Laurie Garton has BS, ME, and PhD degrees in civil engineering (environmental) from Texas A&M University. Her dissertation topic was "Characterization of Particles and Particle-Particle Interactions under Known Chemical and Hydrodynamic Conditions". She has co-authored 9 peer-reviewed publications (1990-2002) and numerous other short communications and technical peer-reviewed and invited presentations related to this topic, including fractal flocculation kinetics modeling and aquatic sediments. She started her academic career at Youngstown State University in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department as a tenure-track faculty member. While there she was selected to participate in several engineering teaching workshops and was chosen as the Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor of the Year for 1997-98. Her research was in water quality related topics including the Mahoning River Basin, with a funded project and a research professorship to pursue these activities.

Since joining TEES in 1999 she has worked on technical research project grants related to interdisciplinary environmental themes. Currently she leads the TEES New Faculty Initiative targeting grants such as the NSF CAREEER awards for untenured engineering faculty throughout the TEES divisions, conducting workshops and guiding faculty through the proposal development process. She also works with multi-institutional Center level efforts such as proposals to the NSF CREST program, including the funded CREST Research on Environmental Sustainable Semi-Arid Coastal Areas (RESSACA) renewal at TAMU-Kingsville in 2007.