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Annual Review: 2020-2021

Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies 2021 Annual Report (Condensed)

In 2021, CCPS continued pursuing our mission of strengthening the democratic square through research, training institutes, and public events. Specifically, we accomplished the following items:

External Grants Received:

Scholarly Conferences Hosted:

  • The “New Perspectives and New Questions in Legislative Studies” virtual conference with Valeria Sinclair-Chapman (Professor of Political Science, Purdue University) and Bettina Poirier (Professor of Law and Director of AU’s Program on Legislative Negotiation) with support from the Hewlett Foundation’s US Democracy Program; this conference aimed to foster innovation and collaboration on new lines of legislative scholarship that reflect the broadening perspectives of American lawmakers (and the constituents they serve)
  • The Understanding Legislative Negotiation virtual conference with American University’s Program on Legislative Negotiation and the Hewlett Foundation’s US Democracy Program

Public Events Hosted:

Research Supported:

  • Announced The New Perspectives in Studies of American Governance small grants program, which will award 5-10 grants (up to $20,000 each) to new projects asking new questions that stand to transform political scientists’ collective understanding of American governance and representation
  • Announced a special issue of Congress and the Presidency, guest-edited by David C. Barker and Valeria Sinclair-Chapman (Purdue University), on “New Perspectives in American Legislative Studies”
  • Funded four new survey data collections and research assistance for Andy Ballard, and PhD students Ryan DeTamble, Michael Heseltine, and Marcus Johnson
  • Hired five undergraduate researchers under the supervision of Prof. Andy Ballard, including Josh O’Steen, Jane Cronin, Mergentevne Naragerel, Emily Minster, and Finn Dobkin

Prizes/Scholarships Awarded:

Institutes Conducted:

New Published Research

Community Engagement:

  • Reached almost 450 Twitter followers, made almost 300 LinkedIn connections, and expanded our email listserv to 2,700.

New Leadership/Staff:

  • Professor Patrick Griffin, new Director of the Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute
  • Professor Korneliya Bachiyska, new Director of the European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute
  • Ph.D. candidate Ryan M. DeTamble, new Managing Editor for Congress & the Presidency
  • Amy Larrabee Cotz, new Associate Editor of the Correspondence of Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore Project

The Correspondence of Zachary Taylor & Millard Fillmore project:

  • Received $90,471 from the NHPRC, the Summerlee Foundation, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the University of Virginia as part of its NHPRC/Mellon Foundation–funded UVA Digital Publishing Cooperative
  • Welcomed Amy Cotz as associate editor, five new undergraduate students as interns and hired SPA’s Alaysia Bookal as editorial assistant
  • Published six blog articles and Professor Michael Cohen wrote an op-ed about Taylor for the Baton Rouge Advocate’s Presidents’ Day issue

ANNUAL REVIEW: 2019-2020 (In Brief)

It was another active and productive year for CCPS. Specifically, from September 2019 to December 2020, we:

  • Awarded over $100,000 in small research grants to 7 research teams, to study legislative negotiation
  • Created the Legislative Negotiation Institute for students and professionals, and conducted first round of trainings

ANNUAL REVIEW: 2018-19 (In Brief)

It was another active and productive year for CCPS. Specifically, from September 2018 to July 2019, we:

The inaugural year of Professor Barker’s directorship was active and productive. Specifically, from September to June, we:

NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS