James Nguyen H. Spencer is a seasoned academic and professional, currently serving as Special Advisor to the Provost and Vice Provost and Dean of the Pinkie Gordon Lane Graduate School at Louisiana State University since August 2020. With extensive experience in higher education, Spencer held significant positions such as Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East-West Center and Department Chair and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at Clemson University. Previous roles include Assistant to Associate Professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Fellow at the Environmental Leadership Program. Additionally, Spencer has contributed to various organizations, including the Ford Foundation as a Program Associate and the US NGO Forum on Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos as Program Coordinator. An academic background includes a Ph.D. from UCLA, a Master's of Environmental Management from Yale, and a BA from Amherst College, showcasing a diverse educational foundation in anthropology, geology, and English.