Robert K. Dixon is an energy, environment, and economic expert at the Office of International Affairs,

US Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the United State ...

headquarters in Washington, DC, USA.

Biography

Dixon is a native of

Lee's Summit, Missouri Lee's Summit is a city located within the counties of Jackson (primarily) and Cass in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As of the 2020 census its population was 101,108, making it the sixth-largest city in both ...

. He graduated from

Lee's Summit High School Lee's Summit High School is a high school in Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States. It is located near downtown Lee's Summit on Blue Parkway, next to the intersection of U.S. Route 50 and Route 291. It is one of three high schools in the Lee's ...

in 1973, and attended the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

, earning his

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

in 1977,

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

in 1979, and

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

in 1982. Early in his professional life, he was a professor at the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

(1982 to 1986) and

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...

(1987 to 1989). Dixon is married to Anita L. Dixon, and has two children: Caitlin S. Dixon and Colin A. Dixon.

Career

He has been an adjunct and visiting professor, guest lecturer, executive in residence, and member of the university advisory boards at

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State College ...

(2010 to 2012). He is currently an adjunct professor at

American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...

in Washington, DC. He led an industrial chemistry research and development program sponsored by

Allied Chemical Corporation Allied Corp. was a major American company with operations in the chemical, aerospace, automotive, oil and gas industries. It was initially formed in 1920 as the Allied Chemical and Dye Corporation as an amalgamation of five chemical companies. In ...

(1979 to 1982) and co-authored a U.S. patent for fertilizer formulation and applications (1988). He was a principal scientific advisor to, and startup investor in, Mycorr Tech, Inc. (1986 to 1989), a

biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...

firm subsequently acquired by Plant Health Care, Inc. Dixon is

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...

of the international

scientific journal In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. Content Articles in scientific journals are mostly written by active scientists such as s ...

, ''Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change'' since 1997. He was Guest Editor of ''Climatic Change'' and ''Energy Policy'' and currently serves on the

CRC Press The CRC Press, LLC is an American publishing group that specializes in producing technical books. Many of their books relate to engineering, science and mathematics. Their scope also includes books on business, forensics and information tec ...

Sustainable Energy Development Editorial Board. He has authored, co-authored, or edited more than 125 journal articles and several books on energy and environment science and policy topics, such as ''Adapting to Climate Change: An International Perspective'', ''The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) Pilot: Experiences and Lessons Learned'', ''Energy Technology Perspectives, Scenarios and Strategies to 2050'', and others.

Government

For nearly three decades, Dixon has led U.S. government energy and environment science, technology and policy programs at three federal agencies: *

U.S. Agency for International Development The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bil ...

(1986 to 1988; 1996), where he helped establish energy and natural resources programs and ministries in 11 South Asian countries. *

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...

(1989 to 1991) where he worked to shape provisions of the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy Act. *

U.S. Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the United States. ...

(1997 to 2004; 2015 to present), where he is Senior Adviser, Office of International Affairs (2018), advising the Assistant Secretary on International Energy Policy. He was formerly director of EERE Strategic Programs (2015 - 2018) and EERE Deputy Assistant Secretary sfor Power Technologies (1999 - 2002). Dixon has worked with organizations across the globe, and for Presidential councils and executive offices. He led two Presidential Initiatives (1992 to 1997), the U.S. Country Studies Program, and the Initiative on Joint Implementation.

White House

During the Administration of President G.W. Bush, Dixon served as Senior Director, ''White House Task Force on Energy Security and Climate Change'' (2007 to 2008), jointly implemented by the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the

National Security Council A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a na ...

. He was a key contributor to the

G-20 The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union (EU). It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation, ...

Major Economies Process and deliberations on the

Energy Security Act The Energy Security Act was signed into law by U.S. President Jimmy Carter on June 30, 1980. Thursday, 19 January 2017 It consisted of six major acts: * U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act * Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act * Renewable Ene ...

of 2007. He was Associate Director at the CEQ (2004 to 2005) and professional staff in the

Office of Science and Technology Policy An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific dut ...

