Office Hours
Tuesday: 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
(or by appointment)
Biography
My primary research interests are organized interest groups and the executive branch (particularly the intelligence community). My first book, Lobbying Together, was published by Georgetown University Press in April 1999. This project took shape during a two-year research stay at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C., when I interviewed more than 130 lobbyists and group leaders about their activities.
Since 2001, I've published several abridgements and updates (4th-9th Brief editions, as well as the Student Achievement Series, Student Choice, and Essentials editions) of the popular American government textbook, Challenge of Democracy, by Ken Janda, Jeff Berry, and Jerry Goldman. A research project examining the coalitions that have emerged in the ongoing debates over human cloning and stem cell research was published in 2005. Currently I'm working on an extended project dealing with intelligence and the executive branch.
Education
- Ph.D. 1995 Harvard University, Political Science
- A.M. 1991 Harvard University, Political Science
- B.A. 1987 University of Kansas, Political Science, Germanic Languages and Literature
Courses Taught
Here at Loyola, I cover a broad range of courses dealing with American politics, though I try to focus my classes around the general themes of the executive branch (especially intelligence-related topics) and interest groups, while teaching an introductory course in American politics each semester. My course list includes:
- PS102 American Politics
- PS319 Interest Groups in American Democracy
- PS321 Religion and Politics in America
- PS325 Introduction to Public Policy
- PS329 The Modern American Presidency
- PS330 Strategic Intelligence and American Democracy
- PS331 Political Responses to Crisis
- PS401 Research Methods in Political Science (seminar)
- PS476 Intelligence, Secrecy, and Government Reform (seminar)
- PS477 Intelligence and the Executive Branch (seminar)
Honors, Fellowships, and Awards
- Harry W. Rodgers, III Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, Loyola University Maryland, 2016
- Educator For Life Award, Loyola University Maryland, 2015
- Emerging Scholar Award, APSA Political Organizations and Parties Section, 2000
- Newman Scholar, Loyola College, 2000-2002
- OSS Golden Candle Award, 1997
- Distinguished Teaching Certificate, Harvard University, 1994
- Brookings Research Fellow, 1992-93
- Jacob Javits Fellowship, 1987-1991
- Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Sigma Alpha, 1986
Service
Current Service
- University Board on Discipline / Title IX adjudicator
- Phi Beta Kappa Committee
- Loyola/Notre Dame Joint Library Committee
- Faculty advisor for the Loyola InterVarsity, a chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
- Departmental internship coordinator
- Major advisor
- Departmental computer consultant
Past Service
- Academic Senate
- Chair, Department of Political Science, 2007-2010
- Core advisor
- Co-chair of the Middle States Subcommittee on Technology and the Library
- Steering committee for the Center for Community and Social Research
- Faculty Development Committee
- Strategic Planning Committee for Technology
- Committee on Studies
- Search Committee for the Director of the Loyola/Notre Dame Library
- Global Policy Analysis Taskforce
Faculty Appointments
- Associate Professor of Political Science, 2000-present
- Assistant Professor of Political Science, 1994-2000
Personal
- My wife and I are members of Central Presbyterian Church
- A panoramic view of my old stomping grounds in Burgsteinfurt, Germany (broadband only!)