EKSTROM Lab

Pierce Ekstrom, Ph.D.

Dr. Pierce Ekstrom is an Assistant Professor of Political Science. He studies the causes and consequences of political disagreement. On the "cause" side, he is particularly interested in how psychological individual differences give rise to diverse political preferences and in how individuals' moral values and politicized identities create outright conflict from these differences of opinion. As for "consequences," he is interested in both the desirable effects of political disagreement (e.g., critical re-evaluations of existing practices) and its undesirable effects (e.g., political prejudice, biased information-sharing). Dr. Ekstrom has a courtesy appointment in the Psychology Department and is affiliated with the Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior. He earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Minnesota and his B.A. in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Chicago.

Ingrid Haas, Ph.D.

Dr. Ingrid Haas is Graduate Chair and Associate Professor of Political Science. She is Resident Faculty in the Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior and holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Psychology. Dr. Haas is interested in understanding the expression of political attitudes and beliefs, and how that expression is influenced by contextual factors such as emotion and identity. She conducts interdisciplinary research on political behavior using theory and methods from political psychology, social psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. Her specific areas of expertise include attitudes, social cognition, emotion, prejudice, social identity, experimental design, survey design, and functional MRI (fMRI). Dr. Haas directs the Political Attitudes and Cognition (PAC) Lab and serves as Faculty Coordinator of the Political Science Experimental Participant Pool (PSEPP). She teaches courses on political psychology, American politics, and quantitative/experimental research methods. She also serves as Associate Editor for the journal Research & Politics and is on the Editorial Board for Politics and the Life Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in social psychology from The Ohio State University and B.A. in psychology and political science from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

RUPAL MEHTA, PH. D.

Dr. Rupal N. Mehta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is currently a Faculty Fellow with the Nebraska Strategic Research Institute and a Research Collaborator at the Center for Peace and Security Studies (cPASS). Previously, she was a Stanton Nuclear Security Postdoctoral Fellow in the Belfer Center's International Security Program and Project on Managing the Atom at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and an Adviser to the Director’s Strategic Resilience Initiative National Security and International Studies Office at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Her research interests lie in international security and conflict, with a specialization in nuclear proliferation/counterproliferation, extended deterrence, emerging technologies, and elite decision-making (at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and political psychology). Her first book, Delaying Doomsday: The Politics of Nuclear Reversal (Oxford University Press, 2020) explores the conditions under which nuclear aspirants stop their pursuit. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Conflict Resolution, International Studies Quarterly, the Journal of Strategic Studies, The Washington Quarterly and her commentary has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, National Public Radio (NPR), BBC News, War on the Rocks, International Studies Quarterly, and the Washington Post's Monkey Cage. She received a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, and B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Zeenat Ahmed

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Zeenat Ahmed is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Saint Peter's University, New Jersey. Her research interests are in political psychology, covering political ideologies, political identity, and political ideology belief systems.

Taylor Gold

Taylor is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He received his Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Political Science and History from Doane University and his Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His main research interests include state and local public policy and politics, as well as the application of political psychology to them. 

John Jostes

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John is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Concordia University, Nebraska. He is primarily interested in the relation between social identity, belief systems and moral values as they apply to political polarization and the amelioration of intractable conflict.

Lukasz Niparko

Łukasz W. Niparko is a human rights advocate (M.A./LL.M.) in international human rights law from the European University Viadrina and a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is an alumnus of the United World College (UWC-USA) and St. Lawrence University (SLU). He served with various NGOs, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Humanity In Action (HIA, where he currently is a member of the Leadership Council), and Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH). He is a co-founder of the Peace and Liberal Arts Education Center (China), Anne Frank Project: Poznań (Poland), and Global Dialogue Center at SLU. He was the Pat Cox Fellow in the European Parliament and worked with the Delegation Chair to the Korean Peninsula and EU-China Group. His interests concern legal prevention of discrimination and international affairs.

DOYEON PARK

Doyeon Park is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research interests are American politics, the relationship between the President and Congress, and public policy. He is primarily interested in employing text-as-data.

Susie Pratt

Susie Pratt is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from the University of Northern Iowa. Her research interests are in American politics, public policy, and budgetary politics. 

Rachel Urban

Rachel is a third-year Political Science Ph.D. student, interested in elite foreign policy decision-making, experimental design and methods, and Anthropocenic environmental international security. She completed her Masters of Research in Security, Conflict, and Human Rights at the University of Exeter, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to research and mixed methods. Her thesis qualitatively studied the AUKUS alliance in the midst of a rising China. Rachel completed her B.A. in Psychology with minors in National Security, Political Science, Global Studies, and English also at UNL, and additionally holds an A.A. from Southeast Community College in General Studies. She is an avid runner and loves being outside!

