Curriculum Vitae
Employment
Vanderbilt University
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for the Study of Democratic Politics, 2012-2013
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for the Study of Democratic Politics, 2012-2013
Education
University of Rochester
Ph.D, Political Science, 2012 (Expected)
- Fields: American Politics, Political Methodology (A-level), Formal Theory
M.A., Political Science, 2010
University of California, San Diego
B.A., Political Science and Applied Mathematics, 2006
Ph.D, Political Science, 2012 (Expected)
- Fields: American Politics, Political Methodology (A-level), Formal Theory
M.A., Political Science, 2010
University of California, San Diego
B.A., Political Science and Applied Mathematics, 2006
Additional Training
Washington University in St. Louis
Summer Institute on the Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models, 2011
Summer Institute on the Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models, 2011
Dissertation
"Essays on Executive Decisionmaking and Institutional Design"
Committee: Lawrence S. Rothenberg, David M. Primo, and Stuart V. Jordan
Abstract: The focus of my dissertation is on how institutional rules affect executive decision-making in the United States. The first essay examines how bureaucratic appointments are made when bargaining takes place over both agency preferences and competence. I show that incompetence does not result in equilibrium when the principals are solely concerned with policy. I then show that the inclusion of nonpolicy incentives (such as patronage) can induce equilibrium incompetence. The second essay of my dissertation focuses on the importance of temporal dynamics and the screening process undertaken before nominations are sent to the legislature for confirmation. Using a formal model, I provide a number of results, many of which showcase the importance of temporal dynamics and the pre-nomination process in the selection and confirmation of nominees, and the eventual competence of agencies to which they are appointed. Indeed, by modeling both nomination and confirmation delay, and the pool of potential nominees, I show that many instances of both nomination and confirmation delay are due to shortcomings in the pool of potential appointees, a finding heretofore unnoticed in the literature. Finally, the final essay introduces a new statistical model to political science—the Weibull count model, which can provide more accurate results than conventional count models.
Committee: Lawrence S. Rothenberg, David M. Primo, and Stuart V. Jordan
Abstract: The focus of my dissertation is on how institutional rules affect executive decision-making in the United States. The first essay examines how bureaucratic appointments are made when bargaining takes place over both agency preferences and competence. I show that incompetence does not result in equilibrium when the principals are solely concerned with policy. I then show that the inclusion of nonpolicy incentives (such as patronage) can induce equilibrium incompetence. The second essay of my dissertation focuses on the importance of temporal dynamics and the screening process undertaken before nominations are sent to the legislature for confirmation. Using a formal model, I provide a number of results, many of which showcase the importance of temporal dynamics and the pre-nomination process in the selection and confirmation of nominees, and the eventual competence of agencies to which they are appointed. Indeed, by modeling both nomination and confirmation delay, and the pool of potential nominees, I show that many instances of both nomination and confirmation delay are due to shortcomings in the pool of potential appointees, a finding heretofore unnoticed in the literature. Finally, the final essay introduces a new statistical model to political science—the Weibull count model, which can provide more accurate results than conventional count models.
Publications
Does it Really Hurt to Be Out of Step? (with Lawrence S. Rothenberg and Kristin K. Rulison), Political Research Quarterly (Forthcoming).
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2010
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2010
Working Papers
Presidents and Patronage (with Gabriel Horton and David E. Lewis; revised and resubmitted to the American Journal of Political Science)
- Presented by coauthor at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, Ontario, 2009
- Presented by coauthor at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2010
Naïve Cronyism and Neutral Competence: Patronage, Performance, and Policy Agreement in Executive Appointments (Under Review)
- Winner of the 2011 Midwest Political Science Association Latino Caucus Award
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2011
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2011
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Seattle, Washington, 2011
Vacancies, Vetting, and Votes: A Unified Dynamic Model of the Appointments Process (Under Review)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2012
- Accepted to the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2012
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Orlando, Florida, 2013
A Sense of His Soul: Candidate Imagery, Signaling and Voter E (with Jonathan D. Klingler and Adam J. Ramey, under review)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2013
Earmarks and Representation (with David M. Primo, Lawrence S. Rothenberg, and Kristin K. Rulison, under review)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2013
A Weibull Event Count Model with an Application to the Politics of Executive Agency Creation (Under revision)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Political Methodology, Iowa City, Iowa, 2010
- Presented by coauthor at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, Ontario, 2009
- Presented by coauthor at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2010
Naïve Cronyism and Neutral Competence: Patronage, Performance, and Policy Agreement in Executive Appointments (Under Review)
- Winner of the 2011 Midwest Political Science Association Latino Caucus Award
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2011
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2011
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Seattle, Washington, 2011
Vacancies, Vetting, and Votes: A Unified Dynamic Model of the Appointments Process (Under Review)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2012
- Accepted to the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2012
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Orlando, Florida, 2013
A Sense of His Soul: Candidate Imagery, Signaling and Voter E (with Jonathan D. Klingler and Adam J. Ramey, under review)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2013
Earmarks and Representation (with David M. Primo, Lawrence S. Rothenberg, and Kristin K. Rulison, under review)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois, 2013
