'Fueling Mexico: Energy and Environment, 1850-1950', exploring Mexico's transition from an agrarian society utilizing animal and human energy to a fossil-fuel-driven industrial society. This work examines how this shift has shaped environmental, economic, and social changes in Mexico over the last century, positioning fossil fuels as a critical agent in these transformations. His current book project addresses the biodiversity extinction crisis in the Americas, with alarming statistics revealing significant threats to various species. His research interests include animal history, energy regimes, and environmental change, complemented by a substantial publication record that includes articles in 'Environmental History' and contributions to the 'Oxford Encyclopedia of Latin American History'. Vergara completed his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, and subsequently was a postdoctoral fellow at Brown University. He has received several fellowships and was recognized as a Cisneros Visiting Scholar at Harvard University.

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