Amy Hardberger

Amy Hardberger serves as the George W. McCleskey Professor of Water Law and Director of the Center for Water Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law. She returned to Texas Tech in 2020 after previously teaching there as a visiting professor in 2011. Prior to this, she held leadership roles at St. Mary's School of Law as Associate Dean for the School of Law and Associate Provost for Academic Operations at St. Mary's University.

Her educational background:

• B.A. in Geology from Earlham College
• M.S. in Geology from the University of Texas at San Antonio
• J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, cum laude

Professor Hardberger's research bridges geoscience and legal frameworks with primary focus on water governance systems. Her work examines critical intersections including energy-water dependencies, economic mechanisms for water allocation, international human rights frameworks for water access, and Texas-specific groundwater regulations. She teaches core courses in Property, Water Law, Land Use Planning, International Water Law, and Environmental Law, leveraging her dual expertise as a legally trained scholar and professionally registered Geoscientist in Texas.

Her professional recognition includes:

• Women's Leadership Award from San Antonio Business Journal (2019)
• Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas Tech University (2015)

She maintains significant public service commitments through appointments to the San Antonio Water System Board of Trustees (2018-present) and Capital Improvements Advisory Committee (2013-present), both by San Antonio City Council designation. Prior to academia, she developed practical policy experience as an Environmental Defense Fund attorney where she led municipal conservation partnerships and state agency collaborations, and clerked for The Hon. William Wayne Justice. Her leadership of the Center for Water Law and Policy demonstrates active direction of interdisciplinary water policy research teams.