Skip to Content

The University of Texas at Austin

Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs

David J. Eaton

David J. Eaton

Bess Harris Jones Centennial Professor in Natural Resource Policy Studies

Contact Info:
Phone: 512-471-8972
Email: eaton@mail.utexas.edu
Office: SRH 3.204

Spring 2008 Office Hours:
Tuesday 8:00 - 10:00 am

David J. Eaton received his Ph.D. in environmental engineering and geography from The Johns Hopkins University. Eaton teaches courses on systems analysis, environmental and energy policy, and nonprofit management in the LBJ School. He has lectured in twenty countries and conducted field research in fifteen nations.

Eaton has written on rural water supply, international water resource conflicts, energy management, environmental problems of industries, management of emergency medical services, applications of mathematical programming to resource problems, insurance, and agriculture. His research focuses on sustainable development in international river basins, evaluation of energy and water conservation programs, and prevention of pollution. Among his recent publications are the NAFTA Handbook for Water Resource Managers and Engineers, Emergency Medical Services in Travis County, Texas and The Impacts of Trade Agreements on State Provincial Laws.

Eaton's current research concerns U.S.-Mexico environmental cooperation, new methods for evaluation of air pollution emissions, joint management by Palestinians and Israelis of shared groundwater, and water conservation in Texas. The Texas Department of Insurance used research on tort reform directed by Eaton as evidence to justify rebates of over $1.3 billion for liability insurance in Texas in 1997-1999.

Education

Ph.D. in environmental engineering and geography, The Johns Hopkins University, 1977; M. of Public Works, The University of Pittsburgh, 1972; M.Sc. in environmental health, The University of Pittsburgh, 1972; A.B. in biology, Oberlin College, 1971

Current Positions

Special Fellow (Advisor), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) (1997-2008); Director, UT Austin Center for Environmental Resource Management; co-chair, Kozmetsky Global Collaboratory, The University of Texas at Austin; co-chair, Cross-Border Initiative for Research and Development, The University of Texas at Austin

Previous Positions

Co-Director, Yellow River Basin Water Resources Economic Modeling Study (1990-1993); Research Assistant, The World bank (1975-1976); Foreign Affairs Specialist, US Agency for International Development (1975-1976); Research Associate and Consultant, Energy Research and Development Policy (1974-1975); Research Assistant, US President’s Council on Environmental Quality (1970-1972)

Co-author, The American Title Insurance Industry (New York University Press, 2007); Author, Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Future Use of South Saskatchewan River Basin, LBJ School of Public Affairs (2007); Author, Creating a Carbon Capture and Storage Industry in Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs (2007); Author, The End of Sovereignty Springer-Verlag Publishers, Berlin (2006); co-author, NAFTA Handbook for Water Resource Managers and Engineers (U.S.-Mexican Policy Studies Program, 1995); author, Emergency Medical Services in Travis County, Texas; author, The Impacts of Trade Agreements on State Provincial Laws

evaluation of energy and water conservation programs
joint management by Palestinians and Israelis of shared groundwater
new methods for evaluating and preventing air pollution emissions
Sustainable development in international river basins
U.S.-Mexico environmental cooperation
water conservation in Texas

News

The LBJ School Presents: "Between Covers: An Annual Celebration of LBJ Faculty Authors"Dec. 4, 2007
Managing water resources among neighbors: Israeli, Palestinian, U.S. and Mexican water professionals convene at LBJ SchoolJan. 18, 2005
Navigating the politics of water: Eaton brings international water policy expertise to local levelJul. 26, 2004

Courses

SemesterCourse
Spring 2009P A 388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy: Groundwater Management
Spring 2009P A 682B - Policy Research Project: Sustainable Energy Roadmap for Austin (SERA)
Fall 2008P A 388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy: Fundraising: Public and Nonprofit Sector
Fall 2008P A 682A - Policy Research Project: Sustainable Energy Roadmap for Austin (SERA)
Fall 2008P A 397 - Introduction to Quantitative Analysis
Summer (1st Session) 2008P A 388D - Advanced Topics in Public Policy: Fundraising: Public and Nonprofit Sector
Spring 2008P A 388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy: Fundraising: Public and Nonprofit Sector
Spring 2008P A 310S - Topics in Public Policy: Environment & Society: India
Spring 2008P A 682B - Policy Research Project: A Study of Global Transportation Activities: Assessing Fuel Economy, Emission Standards and Related Climate-Change Public Pol
Fall 2007P A 682A - Policy Research Project: A Study of Global Transportation Activities: Assessing Fuel Economy, Emission Standards, and Related Climate-Change Public Po
Fall 2007P A 397 - Introduction to Quantitative Analysis
Summer (1st Session) 2007P A 388D - Advanced Topics in Public Policy: Fundraising: Public and Nonprofit Sector
Spring 2007P A 682B - Policy Research Project: Groundwater Management in Texas
Spring 2007P A 682B - Policy Research Project: Cross-border Environmental Management
Fall 2006P A 682A - Policy Research Project: Cross-border Environmental Management
Fall 2006P A 682A - Policy Research Project: Groundwater Mangement in Texas
Summer (1st Session) 2006P A 388K - Advanced Topics in Public Policy: Management of Nonprofit Organizations in N. America
Spring 2006P A 682B - Policy Research Project: Texas Energy Policy
Spring 2006P A 682B - Policy Research Project: Cross Border Water Management
Fall 2005P A 682A - Policy Research Project: Cross Border Water Management
Fall 2005P A 682A - Policy Research Project: Texas Energy Policy