Faculty Profiles

Colleges and Departments

Dr. William R Donner

  • Chair - Professor - Sociology

Education

Doctorate Degree

PhD in Sociology

University of Delaware, 2007

Master's Degree

MA in Sociology

University of Delaware, 2003

Bachelor's Degree

BA in Sociology

Millersville Univ of Pennsylvania, 2001

  • Donner, William R (Supporting). UTPA-RISE Undergraduate Training Program, NIH, Federal, $1790000. (Funded: 2014). Grant.
  • Donner, William R (Principal). State Farm Agents of the RGV Endowment in Disaster Studies, State Farm, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $30000. (Submitted: 2017, Funded: 2024 - Present). Grant.
  • Donner, William R (Co-Principal). Assessing local farmers' willingness and capacity to participate in government programs promoting regenerative agricultural practices, UTRGV, Institutional (Higher Ed), $10000. (Funded: 2024 - Present). Grant.
  • Donner, William R (Co-Principal). Summerlee Foundation, $5000. (Funded: 2017). Grant.
  • Donner, William R (Principal). Colonia Development and Hydrological Risks, AXA Research Fund, Private / Foundation / Corporate, $300000. (Funded: 2015 - 2018). Grant.
View all grants
  • Kyei, D., Donner, W. R., Lomeli, A. S., & Kyne, D. (2026). From risk perception to readiness: understanding US wildfire preparedness drivers. Fire Ecology, 22(1), 79.
  • Garcia, E., Kyne, D., Donner, W. R., & Lomeli, A. (2026). Understanding the new frontiers of risk, social vulnerability, and environmental justice in space exploration in the Rio Grande Valley. Environmental Hazards, 25(2), 196--223.
  • Roy, A., Kyne, D., Donner, W. R., & Lomeli, A. (n.d.). Understanding disaster preparedness among university students: building a culture of readiness. Journal of Emergency Management.
  • Kaika, A., Kim, D., Donner, W. R., Racelis, A., & Temby, O. (2026). Examining the relationship between civic agriculture participation and civic engagement in South Texas. Agriculture and Human Values, 43(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-026-10913-6
  • Katznelson, D., Sohns, A., Kim, D., Roozee, E., Donner, W. R., Song, A. M., … Hickey, G. M. (2025). Examining the presence and effects of coherence and fragmentation in the Gulf of Maine fishery management network. Regional Environmental Change, 25(1), 3.
View all scholarly/creative works
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator, Highest Enrollment Growth in New Graduate Program: Disaster Studies, UTRGV. 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: President's Advancing Grantsmanship Award, IUP. 2013
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Researcher, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IUP. 2012