George Downs was appointed Dean for the Social Sciences in 2000.
Downs is a professor in the Department of Politics. Before coming to NYU, Downs was professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University. He was also Professor in the Department of Political Science and Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Davis.
Downs' areas of specialization are international institutions and international cooperation. Current research projects include books on the design and effectiveness of multilateral environmental agreements and the role of reputation in international relations. His publications include Tacit Bargaining, Arms Races and Arms Control; Collective Security Beyond the Cold War; and Optimal Imperfection: Domestic Uncertainty and Institutions in International Relations, as well as articles for both theoretical and applied journals in political science, statistics, and international law.
Downs is a member of the Board of Editors of World Politics and a member of the Editorial Board of International Organization. His awards and honors include appointment as the William P. Boswell Professor of Peace and War, at Princeton University, the Louis Brownlow Book Award, and the Youden Prize from the American Society for Quality Control.
Downs holds an A.B. from Shimer College (1967) and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (1976).