About

For more than 80 years, the Vinson Institute has worked with public officials throughout Georgia and around the world to improve governance and people's lives. From Georgia's early days as a largely agrarian state with a modest population to its modern-day status as a national and international force in business, industry, and politics with a population of almost 10 million, the Institute has helped government leaders navigate change and forge strong directions for a better Georgia.

Rob McDowell

Environmental Policy Program Director
Governmental Services and Research

Rob McDowell directs the Institute’s Environmental Policy Program, which conducts research and provides assistance to state and local leaders responsible for Georgia’s natural resources and environmental policies. Before coming to the Institute, he was assistant branch chief in the Georgia Environmental Protection Division Watershed Protection Branch, working principally on implementation of the Georgia Statewide Water Management Plan. He also developed the Flint River Basin Water Development and Conservation Plan, the first of its kind in Georgia, focusing on impacts of agricultural water use. He is a registered professional geologist.

Areas of expertise: geology, water resource management policy, environmental policy development

Education: Ph.D., University of Kentucky

Rob McDowell

Rob McDowell
706.542.6271
rjmcduga.edu

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