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Political Science News

Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  1. UNO
  2. College of Arts and Sciences
  3. Political Science
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indextrue175010469195195799870Political Science NewsThis blog is used to share news about Political Science Department.1462078800000Political Science News/news/indexCAS - Political Sciencesite://CAS - Political Science/news/indexswheat1653489478011rkilinc16827122434881653454800000
News ReleaseNoNoYesYes1682658000000Our graduate assistants, Toni Kirby, Jared Koelzer, and Seyma Tufan, attended the 80th Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting to present their research. /news/2023/graduate-mpsa1.jpegnavigationYessite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/graduate-mpsa1.jpegCAS - Political Sciencegraduate-mpsa1.jpeggraduate-mpsa.jpeg1706151200800///YouTubeOur graduate assistants, Toni Kirby, Jared Koelzer, and Seyma Tufan, attended the 80th Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting to present their research. The conference, considered one of the political scientists' major meetings, met in Chicago between April 13-16, 2023.

Jared Koelzer and Toni Kirby presented their paper, which they wrote with Dr. Greg Petrow. The title of the paper is "A Study of How White Voters Evaluate the Anger Expressions of Male and Female, Racially Diverse Candidates."

Seyma Tufan presented her co-authored paper with Dr. Ramazan Kilinc. The paper is titled "Explaining Minority Political Strategies under Authoritarian Rule: A Comparison of Armenian and Jewish Minority in Turkey."

We congratulate Toni, Jared, and Seyma for their writing and presentation success.////No/news/2023/mpsadepartmentphoneemailcategoryCollege of Arts and Scienceslocationevent-startsevent-endssite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/mpsaCAS - Political Sciencempsa[Article Heading]Our Graduate Assistants Presented at MPSA Annual ConferenceOur graduate assistants, Toni Kirby, Jared Koelzer, and Seyma Tufan, attended the 80th Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting to present their research.Political Science NewsOur graduate assistants, Toni Kirby, Jared Koelzer, and Seyma Tufan, attended the 80th Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting to present their research. Apr 28, 2023 12:00 AM
News ReleaseNoNoYesYes1682658000000With extensive experience and a mixed-methodological approach, Dr. Austin Doctor is dedicated to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of innovators to support national and homeland security./news/2023/austin.jpegnavigationYessite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/austin.jpegCAS - Political Scienceaustin.jpegaustin.jpeg1880091200819///YouTube

Dr. Austin Doctor, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), came to the College of Arts and Sciences in 2021 to conduct research and teach on militants, terrorism, and emerging threats. Dr. Doctor joined the faculty as the part of the cluster hire initiative overseen by the National Counterterrorism, Innovation, Technology and Education Center (NCITE), a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence at UNO, where he serves as Director of Counterterrorism Research Initiatives.

 Dr. Doctor earned his Ph.D. from the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia in 2019 after which point he spent two years as a member of the faculty at Eastern Kentucky University before moving into his role at UNO and NCITE.

 In his current position, Dr. Doctor conducts applied research in support of the national and homeland security community and is enthusiastic about mentoring students and bringing them into this work. As a principal investigator or co-principal investigator, he has acquired and managed over $5 million in federal-sponsored projects. He previously held an appointment as a non-resident fellow with the Modern War Institute at the United States Military Academy at West Point and is current a research fellow with the National Strategic Research Institute, a Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center based in the Nebraska University System.

 In support of this work, Dr. Doctor explains how he relies on a mixed-methodological approach to identify and explain threats emerging on the horizon. Towards this end, Dr. Doctor both leverages insights from large-N quantitative analysis and conducts field research in countries abroad, including sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. Some of his current projects relate to global terrorist leadership and operations, the use of emerging technologies by terrorists to harm U.S. communities and the country’s critical infrastructure, and foreign terrorist fighters.

