Edward B. Overton, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Environmental Sciences
School of the Coast and Environment
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA 

Edward B. Overton is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Coast and the Environment at LSU

His research interests include: understanding the fates and distributions of hydrocarbons following an oil spill, the environmental chemistry of hazardous chemicals, and the detection of environmental pollutants at the site of sample collection. He has been active in understanding the fate and effects of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine environments from oil spills since the 1978 Well blowout at the US DOE Strategic Petroleum Reserve West Hackberry Site, flowed by the Amoco Cadiz Tanker wreck and the IXTOC 1 blowout in 1979, the Exxon Valdez wreck in 1989, and currently the Deepwater Horizon fire and blowout in 2010. Dr Overton has given hundreds of interviews concerning the oil spill to international print, radio, and TV media sources including an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Dr. Overton held the Clairborne Chair in Environmental Toxicology and Air Quality prior to his retirement. He was honored as an LSU Distinguished Faculty in 2008, and was the 1996 Louisiana Technologist of the Year.

He is married to Susan J. Overton (formerly Susan C. Jones). They have two children: a son- Tommy Overton, LSU 2006, and a daughter- Jennifer, LSU 2008.