As the Vice President of Environmental Affairs and Sustainability at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Robert Horton is a key figure in the airport's sustainability initiatives. Since joining DFW in 2014, his leadership has led to a significant >80% reduction in the airport's carbon footprint since 2014, based on a 2010 baseline. With a wealth of experience spanning over 25 years in aviation, transportation, and sustainability, he is renowned for his ability to foster collaboration and drive transformative change.
As a scholar in risk and resilience science and complex engineered systems, Dr. Horton, contributes his expertise to several high-profile national and industry platforms, including the Aeronautics Research and Technology Roundtable and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's External Advisory Board for Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems, and the Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences Directorate (MTES), driving technological innovation in sustainable transportation, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Engineering in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from the University of Florida and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology. His research focused on evaluating airports using a complex systems approach. In 2019, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Florida, recognizing his global contributions toward advancing transportation resilience and sustainability.