Van Maasakkers’ research and teaching focus on the role of science in environmental decision-making, specifically in the context of complex public disputes. He has conducted research on environmental institutions and conflicts in the United States, the European Union, the Middle East and South Africa. His recent book, titled The Creation of Markets for Ecosystem Services in the United States: The Challenge of Trading Places, provides an in-depth analysis of the development of these new institutions in the Midwest, Pacific Northwest and Chesapeake Bay watershed. Van Maasakkers currently conducts research on the role of measurement systems in decision-making on land use in shrinking cities.