Chris Gibson: podcast appearances and interviews

Chris Gibson is a professor of human geography and the executive director of the Global Challenges Program at Wollongong University in Australia. He is also affiliated with World Renew Disaster Response Services. Gibson has a diverse background that includes military service, academia, and leadership in higher education. He served in the United States Army, advancing to the rank of colonel, and participated in tours during the First Gulf War, Kosovo, and Iraq. Throughout his military career, he received several awards, including four Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. Gibson earned a Ph.D. in government from Cornell University and authored his first book, Securing the State, which explores national security decision-making. After retiring from the Army in 2010, he entered politics and served as the U.S. representative for New York's 20th and 19th congressional districts, holding office from 2011 to 2017. He was known for his support of term limits and chose not to seek re-election in 2016. Gibson also served as the Stanley Kaplan Distinguished Visiting Professor of American Foreign Policy at Williams College from 2017 to 2020. In 2020, he became the president of Siena College, his alma mater, where he was the first lay person to lead the Franciscan institution. During his tenure, he oversaw record enrollments, balanced budgets, and the launch of a new strategic plan, earning several national accolades. Gibson retired from the presidency in May 2023 and published his third book, The Spirit of Philadelphia, in 2025.