Associate Professor of Public Policy Leadership
Executive Director of the Mississippi Geographic Alliance
105 Odom Hall
University, MS 38677
662.915.1337
druther@olemiss.edu
Mississippi Geographic Alliance: 662.915.3776
Dr. David J. Rutherford is Associate Professor in the Department of Public Policy Leadership at the University of Mississippi where he also serves as Executive Director of the Mississippi Geographic Alliance. His undergraduate and masters degrees are in geography, and he earned his Ph.D. in geographic education from Texas State University. Rutherford’s broad background in research and teaching in geography covers physical, human, regional, techniques, and educational components of the discipline.The current focus of Dr. Rutherford’s teaching and research is on major forces of change in the contemporary world. Among these forces of change are the inextricable interactions between the environment and the economy. At local, national, and global scales, the world is increasingly experiencing ecological limits to economic growth. Moreover, continually increasing economic growth and resource consumption is not improving quality of life. Rutherford’s interest lies in searching for solutions to the dilemma that “more” no longer seems to be equivalent with “better.”
Education:
Ph.D., Texas State University
M.A., California State University
B.A., University of California