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Background information | Academic Background | Selected Publications

DAVID WEBBER (Indiana University, 1983) specializes in American public policy and legislative policy-making. In addition to Public Policy, Congress, and Policy Analysis, he has taught courses on elections and public opinion. He has published several articles on legislators’ use of policy information. He is interested in environmental, science and technology policies, and in policy innovation and has been active in the Public Policy Section of the APSA. His current research interest is Congressional policy leadership in environmental policy and state legislative term limits.

I was raised in Butler, Pa, a small town 35 miles north of Pittsburgh. I recall when Bill Mazeroski hit the home run in game seven to win the 1960 World Series over the New York Yankees. I thought the Pirates would always win. Roberto Clemente remains my all-time hero.

I am from a family of eight children so I have learned to wait my turn, to be on time for dinner, and, most of all, to make up quickly after a interpersonal disagreement because the ballgame might go on without me.

I try to run at least 500 miles each year. I realized last year that I won't make it in the NBA.

I have lived in five states and the District of Columbia and have visited 45 state capitols and eight countries.

I have too many books but seem unable to refrain from acquiring them.

I have two sons (born in 1983 and 1986) from whom I have learned a great deal about human nature, soccer, military history, U.S. Grant, the benefits of active learning, and how much fun one can have doing routine things.

Educational Background

Ph.D., Indiana University, 1983, Political Science
M.A., University of Pittsburgh, 1975, Economics
B.S., University of Dayton, 1973, Economics

Professional Experience

Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Missouri-Columbia. August 1986 to present, tenured May, 1988.
Courses taught: Public Policy, Policy Analysis (both graduate and undergraduate), Congress and the Legislative Process, Elections, Environmental Policy (team taught), Policy Evaluation Methods, Policy Issues Surrounding Biotechnology, and Elections '92.
Assistant Professor of Political Science, West Virginia University, August 1982 -summer 1986.
Courses taught: Policy Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Environmental Policy, Economic Policy, State Economic Development, Public Opinion, and Economic Analysis of Public Policy (team taught with an economist).
Legislative Assistant and Congressional Fellow with the Congressional Sunbelt Caucus and the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, November 1992 to August 1993.
Associate Instructor, Department of Political Science, Indiana University, August 1975 to December 1978.Taught courses in Policy Formulation, Statistical Analysis, Environmental Policy, and the American Presidency.
Research Associate, Community Services Council of Indianapolis, January 1982 to August 1982. Research projects included: "Analysis of the Impact of Federal Cutbacks on Human Services," a study of community vulnerability, and a plan for the development of a Human Services Data Bank.
Economic Research Assistant, CONSAD Research Corporation, Pittsburgh, July 1974-July 1975. Contributed to cost-benefit analysis of policy proposals relating to railroad abandonment, toxic substances, and pesticide regulation.

Administrative Experience

Founder and Acting Director, Office of Public Policy Resources(reported to Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School and to the Vice Provost for Extension), July 1990 to July 1992.
Coordinator for Public Policy Research (reported to Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School and to the Vice Provost for Extension), July 1, 1988- June 1990.
Director, M.A.- Public Policy Program, Department of Political Science, 1986-1990.
Member of Departmental Recruitment (including Chair), Executive, Promotion and Tenure, and Graduate Committees. I have served on the campus Research Council , Graduate Faculty Senate and Environmental Affairs Committee.

Major Professional Activities

President, Public Policy Section of the American Political Science Association, 1994-95.
Congressional Studies Fellow, U.S. Capitol Historical Society, Washington, DC, January-December 1995.
Book Review Editor, POLICY STUDIES JOURNAL 1994-
Vice President and President-elect, Public Policy Section of the American Political Science Association, 1993-1994.
Congressional Fellow, American Political Science Association, 1992-1993.
Editorial Board, POLICY CURRENTS (the newsletter of the Public Policy Section of the APSA), 1991 to present.
Steering Committee, Science, Technology, and Environment Section of the APSA, 1993- to present.
Executive Council, Policy Studies Organization, 1987-89.
Editorial Board, POLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, 1986-96.
Establishing Nominating Committee of the Public Policy Section of the American Political Science Association, 1990
Organizer and Chair of panels at the 1986 American Society for Public Administration,1988, 1992, and 1994 Midwest Political Science Association and 1988 and 1989 American Political Science Association Annual Meetings.
Chair, Policy Studies Organization Best Convention Paper Award Committee, 1986.
Member, 1988 Policy Studies Organization Nominating Committee

(and Richard J. Hardy) “Is it “President” or “president” of the United States" PRESIDENTIAL STUDIES QUARTERLY 38 (March 2008): 159-182.
"Earth Day and its Precursors: Continuity and Change in the Evolution of Mid-Twentieth Century U.S. Environmental Policy" REVIEW OF POLICY RESEARCH. Volume25(4).
OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTALISTS OF CONGRESS, Washington, DC: U.S. Capitol Historical Society., 2002.
"Mid-session Legislative Vacancies: Effects and Responses” AMERICAN REVIEW OF POLITICS 22( 2001): 433-444.
(with William L. Benoit and Julie Berman ) “Effects of Presidential Debate Watching and Ideology on Attitudes and Knowledge” ARGUMENTATION AND ADVOCACY 34 (1998): 163-172.
"The Relevance Crisis of Contemporary Congressional Research" in PERSPECTIVES ON POLITICAL SCIENCE 25 (WINTER 1996): 10-14.
"Genetics: Commercialization" pp. 381-383 in George T. Kurian and Graham T.T. Molitor,eds THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE FUTURE New York: Macmillian.
(with Charles Davis) "Approaches to Regulating Environmental Policy" pp. 243-272 in Stuart S. Nagel, editor, RESEARCH IN PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT, Volume 6 (1995), Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
(with James Endersby) "Lessons from an Iron Triangle Simulation" P.S.: POLITICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE 28 (1995): 520-522.
"The Emerging Federalism of Biotechnology Policy," Politics and the Life Sciences (February 1995).
"The Distribution and Use of Policy Knowledge in the Policy Process," in Advances in Policy Studies Since 1950. Policy Studies Review Annual, v. 10, William Dunn and Rita Mae Kelly, eds. (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1992), pp. 383-418.
"Dimensions of Federalism in U.S. Senate Voting, 1981-82," Publius, v. 19 (1989), pp. 185-192.
"The Contours and Complexity of Legislator Objectives: Empirically Examining the Basis of Purposive Models," Western Political Quarterly, v. 39 (1986), pp. 93-103.
"Obstacles to the Utilization of Systematic Policy Analysis: Conflicting Worldviews and Competing Disciplinary Matrices," Knowledge: Creation, Diffusion, Utilization, v. 4 (June 1983), pp. 534-560.