About Jacob
Hello! I earned my Ph.D. from the Department of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh graduating in April of 2023 with specializations in American Politics and Political Behavior.
I am primarily interested in issues of representation and understanding the reasons for and effects of descriptive representation. My dissertation focuses on the impact of representative incentives in local and national legislatures and the corresponding impact on compromise and coalitions. In other collaborative work, I have conducted experimental research on how gender stereotypes affect perceptions, how communication influences decision-making, and how group membership influences the ABA rankings of judicial appointments. In addition to my research, my teaching interests include American politics, legislative politics, religion and politics, and the politics of representation.
Prior to joining Pitt’s graduate program, I worked in a variety of political organization. Immediately after I graduated from Tufts University in 2012 with a degree in Political Science (and a minor in Religion), I joined the presidential campaign of Barack Obama as a Field Organizer in Virginia. After the election, I moved to Washington, D.C., working on the Presidential Inaugural Committee and spending time in the office of Congressman Mike Doyle (PA-14) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.