Austin Trantham, Ph.D.

Welcome.  I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, Florida. 

Please feel free to browse this website to learn more about me and my professional journey as a college professor and political scientist. 

I have extensive classroom experience, having taught introductory and advanced undergraduate courses in American Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Philosophy, International Relations, and Research Methodology, as well as graduate seminars in Public Policy.  My commitment to quality undergraduate education led to the completion of a Graduate Certificate in College Teaching and Learning through the University of Kentucky Graduate School.  

My ongoing research agenda is concerned with the study of American political executives and public policy issues from historical and comparative perspectives. Recent publications include Historical Dictionary of the Donald Trump Administration, a co-authored reference text published by Rowman & Littlefield. I have also published articles relating to gubernatorial campaign visits in American Politics Research.  Forthcoming works include a book chapter discussing presidential leadership and legacy as seen through presidential library and museum websites, as well as chapters examining different active learning techniques in the classroom.  Finally, I am co-editor for Scandal in the White House, a volume taking a multidisciplinary look at presidential scandal, while also writing two chapters in the text.
 
Outside of research and teaching, I enjoy contributing to academic communities by participating in service activities.  At the institutional level, I have experience with program assessment, curriculum development, Pre-Law advising, and graduate admissions. In the American Political Science Association (APSA), I am the inaugural Social Media Coordinator for the Presidents and Executive Politics Section and inaugural Director of Awards for the Civic Engagement Section. I currently serve the Florida Political Science Association (FPSA) as its First Vice President and Annual Meeting Program Chair, Editor of The Political Scientist, the semi-annual FPSA newsletter, and the American National Politics Section Chair for the annual FPSA Annual Meeting. 

I hold my Ph.D. and an M.A. from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.  Prior to doctoral studies,  I earned an M.A. through the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C. and completed my B.A. with Honors at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. 

Thanks for visiting.  Please feel free to reach out to me on the Contact page if you would like to discuss one of my courses or a potential research collaboration!