Eric Tate is as an associate professor at the University of Iowa, in the Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of flood hazards, water resources, environmental justice, and social vulnerability, using geospatial indicators to explore interactions among society and the environment. Tate earned a bachelor of science in environmental engineering from Rice University, a master's in water resources engineering from the University of Texas, and a PhD in geography from the University of South Carolina.