Biography

Pete Allison started at Penn State in 2016 in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management. For the previous fifteen years, he was at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) where he was Head of the Graduate School of Education and Sport. His research interests are in values and experiential learning particularly focusing on the role of wilderness, exploration, and adventure in contributing to authenticity and development of phronesis.

Allison is particularly interested in the work of Aristotle, Charles Taylor, Alasdair MacIntyre, John Dewey, and Kurt Hahn. In recent years he has been working with Connecting Cultures in Oman—a project funded by United Nations and Sultan Qaboos which brings together young people from all over the world to engage in cross-cultural dialogue in the desert.

Allison has led expeditions to Greenland, Africa, and the Himalayas and is a keen skier and canoeist. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London) and the Explorers Club of New York. He recently received the Hazel Bain award for outstanding contribution to Snowsports and the Young Explorers Trust Stephenson Award for contribution to expeditions for young people. Allison has worked with the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Scotland and is committed to the International Award and Outward Bound—both organizations started by Kurt Hahn. Allison supervises students researching sail training, expeditions, citizenship, long term benefits of wilderness, and cross-cultural education.