Within the field of comparative politics, my specialization is comparative political economy and political development. More specifically, I study the ways in which, and the channels through which, political institutions affect economic performance. Although my research is cross-national in nature, I have a regional interest in East Asia, especially China. I also teach quantitative research methods.
Between college and graduate school, I spent most of six years working as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota. My portfolio included budget and tax issues, Social Security and federal employee retirement programs, campaign finance reform, and education and welfare policy. I also worked on Johnson's campaign for re-election to Congress in 1992.
Curriculum Vitae