(1986 to 1987). Dixon was founding

Executive Director Executive director is commonly the title of the chief executive officer of a non-profit organization, government agency or international organization. The title is widely used in North American and European not-for-profit organizations, though ...

, Secretariat for the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (2003 to 2004) At the

International Energy Agency The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation, established in 1974, that provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the entire global energy sector, with a recent focus on curbing carb ...

(2005 to 2007) of the

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries ...

, he was Head of Energy Technology Policy Division, strategizing and directing technology policy analyses for clients such as the G-20 Heads of State. For the

Global Environment Facility The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral environmental fund that provides grants and blended finance for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, persistent organic pollutants (POPs ...

The World Bank Group The World Bank Group (WBG) is a family of five international organizations that make leveraged loans to developing countries. It is the largest and best-known development bank in the world and an observer at the United Nations Development Group ...

, Dixon was

Team Leader A team leader is a person who provides guidance, instruction, direction and leadership to a group of individuals (the team) for the purpose of achieving a key result or group of aligned results. Team leaders serves as the steering wheel for a group ...

for Climate Change and Chemicals (2008 to 2015), overseeing a multibillion-dollar portfolio of energy, environment, public health, infrastructure, and transportation projects in developing and transition countries.

International Agreements

Dixon has been a delegate to intergovernmental negotiating committees and subsidiary bodies of the

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established an international environmental treaty to combat "dangerous human interference with the climate system", in part by stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in th ...

(1992 to present),

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 16 September 1987, and entered into force on ...

(1989 to present),

Minamata Convention on Mercury The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. The convention was a result of three years of meetin ...

(2009 to 2015), the

Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, also known as APP, was an international, voluntary, public-private partnership among Australia, Canada, India, Japan, the People's Republic of China, South Korea, and the United Stat ...

(2006 to 2011), the

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is an international environmental treaty, signed on 22 May 2001 in Stockholm and effective from 17 May 2004, that aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic ...

(2004 to 2015), and

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Conference or the Earth Summit (Portuguese: ECO92), was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to June 14, 1992. Earth Su ...

(1992). Dixon was a member of the ''United Nations Transitional Committee for the Green Climate Fund'' (2009 to 2012), advisor to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...

(2002 to present) on energy and environmental projects, delegate to the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) (2004 to 2013),

Commissioner General A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

of the China World EXPO 2010 “Better City, Better Life" (2010), and

Vice Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

of the ''IEA Working Party on Renewable Energy Technologies'' (2001 to 2004). He has briefed and testified before committees of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

and

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

(1999 to present) on a wide variety of energy science and research issues, including U.S. energy technology transfer and

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

and technology policy options.

Philanthropy

Dixon has been a strategic and tactical advisor aiding in the implementation of energy, environmental, and economic development and transition programs worldwide for

Catholic Relief Services Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the Bishops of the United States, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 110 ...

(1988), the

Open Society Foundation Open Society Foundations (OSF), formerly the Open Society Institute, is a grantmaking network founded and chaired by business magnate George Soros. Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the world, with a sta ...

(1994), the

International Foundation for Science The Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs is an international organization that brings together scholars and public figures to work toward reducing the danger of armed conflict and to seek solutions to global security threats. It was fo ...

(1993 to 1998), CARE (1988), and others.

Honors and awards

* The

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemi ...

, December 10, 2007, awarded jointly to members of the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations. Its job is to advance scientific knowledge about climate change caused by human activities. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) a ...

* Vice President’s Team Award,

, 2009 and 2013 for contributions to the United Nations FCCC and the

Minamata Convention The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. The convention was a result of three years of meetin ...

. *

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

John F. Kennedy School of Government The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...

Belfer Center Roy Family Award for Environmental Partnership, 2009 * U.S. Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive, 2004 *

, Bronze Medal for Commendable Service, 1993 * Fellowships: Smithsonian Fellowship, 1985.;

Exxon ExxonMobil Corporation (commonly shortened to Exxon) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, and was formed on November 30, ...

, 1984

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dixon, Robert K. Year of birth missing (living people) Living people University of Missouri alumni