David Leonard Downie is Director of Environmental Studies and Associate Professor of Politics at Fairfield University. Dr. Downie's research focuses on the creation, content, and implementation of national and international environmental policy. Professor Downie received his B.A Degree from Duke University and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina.
His recent work includes Global Environmental Politics, 5th Edition (2010), written with Pamela Chasek, Climate Change: A Reference Handbook (2009), written with Kate Brash and Catherine Vaughan, and The Global Environment: Institutions, Law & Policy, 2nd Edition (2005), co-edited with Regina Axelrod and Norman Vig. As part of his research, Dr Downie has attended dozens of global environmental negotiations on climate change, stratospheric ozone protection, toxic chemicals, and sustainable development. During many negotiations on ozone protection and toxic chemicals, he worked with the treaty secretariat drafting in-session and summary documents.
Prior to joining Fairfield University in 2008, Dr. Downie taught courses in environmental politics at Columbia University from 1994-2008. While at Columbia he also served as Director of the Global Roundtable on Climate Change (2004-2008), Associate Director of the Graduate Program in Climate and Society (2004-2008), Director of the Earth Institute Fellows Program (2002-2004), and Director of Environmental Policy Studies (MIA program) at the School of International and Public Affairs (1994-2000), and among other activities. He lives in Fairfield with his wife and children and enjoys live music, skiing, scuba diving, and Frisbee golf.