DING XU (Image pending)

Ding Xu is a PhD student at UNL studying Political Psychology. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Iowa. His research focuses on how people's social identities and existing belief systems influence their political behavior. In addition, he's interested in experimental methods and applying sociological and psychological theories to politics. 

AUDREY ELLIS

Audrey Ellis is double majoring in Political Science and Global Studies with a minor in Spanish on the Pre-Law track.  She is interested in International Relations, specifically in regard to climate change. After graduation, she would like to attend law school and work in some sort of environmental law.  On campus, she is involved with the Honors Program, Husker Vote Coalition, and the acapella group Pitch Please. 

Carly Gartner

Carly Gartner is a junior majoring in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. She is interested in learning about the psychological motivations behind the political decisions that people make. On campus, she is a member of Husker Vote Coalition and Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honor society. She is also a resident assistant with UNL Housing.

Ritsa GiannakAS

Ritsa is majoring in political science and economics with minors in psychology and statistics. She is interested in the way psychology influences decision making and its impacts in her fields of study. After graduating, she intends to attend graduate school and pursue research and a professorship as a career. On campus, she is involved in the UCARE program, ASUN, NHRI, and Chi Omega.

Mary Gerend

Mary Gerend is a freshman majoring in psychology and communications with an emphasis in public health. She has a keen interest in the effects different cultural and sociological backgrounds have on the psychological processes behind political ideology- and how this cements itself into health policy. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school and work in a related field. On campus, she is involved in the honors program and Gamma Phi Beta.

Aleksandra Glowik

Aleks is a senior double majoring in Psychology and Political Science, with a minor in Business Law. She is very interested in the connection between morality and political ideology, and whether one has more of an effect on the other. After graduation, she plans to attend law school to pursue a career in civil or corporate law. On campus, she is involved within ASUN, Alpha Chi Omega, and New Student Enrollment as an Orientation Leader. She also serves as a page for the Nebraska State Legislature.

Maria Green

Maria Green is a junior majoring in Psychology with a neuroscience option and a minor in French. She is also on a pre-medicine track. She is particularly interested in the psychology underlying political biases, as well as how this affects interactions between individuals of different backgrounds. On campus, she is involved in Out of the Darkness.  

Jessie Harlan

Jessie Harlan is double majoring in Psychology and Political Science with minors in Math and a certificate in Public Policy Analysis. She is interested in the intersection of psychology, political science, data analysis, and policy. After graduation, she hopes to attend a Master of Public Policy program. On campus, she is a leadership member of the Cornhusker Marching Band and the Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity.

Matt Price

Matt is majoring in political science with minors in history and Spanish. He has a strong interest in how political ideologies affect the way individuals engage with political identity, polarization, and activism. After graduation, he plans to attend law school where he would like to specialize in civil rights law, environmental law, or immigration law. On campus, he is a member of the Chamber Singers. He is also heavily involved in the Lutheran Center.

Zein Saleh

Zein is majoring in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Arabic. He is particularly interested in social categorization and the effects of racial diversity on political attitudes and intergroup relations. On campus, he is involved in ASUN and as a TA in the psychology department. After graduation, Zein hopes to attend graduate school to attain a Ph.D. in Social Psychology.

Peyton Walsh

Peyton Walsh is a junior double majoring in Psychology and Political Science, with a minor in Communication Studies. She is interested in learning about political attitudes and the influence of social media on political polarization. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to attain a Ph.D. in Child Psychology.

Clarisse Warren, Ph.D.

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Clarisse earned her Ph.D. in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and now works as a Research Analyst for The Olinger Group. She received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Austin Peay State University and a Master of Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Clarisse's research focuses on psychological and biological influences on political behavior, particularly within American politics. She is particularly interested in political stress and its impact on the health and well-being of citizens and the effects of political ideology on perceptions of sexual harassment.

Kyle Hull, Ph.D.

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Kyle earned his Ph.D. in the Department of Political Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he is now employed as a Visiting Assistant Professor. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Saginaw Valley State University. Kyle’s research interests range in focus from political institutions to political behavior. His current research focuses on the study of attitudes towards public servants with disabilities.

Noelle Troutman, PH.D.

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Noelle is now a Security and Defense PLuS postdoctoral fellow at Arizona State University. She studies international security and is interested in how actors make decisions—primarily integrating neuroeconomic frameworks with research on war and peace. She specializes in alliance politics, nuclear security, and neuroeconomic decision-making. Noelle received her B.A. in political science from the University of Northern Iowa and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.