BIRTHDATE / PLACE: 10 September 1942, Fort Madison, Iowa (US Citizen)
EDUCATION: PhD, University of Kentucky, 1977(Agricultural Economics) , MA, University of Kentucky, 1970 (International Development), BA, St. Olaf College, 1965 (History)
POSITIONS HELD:
Advisor, Royal Thai Government, Oct 1985 , Project Manager, US Agency for International Development, Thailand, May 1981 - Sep 1985 ; Economic Specialist for Community Resource Development, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University System, Jul 1979 – Apr 1981 ; Agricultural Economist,USAID consultancy (Thailand), Jul - Aug 1980 ; Economist, Development Cabinet , Office of Developmental Planning and Research , Kentucky State Government, Jun 1977 –Jun 1979 ; Research Associate, Thailand Project, University of Kentucky(in Lexington and in Northeast Thailand),Apr 1969 – May1977 ; Research Associate, Center for Developmental Change ,University of Kentucky ,Dec 1968 – Mar 1969 ; Director, Special Summer Program, Community Action for Lexington City and Fayette County Kentucky, Jun-Aug 1969 ; Employment Interviewer, Iowa State Employment Service, Dec 1967 – Aug 1969 ; US Peace Corps,Thailand,Jun 1965 – Jun 1967
SPECIALIZATION/ INTERESTS:
Efficient and equitable rural development ; coordination of multi-agency projects ; farming systems research and extension, research and extension linkages, bottom-up planning/implementation, rapid appraisal techniques, role of the local extension agent ; common resources,agroforestry,aquaculture. Cross-cultural effectiveness; design and implementation of action research, and using it to re-orient action agencies; research-technology development processes, especially methods for social science and biological science cooperation. Formal (socio-economic) surveying. Geographic specializations: Southeast Asia, Thailand, southern U.S.A.
LANGUAGES: English, Thai, Northeastern Thai, Northern Thai, Lao, German
Dr. Charles Alton's fieldwork materials consist of 387 records of document from doing research in Thailand and Lao. Some of them are his personal documents.