Daniel Fitzgerald
- Doctoral Student
- Research Areas: Democratic governance and accountability, Community resilience and adaptive governance, Urban sustainability and Environmental policy, Urban political economy and fiscal innovation, and Informal economies
Additional Information
Bio
Daniel E. Fitzgerald is a first-year doctoral student in Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His research investigates how communities uphold democratic ideals while navigating the fiscal, environmental, and administrative realities of governance. He examines how local governments design and deliver public services that advance sustainability, equity, and accountability—focusing on how financial decisions, environmental policy, and institutional structure shape the everyday lives of residents.
Dan’s work engages with systems such as land use, waste management, and infrastructure planning—arenas where governance, economics, and community values converge. He is particularly interested in how institutional choices express civic priorities and how local governments adapt to social, economic, and ecological change while maintaining public trust and democratic legitimacy.
A U.S. Army veteran, Dan brings a perspective grounded in public service, discipline, and civic responsibility. Beyond his academic work, he contributes to regional planning and sustainability initiatives that bridge research and practice, helping communities strengthen the connections between fiscal stewardship, environmental resilience, and inclusive development. His scholarship reflects a commitment to understanding and improving the systems that sustain democratic life in cities—making governance not only more efficient, but more just and enduring.
Education
M.S. in Urban Studies, University of Nebraska at Omaha
B.M.S. in Political Science & Sustainability, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Teaching Experience
UBNS/PA1010: Introduction to Urban StudiesHonors and Awards
Additional Information
Bio
Daniel E. Fitzgerald is a first-year doctoral student in Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. His research investigates how communities uphold democratic ideals while navigating the fiscal, environmental, and administrative realities of governance. He examines how local governments design and deliver public services that advance sustainability, equity, and accountability—focusing on how financial decisions, environmental policy, and institutional structure shape the everyday lives of residents.
Dan’s work engages with systems such as land use, waste management, and infrastructure planning—arenas where governance, economics, and community values converge. He is particularly interested in how institutional choices express civic priorities and how local governments adapt to social, economic, and ecological change while maintaining public trust and democratic legitimacy.
A U.S. Army veteran, Dan brings a perspective grounded in public service, discipline, and civic responsibility. Beyond his academic work, he contributes to regional planning and sustainability initiatives that bridge research and practice, helping communities strengthen the connections between fiscal stewardship, environmental resilience, and inclusive development. His scholarship reflects a commitment to understanding and improving the systems that sustain democratic life in cities—making governance not only more efficient, but more just and enduring.
Education
M.S. in Urban Studies, University of Nebraska at Omaha
B.M.S. in Political Science & Sustainability, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Teaching Experience
UBNS/PA1010: Introduction to Urban StudiesHonors and Awards