General

Ph.D. — Washington University in St. Louis (1998)
M.A. — Washington University in St. Louis (1995)
B.A. — Gustavus Adolphus College (1993)

Researching and teaching (within and beyond the classroom) about the least understood branch of the federal government is my passion. I am an expert on the U.S. Supreme Court, oral arguments and decision making, judicial politics, empirical legal studies, and American political institutions.

External Grants

I have won $3,561,358 in external funding for my researchincluding six National Science Foundation Grants (2017, 2016, 2006, 2004, 2003, and 1997).

Research Awards

  1. Pi Sigma Alpha Award (given annually for the best paper presented at the previous year’s meetings of the Southern Political Science Association meetings). 2009. “Political Case Salience, U.S. Supreme Court Oral Arguments, and the Search for the Holy Grail” (with Ryan C. Black).

  2. The American Judicature Society Award (given annually for the best paper on law and courts presented at the previous year’s meetings of the American, Midwest, Southern, Southwestern, or Western Political Sciences Associations). 2002. “Passing and Sophisticated Voting on the U.S. Supreme Court” (with James F. Spriggs, and Paul Wahlbeck).

  3. Honorable Mention, Congressional Quarterly Competition for the Best Graduate Level Paper in the Field of Law and Courts. 1996. “The Public’s Conditional Response to Supreme Court Decisions” (with Andrew Martin). Law and Courts Section, American Political Science Association.

Teaching Awards

  1. American Political Science Association Distinguished Teaching Award. 2018. American Political Science Association.

  2. Robert Foster Cherry Award Semi-Finalist. 2018. Baylor University. The Cherry Award program is designed to honor great teachers, to stimulate discussion in the academy about the value of teaching, and to encourage departments and institutions to value their own great teachers.

  3. Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. 2008. University of Minnesota.

  4. Arthur “Red” Motley Exemplary Teaching Award. 2007. College of Liberal Arts. University of Minnesota.