Screenshot of the Presidential Inauguration Committee website (58pic2017.org).
As Donald Trump prepares to be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, Penn State experts will be watching along with the rest of the nation, and they’ll be available to give their analysis to media.
Penn State experts are available to comment on the inauguration are listed by topical expertise:
GENERAL POLITICS:
— Robert Speel, associate professor of political science, can speak generally about politics, elections, the inauguration and political transition. His research interests include elections and voting behavior, state and urban politics, Congress and the Presidency, and public policy. Contact: rws15@psu.edu
WOMEN IN POLITICS/WOMEN’S MARCH
— Nichola Gutgold, professor of communication arts and sciences, is an expert on women in politics. She is in Washington, D.C. observing inauguration activities with a group of students. She can speak about past female political candidates and barriers women face today. She is the author of “Madam President: Five Women Who Paved the Way” and the forthcoming expanded edition of the book: “Paving The Way for Madam President.” Contact: ngutgold@psu.edu
— Lee Ann Banaszak, Penn State professor and political science department head, is an expert on women in politics and political protests. She will be in Washington, D.C. at the Women’s March on Washington. She recently conducted a survey study of protesters at the 2016 Democratic and Republican conventions. Contact: lab14@psu.edu
RURAL SOCIOLOGY:
— Shannon Monnat, assistant professor of rural sociology, demography and sociology, can speak to the demographic information of presidential election voters. Her recent analysis of data from the Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that Donald Trump found significantly more support in areas with high drug, alcohol and suicide mortality rates during the 2016 Presidential election. Contact: smm67@psu.edu
PRESIDENTIAL POWERS:
— Mark Major is a senior lecturer in the department and the author of “The Unilateral Presidency and the News Media: The Politics of Framing Executive Power.” He specializes in the American presidency and political communication. He recently wrote an article for The Conversation about President Obama’s use of unilateral powers compared to other presidents.
Contact: mgm26@psu.edu
MEDIA STUDIES:
— Matthew Jordan, associate professor of media studies, teaches media studies, cultural studies, film studies and critical theory. He can speak to the media coverage of the presidential election, the ongoing coverage of government and politics and the proliferation of “fake news.” Contact: mfj3@psu.edu
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
— Dennis Jett, professor of international affairs, can speak to the topics of securing America and international relations. He is a former American ambassador who joined the Penn State School of International Affairs after a career in the U.S. Foreign Service that spanned 28 years and three continents. His research focuses on American foreign policy, ambassadorial appointments, the impact of domestic politics on foreign policy and peacekeeping. Contact: dcj10@psu.edu
For more information or direct phone numbers for the experts, please contact News and Media Relations at 814-865-7517 or hrobbins@psu.edu.