PLS PhD student Jonathan King wins NSF grant

June 3, 2020

Jonathan King, an MSU Political Science doctoral student, has been awarded a National Sciences Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant.

His dissertation is titled "Personality Trait Estimation of U.S. Federal Circuit Court Judges."

According to NSF, the Political Science Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant program supports scientific research that advances knowledge and understanding of citizenship, government, and politics. Research proposals are expected to be theoretically motivated, conceptually precise, methodologically rigorous, and empirically oriented. Substantive areas include, but are not limited to, American government and politics, comparative government and politics, international relations, political behavior, political economy, and political institutions.

In recent years, program awards have supported research projects on bargaining processes; campaigns and elections, electoral choice, and electoral systems; citizen support in emerging and established democracies; democratization, political change, and regime transitions; domestic and international conflict; international political economy; party activism; political psychology and political tolerance. The Program also has supported research experiences for undergraduate students and infrastructural activities, including methodological innovations, in the discipline.

King entered the Ph.D. program in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University in the Fall of 2017.  He received his BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his MA from Michigan State University.  Prior to returning to school, he worked for the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an academic advisor for two years.  Jonathan is interested in both American politics and research methodology.  His research focuses on the judiciary- particularly the Supreme Court of the United States.  He has research interests in judicial decision-making as well as judicial nominations and interbranch relations.

During his free time, he enjoys watching sports.  Born in raised in Wisconsin, Jonathan is an avid Green Bay Packers fan.  He also loves English soccer and is a die-hard Chelsea fan.