A Weibull Event Count Model with an Application to the Politics of Executive Agency Creation (Under revision)
- Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Political Methodology, Iowa City, Iowa, 2010
Works In Progress
Donors or Diplomats? The Determinants of Professional and Political Ambassadors (In progress)
Ideology, Appointments, and Battlefield Outcomes (with J. Tyson Chatagnier, in progress)
Presidents, Professionals, and Patronage Appointees: Formal Models of Presidential Patronage (In progress)
Electoral Concerns and the Distribution of Patronage Appointments (In progress)
A Dynamic Model of Preference Uncertainty and Executive Appointments (In progress)
Ideology, Appointments, and Battlefield Outcomes (with J. Tyson Chatagnier, in progress)
Presidents, Professionals, and Patronage Appointees: Formal Models of Presidential Patronage (In progress)
Electoral Concerns and the Distribution of Patronage Appointments (In progress)
A Dynamic Model of Preference Uncertainty and Executive Appointments (In progress)
Research and Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant for Introduction to American Politics (Undergraduate)
Teaching Assistant for Game Theory (Undergraduate)
Teaching assistant for Probability and Inference (Graduate)
Research Assistant to David M. Primo (2008, 2010)
Research Assistant to Lawrence S. Rothenberg (2009-2011)
Teaching Assistant for Game Theory (Undergraduate)
Teaching assistant for Probability and Inference (Graduate)
Research Assistant to David M. Primo (2008, 2010)
Research Assistant to Lawrence S. Rothenberg (2009-2011)
Honors and Awards
Artinian Award, Southern Political Science Association, 2013
CSDI Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Vanderbilt University, 2012-2013
Hayek Fund for Scholars Travel Award, The Institute for Humane Studies, 2012
NSF-EITM Summer Fellowship Grant, Washington University in St. Louis, 2011
Latino Caucus Award, Midwest Political Science Association, 2011
Prestage-Cook Award, Southern Political Science Association, 2011
The Star Lab Travel Award, University of Rochester, 2010
Program in Empirical Policy Research Grant, University of Rochester, 2009, 2010
Second Year Paper Fellowship, University of Rochester, 2009
Charles E. Lanni Summer Research Fellowship, University of Rochester, 2008
Provost’s Diversity Fellowship, University of Rochester, 2007-2012
CSDI Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Vanderbilt University, 2012-2013
Hayek Fund for Scholars Travel Award, The Institute for Humane Studies, 2012
NSF-EITM Summer Fellowship Grant, Washington University in St. Louis, 2011
Latino Caucus Award, Midwest Political Science Association, 2011
Prestage-Cook Award, Southern Political Science Association, 2011
The Star Lab Travel Award, University of Rochester, 2010
Program in Empirical Policy Research Grant, University of Rochester, 2009, 2010
Second Year Paper Fellowship, University of Rochester, 2009
Charles E. Lanni Summer Research Fellowship, University of Rochester, 2008
Provost’s Diversity Fellowship, University of Rochester, 2007-2012
Conference Participation
American Political Science Association (2011, 2012)
Midwest Political Science Association (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Southern Political Science Association (2011, 2013)
Annual Meeting of the Society for Political Methodology (2010)
Midwest Political Science Association (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Southern Political Science Association (2011, 2013)
Annual Meeting of the Society for Political Methodology (2010)
Professional Duties
Organizer, American Politics Working Group, University of Rochester, 2010-2011
Journal Reviewer
American Journal of Political Science
Legislative Studies Quarterly
Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory
Discussant, Southern Political Science Association
Presidents in Action Panel, 2011
Unilateral Tools of the Presidency Panel, 2013
Discussant/Chair, Midwest Political Science Association
Politics and Personnel Panel, 2011
Presidential Unilateralism and the Separation of Powers Panel, 2012
Presidential Influence and Post-Presidential Evaluations Panel, 2013
Journal Reviewer
American Journal of Political Science
Legislative Studies Quarterly
Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory
Discussant, Southern Political Science Association
Presidents in Action Panel, 2011
Unilateral Tools of the Presidency Panel, 2013
Discussant/Chair, Midwest Political Science Association
Politics and Personnel Panel, 2011
Presidential Unilateralism and the Separation of Powers Panel, 2012
Presidential Influence and Post-Presidential Evaluations Panel, 2013
Professional Affiliations
American Political Science Association (2009-)
Latino Caucus Member
Legislative Studies Section Member
Political Economy Section Member
Political Methodology Section Member
Presidency Research Section Member
Public Administration Section Member
Midwest Political Science Association (2009-)
Latino Caucus Member
Southern Political Science Association (2010-)
Public Choice Society (2011-)
Latino Caucus Member
Legislative Studies Section Member
Political Economy Section Member
Political Methodology Section Member
Presidency Research Section Member
Public Administration Section Member
Midwest Political Science Association (2009-)
Latino Caucus Member
Southern Political Science Association (2010-)
Public Choice Society (2011-)
Technical Skills
R, Stata, Mathematica, Maple, LaTeX
References
Lawrence S. Rothenberg (Chair)
Corrigan-Minehan Professor
Department of Political Science
Harkness Hall 108
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
585-273-4903
lawrence.rothenberg<at>rochester.edu
David M. Primo
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
Harkness Hall 318
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
585-273-4779
david.primo<at>rochester.edu
Stuart V. Jordan
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science
Harkness Hall 322
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
585-273-4780
stuart.jordan<at>rochester.edu
David E. Lewis
William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor
Department of Political Science
333 Commons Center
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37203
615-322-6228
david.lewis<at>vanderbilt.edu
Corrigan-Minehan Professor
Department of Political Science
Harkness Hall 108
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
585-273-4903
lawrence.rothenberg<at>rochester.edu
David M. Primo
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
Harkness Hall 318
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
585-273-4779
david.primo<at>rochester.edu
Stuart V. Jordan
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science
Harkness Hall 322
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
585-273-4780
stuart.jordan<at>rochester.edu
David E. Lewis
William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor
Department of Political Science
333 Commons Center
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37203
615-322-6228
david.lewis<at>vanderbilt.edu
