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James Walsh
Suzanne Leland
Political science researchers honored Suzanne Leland and James Walsh, faculty members of the Public Policy Ph.D. program and professors in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, are the 2020 recipients of the Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award and First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal, respectively. Leland’s research focuses on state and local government service delivery. She has published a variety of books including “American Cities and the Politics of Party Conventions” and “City-County Consolidation: Promises Made, Promises Kept.” In 2019, she received the Donald Stone Distinguished Scholar Award from the American Society of Public Administration. “Dr. Leland has worked with her doctoral students in UNC Charlotte’s Public Policy program, placing them on successful career trajectories and enhancing the program’s stature,” said Justin Stritch, an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University. “Her mentoring of students is a cornerstone of UNC Charlotte’s MPA and Public Policy programs and a key component to the demonstrated success of students in both programs.” Walsh’s work has been published by Columbia University Press, the Journal of Conflict Resolution,
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International Studies Quarterly and other outlets. His most recent book, “Drones and Support for the Use of Force,” uses experimental research to analyze the effects of combat drones on Americans’ support for the use of force. “I see Dr. Walsh’s work as among the most innovative and exciting research currently ongoing in international conflict studies,” said Michael Findley, professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin. “He is publishing in leading journals and landing large amounts of grant money. In all of this, he has remained committed to working with students, mentoring many of them on his various projects.” Walsh serves as lead principal investigator on the Minerva Research Initiative grant supporting the Resources and Conflict project, which analyzes combatants’ strategic and military choices during civil war. The project also develops new research designed to improve understanding of the dynamics of conflict and contributes to the development of policies that resolve conflicts. The First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal was created to spotlight the important contributions UNC Charlotte and its faculty are making throughout the Carolinas, the nation and the world.
