• Ph. D., University of Minnesota, 1986, Department of Forest Resources (Forest Economics)

• M.S., University of Minnesota, 1983, Agricultural and Applied Economics (Emphasis in Natural Resource Economics)

• B.S., Magna Cum Laude, University of Minnesota, 1980, Inter-College Program (Individually designed program in Futures Studies)

• Senior Social Scientist, 2014-2025, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, St. Paul, MN

• Fulbright Specialist, 2023, School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland

• Principal Research Social Scientist, 1993-2014, Northern Research Station

• OECD Research Fellow, 2004, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Fellowship location: Department of Forest Science, Seoul National University, Republic of Korea

• Research Social Scientist, 1984-1993, Northern Research Station

• Adjunct Professor, 1986-present, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, and Graduate Program in Conservation Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

• 2023 Fulbright Specialist Award, University of Eastern Finland, in the summer of 2023 to consult on setting up a forestry horizon scanning system, and presented a seminar and workshop on strategic foresight methods.

• 2022 Certificate of Appreciation, Federal Foresight Community of Interest (FFCOI), “In Appreciation for advancing the practice of foresight in the US government by sharing your expertise and insights with the Federal Foresight Community of Interest.” June.

• 2022 Public Service Recognition Week, Bengston was one of two federal employees recognized by the FFCOI for Public Service Recognition Week for his contributions to promoting foresight in federal agencies, May 1-7, 2022.

• 2011 Multicultural Achievement Award, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, for efforts in culturally appropriate environmental education and connecting ethnic minority communities with nature and nature-based activities.

• 2011 Engaging Urban America Award, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, with non-Forest Service group Michele Schermann, Foung Heu, May Lee-Yang, and MaiKia Moua.

• 2009 Chief’s Honor Award, USDA Forest Service, for research with the Hmong American community titled “Listening to Neglected Voices: Hmong Americans and Public Lands in Minnesota and Wisconsin.”

• 2009 Excellence in Science and Technology Award, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, for development of methods to monitor the social environment for forestry planning, management, and policy.

• 2004 OECD Research Fellowship, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Department of Forest Science, Seoul National University (SNU), Republic of Korea, to collaborate on a research project on public policies for managing urban growth and protecting forests through greenbelt-based urban containment programs and lecture at SNU.

• “Ecological Economics: Economics as if the Environment Mattered,” U of MN College of Liberal Arts Honors Seminar, HSem 3030, Spring 1991.

• “Ecological Economics,” U of MN graduate colloquium, Forest Resources 5703, Fall 1991.

• “Ecological Economics,” U of MN non-credit evening extension class, Complete Scholar 0583, Winter 1993.

• “Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Management,” U of MN, NRES 5001, Spring 1995. (Co-taught with Dr. Bernard Lewis).

• “Economics for Environmental and Natural Resources Management,” U of MN, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, NRES 3261/5261, Fall 2000.

• Directed Studies courses with individual graduate students on various topics (ecological economics, ecosystem management, environmental values), U of MN, Dept. of Forest Resources, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2005. 

• “Environmental Futures.” U of MN, College of Liberal Arts Honors Seminar, HSEM 2621H, 2020, 2021, 2024. (Co-taught with Dr. George Kubik).

• B.S. in Futures Studies, University of Minnesota, Inter-College Program, individually designed program in Futures Studies, Magna Cum Laude. 1980.

• “Certificate in Strategic Foresight,” 5-day short course, Graduate Program in Futures Studies, University of Houston, Prof. Peter Bishop instructor, Houston, TX, May 17 – 21, 2010.

• “Scenario planning: How to build and use scenarios,” pre-conference master class, World Future Society annual conference, Adam Gordon instructor, Boston, MA, July 11, 2010.

• “Wiser futures: Using futures tools to better understand and create the future,” pre-conference master class, World Future Society annual conference, Dr. Clem Bezold instructor (Institute for Alternative Futures), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 26, 2012.

• “Implications Wheel Strategic Exploration Tool,” facilitator training, Infinity Limited, Inc., Dr. Jim Schreier instructor, St. Paul, MN, Dec. 11 – 14, 2012.

• “Horizon Scanning: Building capacity in your organization,” pre-conference master class, World Future Society annual conference, Elizabeth Rudd (FutureNous) and Maree Conway (Thinking Futures) instructors, Chicago, IL, July 19, 2013.

• “Implications Wheel Strategic Exploration Tool – Specialized Training,” Infinity Limited, Inc., Dr. Jim Schreier instructor, St. Paul, MN, Oct. 6-7, 2014.

• “Bringing the Future to Life—Experience Design in Foresight,” pre-conference master class, World Future Society annual conference, Cornelia Daheim instructor, San Francisco, CA, July 24, 2015.

• “Scenario Planning – A Powerful Foresight Technique,” Udemy online course, Woody Wade, completed Jan. 27, 2020.

• “Futures Thinking Specialization,” Coursera specialization of five courses, Dr. Jane McGonigal instructor (Institute for the Future and Stanford University), completed June 8, 2021.

• “Become a Futurist – Futures 101 with Sohail Inayatullah,” Online course, Center for Futures Intelligence and Research (CFAR), Prof. Sohail Inayatulla instructor (UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies, Tamkang University, Taiwan), completed Dec. 24, 2024.

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