Author of Muddy Ground: Native Peoples, Chicago's Portage, and the Transformation of a Continent (UNC Press, 2023). You can read more about John Nelson's work as a professional historian at https://www.johnwilliamnelsonhistory.com/homeJohn Nelson received his PhD in history from the University of Notre Dame. Nelson specializes in early American history, studying the interactions between Indigenous peoples, French, British, and Americans on the frontiers of North America. Nelson is particularly interested in how geography and local environments influence such interactions. At Texas Tech University, Nelson teaches undergraduate and graduate history courses on Colonial America, Native America, the Atlantic World, and the borderlands of early North America. Before entering the PhD program in history at Notre Dame, Nelson was an Assistant Director of Annual Giving at Gettysburg College, his alma mater. Nelson is keenly interested in history, teaching, and student development more broadly. Having worked in both administrative and academic realms, Nelson hopes to continue his career working with students in an educational capacity.