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 most recent publications are dedicated to sharing my experiences as a graduate student regarding career preparation, including a piece for Inside Higher Ed on contingent faculty roles as pathways to tenure-track employment and a book chapter on visiting, adjunct, and fixed-term positions.  Other components of my research agenda are concerned with the study of American political executives and public policy issues from historical and comparative perspectives and include "Racial Politics and the Presidency: Analyzing White House Visits by Professional Sports Teams" in Social Science Quarterly.

Forthcoming publications include a book chapter examining congressional redistricting for The Roads to Congress 2022, while works in progress analyze gubernatorial debate rhetoric, investigate the politics of U.S. Cabinet tenure, and examine the global history of vaccination policy.  
 
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 Awards Committee Chair for the Civic Engagement Section. I serve the Florida Political Science Association (FPSA) as its Second Vice President, 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!