Two new faculty members who will enhance teaching and research in both journalism and political communication are joining the School of Media and Public Affairs this semester: investigative reporter for the Washington Post and author Debbie Cenziper and emerging scholar in political science from the University of Chicago Ethan Porter.
“We pride ourselves on the caliber of our faculty at SMPA,” said Frank Sesno, Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs. “Our deep commitment to interdisciplinary education and harboring an environment of theory and practice are reflected in our choices for new faculty. Debbie is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has just published a new book; and Ethan comes to SMPA with an exciting research agenda focused on political psychology, public opinion, and experimental design. They will bring that insight, enthusiasm and expertise to our students.”
Debbie Cenziper is an investigative reporter at the Washington Post and the author of critically acclaimed new nonfiction book, Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality, which has been named one of the best books of summer by the L.A. Times, Oprah Magazine, the Huffington Post, Publisher's Weekly and others.
"I am thrilled to be joining the faculty of the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University,” said Cenziper. “Journalism is a vibrant, exciting and ever-changing profession, and I look forward to working with colleagues in guiding the next generation of journalists."
Ethan Porter comes to SMPA from the University of Chicago where he earned his PhD in Political Science. His dissertation, The Consumer Citizen, investigates the ways in which the habits and strategies gleaned from everyday consumer experiences come to shape political preferences. His research interests include experimental design, public opinion, redistributive preferences and political psychology.
"I'm excited to become a part of George Washington University and the School of Media and Public Affairs,” said Porter. “The students, faculty and university community combine to make it one of the most exciting places to study politics and political communication. I can't wait to get started."
Porter has received grants from the National Science Foundation and the Omidyar Network, and has presented his research at Yale, Harvard and the University of Michigan. Before graduate school, he was the managing editor of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas. In addition to his scholarly research, he has published articles in The Washington Post, Columbia Journalism Review and The Wilson Quarterly.
This fall, Cenziper will teach Introduction to News Writing and Reporting and Advanced News Reporting. Porter will teach Strategic Political Communication and a Dean's Seminar: Experiments in American Democracy.