////No/news/2023/austin-doctordepartmentphoneemailcategoryCollege of Arts and Scienceslocationevent-startsevent-endssite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/austin-doctorCAS - Political Scienceaustin-doctor[Article Heading]Dr. Austin Doctor Leads Counterterrorism Research at UNOWith extensive experience and a mixed-methodological approach, Dr. Austin Doctor is dedicated to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of innovators to support national and homeland security.Political Science NewsWith extensive experience and a mixed-methodological approach, Dr. Austin Doctor is dedicated to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of innovators to support national and homeland security.Apr 28, 2023 12:00 AM
News ReleaseNoNoYesYes1680152400000Dr. Beth Chalecki, Associate Professor of International Relations in the UNO Department of Political Science, came to UNO in 2014 to teach IR and grow the field of sustainability on campus. We interviewed Dr. Chalecki about her background and why she chose the intersection of international relations and global environmental issues for a career in environmental security. /beth-chalecki-sized.jpgnavigationYessite://CAS - Political Science/beth-chalecki-sized.jpgCAS - Political Sciencebeth-chalecki-sized.jpgbeth-chalecki-sized.jpg1380271200800///YouTube

Dr. Beth Chalecki, Associate Professor of International Relations in the UNO Department of Political Science, came to UNO in 2014 to teach IR and grow the field of sustainability on campus. We interviewed Dr. Chalecki about her background and why she chose the intersection of international relations and global environmental issues for a career in environmental security.

Teaching is actually Dr. Chalecki’s third career! She worked for six years in the federal government as an international trade analyst, and it was on a trip to the former Soviet Union that she learned about how pursuing national security in the form of nuclear weapons led to environmental devastation in the areas that mined uranium. She went on to work as a policy wonk in other government agencies and think tanks in the United States and Canada for several years, and got her PhD from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy in 2008. Her dissertation on the national security effects of climate change was one of the first on the subject.  

Since then, she has taught at Boston College, held a Mellon Fellowship at Goucher College, and been a research fellow at the Stimson Center and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She is also a Fellow at NSRI, a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on climate change and security for NATO, and an official Mad Scientist. Just this past summer, she held a Fulbright Research Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa.

She said that the climate crisis will require all of our efforts to solve it, from individual actions all the way to creating and sticking to international agreements to limit GHG emissions and de-carbonize the global economy. “I always tell my students that the task is huge and the work will be hard, but it’s not too hard. We can make the future we want.”

In addition to IR, Dr. Chalecki is the Director of the Sustainability Academic Program at UNO, which currently offers an undergraduate minor.  She said they are looking into both a major and a graduate degree, but for now anyone on campus is invited to add a Sustainability minor to their major!

Watch our interview with Dr. Chalecki below: 

////No/news/2023/beth-chaleckidepartmentphoneemailcategoryCollege of Arts and Scienceslocationevent-startsevent-endssite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/beth-chaleckiCAS - Political Sciencebeth-chalecki[Article Heading]From Policy World to Academia: Dr. Beth Chalecki's Journey to the Study of Environmental SecurityWe interviewed Dr. Chalecki about her background and why she chose the intersection of international relations and global environmental issues for a career in environmental security.Political Science, online mastersPolitical Science NewsWe interviewed Dr. Chalecki about her background and why she chose the intersection of international relations and global environmental issues for a career in environmental security.Mar 30, 2023 12:00 AM
News ReleaseNoNoYesYes1680152400000Looking back on her time at UNO, Toni Kirby is grateful for the close connections she formed with faculty members, the diverse courses offered, and the welcoming environment of the program. /news/2023/toni-2.pngnavigationYessite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/toni-2.pngCAS - Political Sciencetoni-2.pngtoni-2.png16973261200800///YouTube

Toni Kirby, a current student in the Political Science master's program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, is already making waves in the academic community with her acceptance into the prestigious Ph.D program in Political Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Looking back on her time at UNO, Toni is grateful for the close connections she formed with faculty members, the diverse courses offered, and the welcoming environment of the program. “I chose UNO for my graduate study because UNO offers a small and intimate learning experience, therefore, has the unique ability to tailor the political science program to each student's interests,” Toni said. "The Department's faculty is incredibly diverse in subfields within political science and are all easily accessible to students."

Toni's successes in the program have led her to be accepted into the highly competitive PhD program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "It was a highly rewarding experience to be able to learn in these small classes, work on individual research projects with multiple professors, and present at political science conferences during my time in the program," she said. Toni will complete her master's degree in Political Science at UNO in the Spring of 2023 before beginning her doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Fall.

Reflecting on her journey so far, Toni considers her experience as fulfilling. “The program allows students to work closely with the professors and faculty in order to gain a deeper understanding of their unique fields and expertise this creates an atmosphere where they are just as invested in your success in the program," she said. "In my experience UNO’s values go far beyond the quality of education but also in their ability to connect with the students on a personal level." 

Watch Toni's interview: 

 

 

////No/news/2023/toni-kirbydepartmentphoneemailcategoryCollege of Arts and Scienceslocationevent-startsevent-endssite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/toni-kirbyCAS - Political Sciencetoni-kirby[Article Heading]A Fulfilling Journey: Toni Kirby's Reflections on UNO Political Science Master's ProgramToni Kirby's reflections on being a graduate student at UNO's master's program. UNO, political science online masters. Looking back on her time at UNO, Toni Kirby is grateful for the close connections she formed with faculty members, the diverse courses offered, and the welcoming environment of the program. The UNO political science online master offers unique opportunities for the students. Mar 30, 2023 12:00 AM
Additional Information
News ReleaseNoNoYesYes1675317600000Josie Nelson, a graduate student in the Department of Political Science, shares her experience at UNO. /news/2023/josie.jpegnavigationYessite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/josie.jpegCAS - Political Sciencejosie.jpegjosie.jpeg2091361200800Graduate Assistant Josie Nelson briefs on her team's findings and experience participating in an experiment in National Deterrence Lab at UNO. ///YouTube

Josie Nelson, a graduate student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), has been in the program since the Fall of 2021.

We interviewed Josie about her experiences at UNO. Josie chose UNO for her graduate studies because of a graduate assistantship opportunity with Dr. Michelle Black on a multi-actor deterrence and methodology project.

Josie has found the Political Science program at UNO to be highly supportive and full of growth opportunities. The department has a diverse range of faculty members and has allowed Josie to thoroughly explore different regions of the world and subfields of political science.

Josie has had several highlights during her time at UNO, including attending a conference in Greece with the support of the UNO Political Science department and the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office. Another highlight was being selected to attend a prestigious West Point Military Academy conference, a testament to Josie's dedication and hard work.

Josie hopes to someday work in the international relations field and believes that her experience at UNO will help her achieve this goal. "UNO's Political Science Department has been a valuable resource for me," said Josie. "I am grateful for the support and opportunities I have received and am confident that my time here has prepared me for a successful career in the field."

Watch Josie's video for more insights from her experience at UNO. 

////No/news/2023/josie-nelsondepartmentphoneemailcategoryCollege of Arts and Scienceslocationevent-startsevent-endssite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/josie-nelsonCAS - Political Sciencejosie-nelson[Article Heading]Josie Nelson shines in Political Science Graduate Program at UNOPolitical Science NewsStudent experiences at online masters program in Political Science Program.Feb 2, 2023 12:00 AM
News ReleaseNoNoYesYes1677391200000The 2023 Nebraska Civic Leaders Program has officially kicked off with the recruitment of students and teachers from Burke, Bryan, Central, North, and South High Schools./news/2023/02/img/nclpimage002_1200.jpgnavigationYessite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/02/img/nclpimage002_1200.jpgCAS - Political Sciencenclpimage002_1200.jpgnclpimage002_1200.jpg8111031200800///YouTube

Since 2010, the Nebraska Civic Leadership Program (NCLP) has connected Omaha-area high school students with hands-on experiences and opportunities to see firsthand how government operates at all levels. The program is a partnership between UNO, Omaha Public Schools and the Sherwood Foundation.

The 2023 Nebraska Civic Leaders Program officially kicked off with the recruitment of 22 students and six teachers from Burke, Bryan, Central, North, and South High Schools. On Tuesday, February 14, the students met for the first time and traveled to the State Capitol, where they had the opportunity to engage with various government officials and leaders.

The day began with meetings with Assistant Secretary of State for International Affairs, Cindi Allen, and Assistant Deputy Secretary of State for Elections, Andrew Buller. The students were then given a tour of the State Capitol and observed the Unicameral in session. They also participated in two panel discussions, with the first panel featuring prominent figures such as Paul Hammel of the Nebraska Examiner, Heath Mello, Vice President of External Relations for the University of Nebraska system, and legislative staff members Ken Pancake and Kate Wolfe. The second panel featured State Senators Megan Hunt and John Frederickson.

The day concluded with a visit to the State Supreme Court chamber, where the students had the opportunity to engage with Supreme Court Justice Hon. Jeff Funke. The program is designed to provide students with a firsthand experience of Nebraska's government, including the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.

The Nebraska Civic Leaders Program is planning several events for the group in the coming months, including City Government Day and a field trip to Omaha City Hall, the Harry Truman Museum and Library, the annual Summer Academy in Civic Leadership, and a trip to Washington, D.C. The program aims to educate and empower students to become future civic leaders in their communities and beyond.

"We are thrilled to welcome this new class of students and teachers to the Nebraska Civic Leaders Program," said program director Dr. Randy Adkins, a professor of Political Science and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "We believe that providing students with firsthand experience of our government and civic institutions is critical to developing their leadership skills and preparing them for a lifetime of community service. We look forward to working with this exceptional group of young leaders."

 

nclpimage001.jpg////No/news/2023/nclpdepartmentphoneemailcategoryCollege of Arts and Scienceslocationevent-startsevent-endssite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/nclpCAS - Political SciencenclpNebraska Civic Leaders Program Recruits 22 High School Students for Hands-on Government ExperienceNebraska Civic Leaders Program Recruits 22 High School Students for Hands-on Government ExperienceThe 2023 Nebraska Civic Leaders Program has officially kicked off with the recruitment of students and teachers from Burke, Bryan, Central, North, and South High Schools.The 2023 Nebraska Civic Leaders Program has officially kicked off with the recruitment of students and teachers from Burke, Bryan, Central, North, and South High Schools.Feb 26, 2023 12:00 AM
News ReleaseNoNoYesYes1675749600000The Department of Political Science is thrilled to announce that Sarah Sedivy has been selected as the recipient of the "Outstanding Major Award." /news/2023/03/img/sarah-image_1200.jpgnavigationYessite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/03/img/sarah-image_1200.jpgCAS - Political Sciencesarah-image_1200.jpgsarah-image_1200.jpg7434771200801///YouTube

The Department of Political Science is thrilled to announce that Sarah Sedivy has been selected as the recipient of the "Outstanding Major Award." Sarah, a senior, is pursuing a major in Political Science with a Concentration in Law and the Courts and a minor in German.

Sarah chose Political Science as her major because she believes that it will prepare her for her future goals, including going to law school, and she wants to better understand her place within the government. She loves the diverse range of courses and topics available in the department, which allows students to have a broad understanding of the political spectrum and delve into areas of interest.

The Political Science Department has been instrumental in helping Sarah achieve her goals. It has provided her with the skills she needs to succeed, including critical thinking and analysis, and has given her the opportunity to make valuable connections with professors and peers.

UNO campus has provided Sarah with many highlights during her time there. From taking challenging courses to participating in extracurricular activities, service-learning projects, and conducting research with faculty members, UNO has offered countless opportunities for Sarah to grow and become a well-rounded individual.

We want to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sarah on this outstanding achievement. Her hard work and dedication have made a lasting impact on our department, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Please watch our interview with Sarah below. 

 

////No/news/2023/sarah-sedivydepartmentphoneemailcategoryCollege of Arts and Scienceslocationevent-startsevent-endssite://CAS - Political Science/news/2023/sarah-sedivyCAS - Political Sciencesarah-sedivy[Article Heading]Outstanding Major Award in Political Science Goes to Sarah SedivyThe Department of Political Science is thrilled to announce that Sarah Sedivy has been selected as the recipient of the "Outstanding Major Award." Political Science NewsThe Department of Political Science is thrilled to announce that Sarah Sedivy has been selected as the recipient of the "Outstanding Major Award." Feb 7, 2023 12:00 AM
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Featured

Our Graduate Assistants Presented at MPSA Annual Conference

Our graduate assistants, Toni Kirby, Jared Koelzer, and Seyma Tufan, attended the 80th Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting to present their research.

Dr. Austin Doctor Leads Counterterrorism Research at UNO

With extensive experience and a mixed-methodological approach, Dr. Austin Doctor is dedicated to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of innovators to support national and homeland security.

From Policy World to Academia: Dr. Beth Chalecki's Journey to the Study of Environmental Security

We interviewed Dr. Chalecki about her background and why she chose the intersection of international relations and global environmental issues for a career in environmental security.

A Fulfilling Journey: Toni Kirby's Reflections on UNO Political Science Master's Program

Toni Kirby's reflections on being a graduate student at UNO's master's program.

Additional Information

more

Josie Nelson shines in Political Science Graduate Program at UNO

Student experiences at online masters program in Political Science Program.

Nebraska Civic Leaders Program Recruits 22 High School Students for Hands-on Government Experience

The 2023 Nebraska Civic Leaders Program has officially kicked off with the recruitment of students and teachers from Burke, Bryan, Central, North, and South High Schools.

Outstanding Major Award in Political Science Goes to Sarah Sedivy

The Department of Political Science is thrilled to announce that Sarah Sedivy has been selected as the recipient of the "Outstanding Major Award."

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