👏 Congrats to SPA's jgill-in-dc.bsky.social on his latest book, Bayesian Social Science Statistics, co-authored w/ @baole.bsky.social (CityU, Hong Kong)! The book offers a practical guide to Bayesian statistics for researchers tackling real-world social science questions. 👉 tinyurl.com/t7h3r9mz

New research shows that terrorist groups are using AI in every stage of their planning and implementation. While some experts compare the practice to that of corporations, SPA's @triciabacon.bsky.social warns that AI shortens the distance between radicalization and action. Read: tinyurl.com/yncxjuxv

Could the next major cyber attack be prevented with better data? SPA's @suleymanozeren.bsky.social argues yes, through the ROCCA Project, which helps researchers understand who's behind critical cyberattacks, how they operate, and what patterns they follow. Read more here: tinyurl.com/5c9maxby

🇺🇸 Last week, SPA's Political Theory Institute and Lincoln Scholars Program welcomed high school teachers from across the country to the Summer Civics Institute at Kerwin Hall for an immersive exploration of the nation's founding. Here are a few of their biggest takeaways.

Take a closer look at SPA's Project on Civic Dialogue! Rahul walks through all that PCD offers to build skills that will serve you in all areas of life — from "Disagree with..." events to the certificate program, & more! Did we pique your interest? Visit https://www.american.edu/spa/civic-dialogue.

Presidential spouses have shaped women's rights, bipartisanship, and American history ever since Martha Washington. Watch SPA's Anita McBride discuss what makes a First Lady great at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library's #America250 panel: bit.ly/4pjkzYF

Congrats to SPA @perilresearch.bsky.social’s Bill Braniff, Hala Furst, & Fellow Susan Szmania on joining the inaugural Homeland Security Today Terrorism Prevention Editorial Board! ​Chaired by Braniff, HSToday's new vertical aims to strengthen the growing field of violence prevention. #SPAProud

🇺🇸 Can hard work still guarantee success in America? As the nation celebrates the Fourth of July and its 250th, hear SPA's @lizsuhay.bsky.social discuss the American Dream, inequality, and political polarization in this in-depth interview of her new book. Watch: bit.ly/4vr05Pb

As we remember the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and his years of public service, @ccps.bsky.social Fellow Eve Silberberg offers an easy way to explore his last Senate floor speeches and legislative remarks, and more. Visit CongressOnDemand.us

How much power does the First Lady actually have? "[...]because it is so undefined and not officially documented anywhere, [...]they get to rewrite it any way that they want it to be," says SPA's Anita McBride. Read: https://politi.co/3SYGGaH 📷 Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Why are victims of sexual assault reluctant to file a police report? SPA Asst. Prof. Rachael Goodman-Williams explores barriers in her new research study. Read it here: bit.ly/3TnXxDM

How are politics reshaping public administration? SPA's Ken Meier examines three long-term challenges facing U.S. governance: politicization, budget instability, and a shrinking public workforce—and why they're likely here to stay. Read more: bit.ly/4pgkncz 📷 Illustration: Liu Rui/Global Times

What happens when trade routes become battlefields? SPA's John Calabrese explains how global economic warfare is shifting from financial sanctions to naval power—raising new risks for international trade and security. Read more: bit.ly/4bD34N4

How do policymakers and courts decide who should be released before trial? SPA's Stacie St. Louis examines how the public weighs limited information—like offense severity, criminal history, and flight risk—when making pretrial release decisions. Read: https://bit.ly/4bCYTRo

For 250 years, the "American Dream" has been a core part of America, but does the United States actually deliver on that dream today? SPA's Elizabeth Suhay weighs in — read here: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2vpz2qee5o

The SPA Office of Graduate Admissions is excited to invite you to a Happy Hour Hangout! 🗓️ 7/16 🕑5:30 - 7:30 PM 📍The Smith (901 F St NW) Let's chat about the potential of pursuing a graduate degree at SPA. 👉 RSVP: bit.ly/4vlcipk Questions? ✉️ [email protected].

Why are some low-earning college programs getting a pass—for now? A new @peerresearch.bsky.social analysis by @claremccann.bsky.social & Kristen Allen explains why accountability for many programs has been delayed, leaving students waiting longer for stronger protections. Read: bit.ly/4aOxXOp

When 60% of gun-related deaths are suicides, why would the Trump administration shift violence prevention strategies from health-informed to seizure of firearms from criminals? SPA @perilresearch.bsky.social's Bill Braniff weighs in – read here: https://nyti.ms/4ygi6lw

Congrats on a successful event, Prof. @erdaltekin.bsky.social! The 15th Workshop on Risky Behavior featured scholars from all over, including our very own Seth Gershenson and Brandyn Churchill. They explored the economic impacts of intimate partner violence, school crime, recession, & more.

A quick look at Day 1 of the 15th annual Workshop on the Economics of Risky Behavior with SPA Prof. @erdaltekin.bsky.social. #BellaGiornata 🇮🇹

SPA’s Kimberly Cowell-Meyers and @ausis.bsky.social’s @cgallaher.bsky.social write in the Irish Times that Irish America was at its high-water mark during the 1990s, but as the US marks its 250th anniversary, it is a shell of its former self. Read (subscription required): bit.ly/4vtXXGo

POV: You're making the most of grad school at SPA.✨ Follow MPA student and Graduate Ambassador Robyn Jennings as she balances classes, leadership, and work through organizations like the Graduate Black Student Union and the Graduate Admissions Office at SPA.

From “salad bar extremists” to “the normalization of otherization”, SPA @perilresearch.bsky.social’s @ryanbgreer.bsky.social talks to Real Clear Pennsylvania about the major rise in political violence. Read here: bit.ly/4f1XzbY

Tomorrow, SPA's @erdaltekin.bsky.social co-hosts the 15th Workshop on the Economics of Risky Behavior w/ Università degli Studi di Cagliari in Italy. Scholars will explore evidence on issues ranging from police fatalities and intimate partner violence to school crime and incarceration. #Policy4Good

🚨 Meet the Department of Justice, Law, Criminology, and Security (JLCS)! Our signature department has a new name, reflecting its expanding expertise in security while staying rooted in justice, law, and criminology. 👉 Learn more: bit.ly/4vbOzHf

The SPA Office of Graduate Admissions is excited to invite you to a Happy Hour Hangout! 🗓️ 7/16 🕑5:30 - 7:30 PM 📍The Smith (901 F St NW) Let's chat about the potential of pursuing a graduate degree at SPA. 👉 RSVP: bit.ly/4vlcipk Questions? ✉️ [email protected].

Before the Declaration of Independence was signed, George Mason drafted the Virginia Declaration of Rights in May 1776. Read what SPA’s Daniel Dreisbach says about the “remarkable distillation of the republican thinking of the day.” bit.ly/4vIvVYA

🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July! As we celebrate America's 250th, here's to reflecting on our history and helping shape what's next.🎊

The month of July has brought a lot of changes to SPA, including two new appointments in the dean's suite! Congratulations Prof. Claire Griggs, on your new role as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, and Prof. Seth Gershenson as Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs!

What wins elections today: culture wars—or kitchen-table issues? A new analysis by SPA's Prof. David Barker finds Democratic insurgents are gaining ground by focusing on affordability and the economy over cultural flashpoints. Read here: bit.ly/44bhhwL (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Congratulations, Interim President David Marchick! We look forward to working together to ensure every student has an exceptional experience at American University and the School of Public Affairs.

It's almost time for the 15th Annual Workshop on the Economics of Risky Behavior, and this year, SPA will be in Cagliari, Italy! We're #SPAProud of Fotis Family Distinguished Professor ErdalTekin.bsky.social for organizing the workshop with the Università degli Studi di Cagliari.

What sets SPA apart? As Prof. Saul Newman puts it, at SPA, it’s not just what you know. It’s who you know—and how to know what you need to know. From real-world faculty to year-round internships and hands-on research, SPA prepares you to stand out and lead with impact.

