John Waterbury was professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University. He specialized in the political economy of the developing countries with a special focus on the Middle East. He was director of Princeton's Center of International Studies and editor of the academic journal, World Politics, from 1992 to 1998. Following his time at Princeton he served as president of the American University of Beirut until 2008.

President Waterbury is the author of many books and articles on the political economy of development and the Middle East. His most recent scholarly works include The Nile Basin: National Determinants of Collective Action and "Love Your Institutions; Hate Your Policies," published in Foreign Affairs.

Ph.D., Columbia University