Gasteyer, Stephen

Gasteyer, Stephen
Organization(s): 
Michigan State University

Stephen Gasteyer researches the structures and processes that influence community level access to critical natural resources and capacity to manage those resources.  Relatedly, he also applies a systems analysis to understanding community leadership and economic development decision making.  His work currently looks at:

  • The role of coalitions, social networks and social capital in the protecting water quality;
  • Community capitals, coalitions, and the development of sustainable food systems;
  • The factors that impact the capacity of communities to implement and manage water and wastewater infrastructure systems;
  • The role of advocacy coalitions and social networks in water management and the development of coupled hydrologic, economic, and social network models for understanding of surface water-groundwater interactions for protection of instream flows. 
  • Systems approaches to understanding community leadership and economic development support structures. 

His research focuses on the US, Middle East and West Africa.

Before coming to Michigan State University (MSU), Gasteyer was on faculty in the Department of Human and Community Development (HCD) at University of Illinois.  Prior to that, he was Research and Policy Director at the Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) in Washington, DC and a research consultant on issues of global water governance.  Gasteyer was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali from 1987 through 1990, and worked from 1993 through 1998 in the Palestinian territories. Stephen received a BA from Earlham College in 1987, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Iowa State University in 2001. 

shadow