Dr. Bob Becker
Director, Strom Thurmond Institute of Government & Public Affairs
Degrees Held:
B.S., Recreation Administration (minor, Studio Arts), Pennsylvania State University
M.A., University of Maryland
Ph.D., University of Maryland
Research Interests:
Dr. Becker focuses on social impact assessment, policy assessment, futures research, natural resource development, rural and community development, volunteerism and retirement studies
Influences and Responsibilities:
Dr. Becker is the co-founder of the Clemson interdisciplinary graduate program in policy studies. Additional program development includes South Carolina rural enterprise development projects, a laboratory for retirement studies (funded by AARP-Andrus Foundation), and a Midwest consortium of scientists from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois to assess social impact assessments and resource management decisions on the Upper Mississippi River. Two southeast work groups also were developed to examine changing social structures and demographic trends.
Dr. Becker has developed methods and processes for citizen involvement and decision analysis in the areas of community development, water resource allocation, and coastal management. Additionally, he has developed programs in strategic planning, trend analysis, and futures planning for the National Park Service, a six-state Southern Appalachian consortium and numerous communities throughout South Carolina.
He served as a consultant to North Carolina’s Mars Hill College for establishing the Institute for Southern Appalachian life. The Institute integrates the undergraduate curricula for experiential learning opportunities, strengthening the ties between the college and Western North Carolina communities. He also worked with the chancellor of the Texas A&M International University to develop the Laredo Institute for Southwest Studies and with Lander University in Greenwood, SC, both engagements involving community-based experiential learning outreach programs.
Dr. Becker has promoted the development of contract and grant work with federal and state government agencies as well as private industry and foundations. Products and techniques developed include spatial sampling models, rural economic development programs and visual impact assessment procedures.
He has developed innovative research funding mechanisms by using revolving funds, endowment accounts, equity share arrangements and information distribution syndicates. These mechanisms were designed to provide a source of funds for research and program topics that may not have immediate sources of funding, but which exhibit future promise.
Dr. Becker has published over 90 articles, monographs, reports and abstracts in a variety of scholarly and popular outlets.
Service Highlights
Appointed to the Governor’s Water Law Review Commission (2003 – 2004)
Board of directors for the Saluda-Reedy Watershed Consortium. A multi-party research and education organization that promotes effective conservation within the upper Saluda Watershed. (2002-present)
Trustee, SC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. (2000-2006)
South Carolina Representative to the Southern Community Commission at the Southern Growth Policies Board (2000-present)
Appointed as the South Carolina delegate to the COMMISSION ON THE URBAN AGENDA, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, NASULGC, 1992-ongoing.
Page maintained by: Walker Massey, emassey@clemson.edu