John Richardson (professor)

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Dr. John Richardson (born March 12, 1938) is an American academic who currently serves as Professor of International Development and as Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at American University in Washington DC.

Dr. Richardson received his AB degree from Dartmouth College and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Prior to appointment at American University, Dr. Richardson held faculty appointments in political science and systems engineering at Case Western Reserve University.

He was a pioneer in the fields of global modeling and system dynamics under the auspices of the Club of Rome, with work focusing on sustainability and population-resource-environment interrelationships. In 1982, he was named by the Society for Computer Simulation as "one of the twenty most effective decision makers in the world". Dr. Richardson remains an ongoing contributor to the Hungary-based Balaton Group and in the mid-1980s he collaborated with the late Donella Meadows as systems advocates for the Hunger Project.

Dr. Richardson's more recent writing, teaching and consulting apply system dynamics principles to the nexus of civil conflict, terrorism and development policy. As a scholar and author, he has been visiting and working in Sri Lanka since 1987, using the island's turbulent political-economic history as a lens to analyze broader international development and conflict dilemmas. Paradise Poisoned, his most recent book, culminates nearly twenty years of work in this arena.

[edit] Faculty in Residence

Professor Richardson pioneered the American University Faculty in Residence Program when he moved into Anderson Hall in 2003. Professor Richardson is known for actively engaging students living in the hall, and across campus in their daily lives. Several times a semester he invites students into his apartment for homecooked meals and discussion about campus affairs, student life, and any other issues which may arise. He has adopted the moniker 'dormgrandpop' on his blog, and frequently casts himself in such a role. John's Blog

During final exams and midterms, the Professor, who encourages students to call him John around their home, offers midnight study breaks. Klondike Bars are frequently served alongside coffee and other snacks at these events. ^[1]

[edit] Bibliography

• Partners in Development (1969)
• Groping in the Dark: The First Decade of Global Modeling (1982)
• Ending Hunger: An Idea Whose Time has Come (1985)
• Democratization in South Asia: The First Fifty Years (1998)
• [1] Paradise Poisoned: Learning About Conflict, Development and Terrorism from Sri Lanka’s Civil Wars (2005)]