Dr. David R. Johnson is an Associate Professor at Purdue University with joint appointments in Political Science and Industrial Engineering. His work sits at the intersection of policy, engineering, and decision science, focusing on how complex systems and uncertainty shape environmental and infrastructure-related decisions. At ISF, he is co-lead of the Water Challenges Research Community.
David Johnson
Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering, Associate Professor of Political Science, Co-Lead of Water Challenges Research Community
Education
Ph.D., Policy Analysis – Pardee RAND Graduate School M.A.St., Mathematics – University of Cambridge B.S., Mathematics – North Carolina State University
Research Interests
Dr. Johnson’s research centers on decision-making under uncertainty in complex socio-environmental systems, with key areas including:
- Natural hazards risk analysis and disaster modeling
- Climate change adaptation and resilience planning
- Environmental and energy policy
- Sustainable agriculture and infrastructure systems
- Computational and mathematical modeling of complex systems
His work integrates policy analysis with engineering-based modeling, allowing for more robust evaluation of long-term risks and tradeoffs in areas such as flood risk, renewable energy, and land use systems.
Research Impact
Dr. Johnson’s research advances tools and frameworks for planning under deep uncertainty, helping policymakers and stakeholders make more informed decisions in the face of climate variability and evolving environmental risks. His work contributes to improved strategies for resilient infrastructure, environmental management, and sustainable resource use. By bridging engineering, policy, and data science, his work enables more adaptive and forward-looking approaches to complex challenges, particularly in areas where long-term environmental and societal outcomes are uncertain but consequential.