Eric Karel van Douwen (April 25, 1946 in Voorburg, South Holland, Netherlands – July 28, 1987 in Athens, Ohio, United States) was a Dutch mathematician specializing in set-theoretic topology. He received his Ph.D. in 1975 from Vrije Universiteit under the supervision of Maarten Maurice and Johannes Aarts, both of whom were in turn students of Johannes de Groot.