We are pleased to announce that the Department of Political Science was well represented at the 2018 Salute to Faculty Excellence Dinner and Reception. While all of our faculty are caring educators and researchers, the following were recognized this year by the university.

Dr. James Meernik is the 2018 recipient of the UNT Foundation Faculty Leadership Award for his outstanding service to the university and for his commitment to support and work toward the public good through innovative initiatives. Dr. Meernik is a Regents Professor of Political Science and Director of the Castleberry Peace Institute at UNT, specializing in research on international justice and post-conflict peacebuilding. Currently, Professor Meernik is working on projects related to peace and justice in Colombia, reconciliation among societies divided by war. He teaches courses on American government, peace studies, U.S. foreign policy, transitional justice, and international criminal law.

Dr. John Ishiyama, Distinguished Research Professor in Political Science and former editor-in-chief of the American Political Science Review, is the 2018 recipient of the Toulouse Scholar Award which is given to a UNT faculty member for outstanding teaching and scholarly or creative achievements. Dr. Ishiyama's research interests include democratization and political parties in post-communist Russian, European, Eurasian, and African politics, ethnic conflict and ethnic politics and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Currently, he is working on projects related to the transformation of rebel groups into political parties.

Dr. J. Michael Grieg is the 2018 recipient of the J.H. Shelton Excellence in Teaching Award for outstanding teaching at UNT. Dr. Grieg is a Distinguished Teaching Professor who primarily teaches courses on international relations. He specializes in international conflict, security, and conflict management. Currently, Dr. Grieg is examining the forces that shape when and how ethnic groups adopt violence and what policies can encourage their transition back to non-violence. He is also completing a new book project exploring dimensions of conflict management and how they are applied to civil wars and interstate conflicts.

Dr. Bethany Blackstone is the 2018 recipient of the President's Council Teaching Award for teaching excellence. Dr. Blackstone is an Associate Professor of Political Science teaching American and Texas government, the Legislative Process, the U.S. Supreme Court, and constitutional law. She also teaches American Politics and Judicial Politics at the graduate level. Dr. Blackstone is widely regarded by both students and faculty as one of the most accessible and helpful faculty in the department. Currently, she is working on a project that considers the evolution of precedent in the U.S. Courts of Appeals (with Michael W. Giles) and another that considers the factors that affect the nature of Congress-Supreme Court interaction in different policy areas.