Daniel A. DeCaro

Dr. Daniel A. DeCaro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Louisville, with a joint appointment in Urban & Public Affairs. He holds a PhD in Decision Science from Miami University and a BA in Psychology/Philosophy from Western Kentucky University, with postdoctoral training at Indiana University's Ostrom Workshop. His research focuses on societal cooperation, governance systems, and sustainability, emphasizing decision-making processes in social-ecological dilemmas.

Key research labs include the Constitutional and Cooperative Decision-Making (CCDM) Lab and the State-Reinforced Self-Governance & Adaptive Social-Ecological Systems (SRSG/ASES) Lab. His work integrates psychology, political science, and ecological resilience frameworks, particularly applying Elinor Ostrom's theories. He has secured grants from NSF and SESYNC, totaling over $790k, focusing on governance design principles and participatory engagement in urban sustainability.

Teaching includes courses on decision science, sustainability, and behavioral dimensions of societal systems. His interdisciplinary scholarship bridges human behavior and institutional design to address complex challenges like climate adaptation and democratic governance.