2023 Summer Institute
APSA’s Institute for Civically Engaged Research (ICER) is an annual four-day, residential institute that provides political scientists with training to conduct ethical and rigorous civically engaged research. ICER Fellows explore key topics related to civically engaged research by discussing relevant readings, analyzing specific examples of civically engaged research from political science and cognate disciplines, and considering the research plans and ideas of institute participants. Fellows network with other like-minded political scientists, and together, learn best practices for conducting academically robust, mutually beneficial scholarship in collaboration with communities, organizations, and agencies outside of academia.
ICER 2023 was held at Tisch College of Civic Life, Tufts University, from July 10-13. Directors Peter Levine (Tufts University) and Valeria Sinclair-Chapman (Purdue University) were joined by a cohort of 17 Fellows:
- Shelly Arsneault, California State University, Fullerton
- Angie Bautista-Chavez, Arizona State University
- Jill Birren, Marquette University
- Matilde Ceron, European University Institute
- Stephanie Chan, Princeton University
- Nhat-Dang Do, Trinity College
- Raychel Gadson, Johns Hopkins University
- Curtis Kline, Colorado State University
- Rosa Krewson, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Valerie Martinez-Ebers, University of North Texas
- Ankushi Mitra, Georgetown University
- Ashley Nickels, Kent State University
- Rodrigo Nunes, St. Edwards University
- Frank Reichert, University of Hong Kong
- Laurie Rice, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
- Elizabeth Sharrow, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Evelyn Simien, University of Connecticut
The 2023 institute also featured 12 special guest speakers. Opening the program were Rogers Smith (University of Pennsylvania, former APSA President) and Dayna Cunningham (Tufts University Tisch College of Civic Life, Dean). Current APSA President Mark Warren (University of British Columbia) provided a formal welcome address. The program also hosted four distinct, interactive lecturettes from Samantha Majic (John Jay College, CUNY), Tova Wang (Harvard University, Kennedy School), Brooke Ackerly (Vanderbilt University), and Michael Johnson (University of Massachusetts, Boston; URBAN). The final day of the Institute featured a virtual roundtable discussion on the state of civic engagement in the profession with program alumni and expert scholars: Robert Lieberman (Johns Hopkins University), Melissa Michelson (Menlo College), Ethel Tungohan (York University), Adriano Udani (University of Missouri St. Louis), and Lauren Bell (Randolph-Macon College).
With the completion of ICER 2023, there are now almost 80 alumni at institutions across the United States, Mexico, China and Europe. Alumnae Dr. Angie Bautista- Chavez and Dr. Stephanie Chan wrote a reflection detailing their firsthand perspectives on the intellectual, professional, and personal impact of the institute. Bautista- Chavez and Chan highlight how the program deepened their approaches to civically engaged research, sharpened their thinking on ethics, expertise, and rigor, and fostered meaningful scholarly and community partnerships. The reflection underscores ICER’s role in building a supportive network for scholars committed to collaborative, publicly engaged political science.
The Centennial Center is extremely proud to have had the opportunity to support these scholars!