Breaking into lobbying starts with understanding the profession and building the right skills. In a new Bloomberg Government feature, Laura Uttley, director of SPA's Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute (PAAI), shares advice for those looking to launch a career in the field. Read more: bio🔗

With the primaries in full swing & the midterms just around the corner, @ccps.bsky.social fellow Eve Silberberg has developed the perfect tool for you to keep up with every floor speech—on your own time. Visit congressondemand.us, watch your rep., & make an informed vote.

SPA’s @peerresearch.bsky.social director @jdmatsudaira.bsky.social contributes to the @wtopnews.bsky.social article titled "5 Under-the-Radar Student Loan Changes You Should Know About”. Read his insights here: wtop.com/news/2026/06/5-under-the-radar-student-loan-changes-you-should-know-about/

We celebrate an incredible leader! 🎉 Congrats to Betsy Fischer Martin on her appointment as Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, @harvard.edu. Thank you for visionary leadership of Women & Politics Institute, mentorship, & lasting contributions. Wish you every success.

Overdose deaths are falling, but SPA's Jim Crotty warns that the biggest threat to continued progress isn't fentanyl or the next emerging drug—it's complacency. Read his latest piece in @thehill.com: https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5935714-complacency-drug-crisis-threat/

#ICYMI We asked #PMRC2026 participants what government job they think AI could never replace. Hear what scholars from around the world think👂! Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments!

What are the repercussions of last year's mass federal layoffs? SPA's Karen Baehler suggests that while the federal government is not yet "fully broken," the 2025 actions significantly helped transform the civil service into an instrument of presidential will. Read: tinyurl.com/mu6dkdas

Congress & the Presidency: A Journal of Capital Studies has emerged as one of the premier academic publications examining the American legislative & executive branches. Check out the 5 questions we asked SPA's Jeffrey Crouch & new co-editor Matthew Green: tinyurl.com/ys5nb4zy

Can cities curb displacement without slowing housing construction? SPA's Profs. @derekhyra.bsky.social and David Schwegman, along with PhD student Chris Alvarez Campbell, explore the impact of rent stabilization in California. Read about their findings here: https://bit.ly/4an4J91

Why choose the @au-wpi.bsky.social WeLead Program? It's a free, non-partisan campaign training program that's designed for working professionals to help close the gender gap in political leadership. ⏰Deadline Approaching - Join WeLead2027 today! 🔗lnkd.in/eBezrz47

✨President’s Award winner Ethan McBride used his lived experience to champion accessibility at AU, guiding the Campus Wayfinding Project to improve navigation for ♿ users & others across campus. The future is brighter—& more accessible—with leaders like Ethan. ✨ #SPAProud

New research from SPA's Jhacova Williams finds that unexpected Democratic weakness during the Jim Crow era predicted higher rates of lynching, highlighting how politics and media narratives fueled racial violence. Read: bit.ly/4w8e6BJ

Congrats to Assoc. Prof. Janice Iwama for being elected to serve a 3-year term as an Executive Counselor for the @amersoccriminology.bsky.social. In this role, Prof. Iwama will help advance conversations at the intersection of research, policy, & practice in the field of criminology. #SPAProud

When studying children whose gestation period happened within 1 mile of industrial toxins, SPA Prof. @claudiapersico.bsky.social found they experience large, persistent setbacks across education, earnings, & health compared to siblings not exposed to the toxins. Read: bit.ly/4wa68Z6

Must rigorous research remain detached from the communities it studies? SPA's Jane Palmer argues engaged scholarship can be both rigorous & transformative, esp. when "the cost of getting it wrong is measured not in methodological error but in human lives." bit.ly/4vquD42

What makes SPA so special? From the supportive and collaborative community, to the WIDE range of programs and certificates, to the 93% post-graduation placement rate, Assistant Dean of Graduate Enrollment Jennifer Forney highlights People, Products, and Potential!
Are YOU ready to choose SPA?

“In an era where higher ed. is under scrutiny & global democracy appears increasingly fragile, AU is proving that academic research belongs in the field—not just on the shelf.” Read how SPA faculty are turning classrooms into “nurseries for citizenship”: bit.ly/4uIaWU8