Penn State University - Main Campus
Frank R. Baumgartner (Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1986) is Miller-LaVigne Professor of Political Science at The Pennsylvania State University and co-founder (with Bryan D. Jones) of the national Policy Agendas project on which the Pennsylvania project is modeled. His work on public policy, agenda-setting, and interest groups has appeared in such journals as the American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Comparative Politics, and Legislative Studies Quarterly . His 2005 book, co-authored with Bryan D. Jones, The Politics of Attention (University of Chicago Press) makes use of the large datasets of the national policy agendas project. This project allows scholars to trace policy changes since World War Two using a number of comprehensive databases collected with the support of the National Science Foundation. Previous books include Policy Dynamics (co-edited, with Bryan D. Jones), also from the agendas project (Chicago, 2002), Basic Interests (with Beth Leech), on the importance of interest groups in American politics and political science (Princeton University Press, 1998), Agendas and Instability in American Politics (with Bryan Jones) (Chicago, 1993), on agenda-setting in American politics. His most recent book is The Decline of the Death Penalty and the Discovery of Innocence (with Suzanna L. De Boef and Amber Boydstun; Cambridge, 2008).
Researchers:
Chris Black is senior Political Science major from Kennett Square, PA. After graduation he plans to travel and then work in South America for a non-profit or business for one year. Then he hopes to obtain a MBA, pursue business, or a PhD in Sociology.
Maria Browne is a freshman majoring in International Politics and French, and minoring in Arabic and Music Technology. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. and later a career in Middle Eastern and Northern African affairs. Maria is from State College, PA.
Cate Cantral is a junior at Penn State from Tallahassee, FL. She is majoring i n Political Science, minoring in French, and hopes to attend law school after she graduates.
Jacqlyn Davidson is a senior Science major at Penn State University from Columbia , Maryland . After obtaining her B.S., she will be going to school for Physical Therapy .
Erica Fetter, a native of Greensburg, PA, is a senior majoring in International Politics; she supplements her studies with minors in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies. After graduation in May, she will either teach in Philadelphia as a Teach for America Corps Member, or relocate to Washington, D.C. to work for the Department of Homeland Security.
Mary Gardner is a senior majoring in Political Science at Penn State University from Atlanta, Georgia. After completing her B.A. in Political Science, Mary plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Political Science with a focus on American Politics.
Zack Haas is a sophomore majoring in International Politics and Spanish and is from State College , Pennsylvania. He hopes to study and eventually live abroad, possibly working at a US embassy or the State Department.
David Hardison of Philadelphia , PA is a senior at Penn State University, majoring in International Politics. His future plans include teaching English abroad for a year, obtaining a Master's degree in international relations, and ultimately working as a political officer for the United States Foreign Service.
Emily Helms is a junior majoring in International Politics from Wayne , PA. Emily aspires to work in the Human Rights arena, possibly with Amnesty International, Fact Find Missions in conflict zones for the UN, or with environmental conservation and fair trade organizations.
Tanya Kar is a junior at Penn State from Macungie, Pennsylvania majoring in Political Science, Economics, and International Studies. She is studying abroad this spring in Sydney , Australia at the University of New South Wales . After returning, she plans on graduating early and joining Teach for America and the Peace Corps before attending law school and getting a Masters in public policy. Ultimately, she plans to pursue a career in international law or finance.
Chuck Knight is a senior at Penn State from Mount Pleasant, PA. He is studying for a Bachelor's of Science in Economics with a module in Public Economics and minoring in Political Science. After leaving Penn State , he hopes to enter the work force and eventually go back to school to work toward earning a MBA.
Nick Leslie is currently a freshman and Political Science major. He is from Livermore, California.
Sara Lutton is a freshman studying political science. She is from Blairsville, Pennsylvania and upon graduation plans to attend law school and study constitutional law.
Katie Marchetti is a first-year student in the Ph.D. program at Penn State, studying American politics with a focus on interest groups, social movements, and women in politics. She received her B.A. from Gettysburg College in May of 2007 with a double-major in Political Science and Women's Studies. Katie is originally from Carlisle , PA.
Alexandra Mele is a freshman political science major from Exton, Pennsylvania.
Jon Moody is a Ph.D. candidate in his second year studying American Politics, Research Methodology and Communications. His current research interests are political advertisements, candidate campaign behavior, and media-related politics. He received his BA in political science from the University of Mississippi in 2005.
Charlotte Newell is a senior majoring in Political Science with minors in Law and Liberal Arts, Geography and International Studies from State College , Pennsylvania .
Erin Preston is a senior at the Pennsylvania State University from Brockway, Pennsylvania. She will be graduating in the spring with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Communication Arts and Science. Erin plans to attend graduate school in the fall pursuing a Masters degree in Public Administration.
Jessica Roberson is a freshman majoring in Economics from Chicago, Illinois. After completing her BS in Economics, Jessica plans to receive her MBA from the University of Chicago.
Lane Schiff is currently a junior majoring in psychology. He is from Lower Merion Pennsylvania and plans to attend law school after he graduates.
Matthew Sczweck is a freshman majoring in Political Science from Hamilton, New Jersey. He hopes to pursue a law degree after completing his undergraduate work, and become a prosecutor.
Lauren Seitz is a junior majoring in International Politics and Economics from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania . After graduation she plans to work in Washington, DC, before attending graduate school in the field of International Relations.
Marissa Sharples is a senior at Penn State majoring in political science from Marlton, NJ. She plans on attending law school in the fall. Eventually, she would like to be a corporate lawyer in Philadelphia, NYC, or DC.
Catherine Simonik is currently a freshman from Freehold, New Jersey. She is majoring in International Politics and Economics. After graduation, she plans to attend law school and pursue a career in business law.
Emily Spivak is a junior majoring in political science and minoring in civic and community engagement at the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA. She plans to work for a nonprofit agency or a lobbying group in Washington D.C. before going to graduate school. Emily comes from McMurray, PA.
Elizabeth Stitzinger is a junior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Religious Studies, from Doylestown, Pennsylvania . She is studying abroad this summer at the Center for European Studies in Maastricht, Netherlands. After returning, she plans to study and intern in Washington, D.C. upon acceptance into Penn State 's Washington Program. After graduation she hopes to explore the field of public policy and lobbying before attending graduate school.
Eric Tocci is a senior studying political science with a minor in history from Bethlehem , Pennsylvania.
Joshua Wilensky is a freshman studying Political Science. He is from Freehold, New Jersey and plans to attend Law School after graduating from Penn State .
Mary Yurick is a senior from West Deptford, NJ and is graduating in May with a B.A. in Political Science. After graduation, Mary plans to attend law school.
Former Researchers (Hometown):
Chris Black (Kennett Square, Pennsylvania)
Jenna Flanigan (Lock Haven, Pennsylvania)
Sarah Foreman (State College, Pennsylvania)
Christopher Healy (Rising Sun, Maryland)
Meredith Isaacs (Newark, Delaware)
Kristin Kotch (Weatherly, Pennsylvania)
Paul Rutledge
Alexander Smith (Reading, Pennsylvania)
Adam Tarr (Sharpsville, Pennsylvania)