Professor of Urban Studies and Public Policy at Dillard University
Dr. Robert Collins is currently the Conrad Hilton Endowed Professor of Urban Studies and Public Policy at Dillard University in New Orleans. He specializes in Disaster Management, Urban Planning, and Environmental Management. While on the Faculty at Harvard University, he taught the first course in the US on rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, commissioned just thirty days after the storm hit New Orleans. He has published articles, lectured, or given keynote speeches on a wide range of disasters, including: Hurricanes, the Ebola Virus, Urban Terrorism, the Boston Marathon Bombing, Sinkholes, and Oil Spills.
He also serves as a TV commentator/content expert, most recently appearing on TV to comment on the catastrophic Louisiana Flood of 2016, as well as updating the public on the long-term effects of the DeepWater Horizon Oil Spill on the six year anniversary of the event.
In addition to being a teacher and researcher, he is also an experienced administrator, having served as the Founding Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Dillard. Prior to entering academia, he had a career in federal government as Field Assistant to former U.S. Senator Bennett Johnston. He holds a Ph.D. in Urban Studies from the University of New Orleans.
