David Watkins, PE

David Watkins

Contact

  • Distinguished Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
  • PhD, Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
  • MS, Environmental Health Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
  • BS, Civil Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis
  • BS, Engineering and Public Policy, Washington University in St. Louis

Biography

Dr. Watkins' teaching interests include hydrologic and hydraulic engineering, water and environmental systems analysis, and international service learning.   His research interests include water resources planning and management, hydrologic modeling and forecasting, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.  His current research projects include analyzing the drivers and environmental impacts of household food, energy, and water consumption; estimating flood discharges in ungauged basins under current and future climate conditions; and providing technical support for climate adaptation and hazard mitigation in rural communities.  Dr. Watkins serves as a faculty advisor to the Michigan Tech student chapter of Engineers Without Borders-USA and directs the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows and AmeriCorps/VISTA master’s programs at Michigan Tech.  In addition, he is active in the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and he previously served as chief editor of the ASCE Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management.

Links of Interest

Google Scholar Profile

Center for Climate-driven Hazard Adaptation, Resilience, and Mitigation (C-CHARM) in Great Lakes Rural Communities

AmeriCorps and VISTA Master’s Programs

Michigan Tech Chapter of Engineers Without Borders-USA

Google Scholar Profile

Teaching Interests

  • Water resources planning and management
  • Environmental systems analysis
  • Hydrologic and hydraulic engineering
  • Optimization methods
  • Learning through service

Research Interests

  • Integrated water resources planning
  • Hydrologic modeling and forecasting
  • Flood risk management
  • Climate change mitigation and adaptation planning
  • Food-Energy-Water Nexus
  • Systems optimization under uncertainty
  • Sustainable development engineering