Dr. Benjamin L. Ruddell (Ben), Ph.D., P.E., is a Professor and Director of the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems at Northern Arizona University, the President of Ruddell Environmental consulting, the Director of the National Water-Economy Project (NWEP) and the Director of the FEWSion project. His PhD is in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His professional experiences are in the fields of civil engineering, water resources, systems analysis, ecology/ecohydrology, and engineering research and education in an interdisciplinary university setting. He works with a variety of federal, local, and private partners to accomplish cutting-edge projects. His research interests fall broadly in the area of the quantification and management of complex coupled natural-human systems, including regional water and climate systems strongly influenced by the human economy and society- such as in cities, energy, and agriculture. His professional goals are the advancement of the science and management of complex systems, and excellence in education in a university setting.