University of Nevada, Reno faculty offer a range of expertise related to the 2024 elections. Please email the University communications team to schedule an interview with one of the experts below.
Election 2024 subject matter experts
History of U.S.-Mexico borderlands; United States, Mexican American and Latina/o/x history; history of (im)migration
Assistant professor in Mexican-American, Chicana/o/x and/or U.S. – Mexico borderlands
Research focuses on United States, Mexican American and Latina/o/x history and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Some of his research interests include the political economy, labor, (im)migration, race and healthcare in the context of Mexican American history. His first book project focused on the Western U.S.-Mexico borderlands from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Sociology of race and ethnicity; migration; citizenship
Assistant professor of sociology and gender, race and identity
Investigates the role of emotions in transnational Black social movements with a broader research goal of understanding the diverse ways that blackness is politicized across the African diaspora and used as a tool to demand racial justice in spaces of black invisibility. Her research interests include Black feminist theory, the sociology of race and ethnicity, social movements, and migration and citizenship.
American politics; presidential politics; Congress; state and local politics
Associate professor of political science and director of graduate studies
Research focuses on American political institutions, with an emphasis on policymaking and partisanship in the United States Congress. He has commented on American and Nevada politics and elections for national and international news organizations including ABC News, Bloomberg News, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Los Angeles Times, NBC News and The New York Times. He is an expert on the American political process, the presidency, Congress, state and local politics, and research methods.
Local government; civic engagement; government technology
Assistant professor of public administration
Research focuses on local government, civic engagement, government technology, organizational theory and public management. Before academia, Johnson worked with over 200 local government entities across the United States as an employee and consultant. He is currently working on how AI is being used in local government organizations, how public organizations reform over time and how human resources processes are shaping the public workforce.
Fake news; deep fakes; social media and politics; online commenting and uncivil behavior
Associate professor of global media
Research focuses on alternate media and global journalism practices, including work related to fake news and deep fakes on social media and online commenting and uncivil behavior’s impacts on journalistic practices. She was previously a journalist for The Hindu Newspaper, Al Jazeera and The Guardian. Her research interests include examining epistemological concerns raised by emerging forms of media that are hybrids between old and new forms and between citizen and professional news practices.
Political psychology; cultural psychology; intergroup relations
Vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School
Research focuses on cultural psychology, political psychology, interaction and social cognition and intergroup relations. He is an expert on advanced statistical methods. Some of his research interests have included the shrinking personality differences between conservatives and liberals as well as the impact and implications of ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity on the development of attitudes toward voting and the democratic debate.
Marketing and societal issues; marketing and ethical behavior
Associate professor of marketing
Research focuses on marketing and societal issues, marketing management and strategy, marketing communications, and marketing ethics and ethical behavior. He is an expert on consumer well-being and the motivations behind ethical and sustainable behavior in the marketplace. His research interests include marketplace influence and risk decision-making.
Political orientation influence on consumption; marketing
Assistant professor of marketing
Research focuses the influence of political orientation on consumption and marketplace diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. She is an expert in digital marketing, retail management and consumer behavior. Her research interests include consumer health and well-being, diversity, equity, and inclusion, identity, retailing, and food marketing.
Political campaign rhetoric; social movement advocacy; protest/First Amendment; deliberative democracy
Associate professor of communication studies, specializing in rhetoric
Research and teaching centers on multiple facets of democracy in the US, especially in the ways that we can foster and support democratic culture. She has explored advocacy strategies of activists, intersections of the First Amendment and protest, and public deliberation of legislation. She teaches courses on facilitation to help students develop skills for deliberation and understand how to engage across differences to solve society’s “wicked problems.” To address and understand partisan and polarized political language, she is collaborating with the , to evaluate Nevada state and local election materials utilizing the , to understand how divisive campaigning is in the Silver State.
Aging; memory; quality of life for elders; geriatrics health care services
Professor of public health and director of the Sanford Center for Aging
Research focuses on aging, memory concerns, community-based elder care services and geriatrics health care services. As a public health gerontologist, he is dedicated to service elders and supporting quality of life. As a frequent author and speaker, he has published more than 50 papers, monographs, book chapters and keynote presentations.