Prof. Coutts received his PhD in urban, technological & environmental planning at the University of Michigan and his MPH at New Mexico State University after serving as an HIV and AIDS educator for the Peace Corps in Malawi. He did his doctoral research in Malawi and returned there most recently in 2019 as a Fulbright Scholar at Mzuzu University to teach and investigate the role of nature conservation in sustainable development in the Misuku Hills. His research interests center on the influence of ecologically sensitive land use practices on community health and behavior. He has published in Population and Environment, the Journal of Urban Health, Environment and Planning, and numerous other venues.