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. I am co-author of Historical Dictionary of the Donald Trump Administration, a reference text published by Rowman & Littlefield. My published work also appears in American Politics Research, Social Science Quarterly, The Commonwealth Review of Political Science, Political Science Quarterly, the Journal of Political Science Education, and the Journal of International Media and Cultural Politics, alongside chapters in edited volumes and multiple shorter public scholarship pieces.  I am currently co-editing Scandal in the White House: Corruption, Immorality, and the American Presidency since Reconstruction. 
 
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. I serve as the Pre-Law Advisor for Saint Leo University and Lead Advisor for the 3+3 Accelerated Law Program. Professionally, I currently serve as the Co-Chair for the American Political Science Association's Civic Engagement Section and President  of the Florida Political Science Association.  

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!