Professor Gaboury Benoit received his bachelor’s degree from Yale’s Department of Geology and Geophysics (1978) where he studied environmental chemistry with Karl Turekian.  After working for three years in an independent environmental consulting firm, he earned a master’s in Water Resources Engineering from MIT (1985) and a PhD in environmental chemistry from the M.I.T.-Woods Hole joint program (1988).  His thesis advisor was Harry Hemond.

He did a post-doc with Peter Santschi at the Texas A&M marine program in Galveston, TX.  He also taught there and at the Michigan State University environmental engineering program.  He started at Yale’s Environment School in 1991 where he is the Grinstein Professor of Environmental Chemistry and has served as the Associate Dean for Research and Director of Doctoral Studies.  He has a joint appointment in Yale’s Environmental Engineering program.  He founded Yale’s Center for Coastal and Watershed Systems in 1992 and acted as its faculty director for 10 years.  He is also currently faculty director of Yale’s Hixon Center for Urban Ecology.

Gabe is a nationally recognized expert on environmental chemistry and the impacts of land development on water quality.  Recent research includes urban environmental issues and watershed based studies of nonpoint source pollution.  Among his many publications, he co-authored the book New Strategies for America's Watersheds: Integrating Ecological, Economic, and Social Factors that was published by National Academy Press in 1998.  Another important recent publication is Land and Natural Development (L.A.N.D.) Code, co-authored with Diana Balmori of Yale’s Architecture School, and which is a set of guidelines for sustainable land development.