Who We Are

We are five historians of the North American West who share a deep passion for the region and its people. With over four decades of combined experience, we collectively study and write on topics including but not limited to Indigenous sovereignty, women and gender, atomic testing, tourism, cities, and public lands management in the American West.

Michael Childers is an assistant professor at the University of Northern Iowa and author of Colorado Powder Keg: Ski Resorts and the Environmental Movement.
Dr. Kent Blansett
Kent Blansett, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Dr. Elaine M. Nelson
Elaine M. Nelson, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Leisl Carr Childers, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the University of Northern Iowa and author of The Size of the Risk: Histories of Multiple Use in the Great Basin.
Jason A. Heppler, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.