05/29/2026
Meet Dr. Aaron Hipp, professor of parks, recreation and tourism management in the College of Natural Resources. 👋
In fall 2015, he joined NC State after teaching as a public health assistant professor at Washington University. Hipp’s research has focused on nature and health; greenspaces, parks, and health; nature and park prescriptions for wellness; access to outdoor sport and health; active living; and more.
Currently, Hipp is the first director of NC State's new Nature and Health Collaborative, which is supported by the Global One Health Academy. The collaborative works to strengthen the growing body of research, education and engagement the NC State community contributes to the intersection of human health and the outdoors.
He is also chair-elect of the National Physical Activity (PA) Plan and will be chair for the 2028-29 year. There, he helps with the implementation plan of the CDC PA guidelines, which look at how organizations, governments, NGOs, schools, YMCAs, etc., help people to be physically active.
“The Nature and Health Collaborative and efforts to bring together people across campus working in the nature and health space have been very important. This includes the creation of the Campus Greenspace Map that has received over 6,000 site visits since it debuted in August 2024.”
