Cherie Maestas
- Associate Dean of Research, Innovation, and Graduate Education, College of Liberal Arts // Administration
- Professor // Political Science
Research Focus
American Politics, Political Behavior, Political Institutions, Elections, Public Policy, Technology and Governance, Quantitative Methods
Curriculum vitae
Office and Contact
Ph.D. Political Science, University of Colorado, Boulder
M.A. Political Science, University of Colorado, Boulder
B.S. Economics, summa cum laude University of Texas, Dallas
Research Summary
Dr. Maestas publishes research on topics related to political communication, political psychology, risk attitudes, and legislative responsiveness.
Her current research examines the intersection between political communication, political psychology, and political behavior, with a focus on both elite (legistatures), and mass public. Her work examines representation, institutions, accountabiity, and policy preferences with attention to how risk perception and emotions shape attitudes and behavior. Her co-authored book, Catastrophic Politics: How Extraordinary Events Redefine Perceptions of Government (Cambridge University Press), examines public response to media coverage of government performance during a catastrophic event.
Her research has been funded by the Department of Defense Army Research Office, the National Science Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York and appears in journals such as the American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, American Journal of Political Science, Political Analysis, and Political Psychology. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on Political Psychology, Research Design, Introductory Statistics, Survey Research and Public Policy.
She co-Directs the Cornerstone Institute for Civic Thought. Previously, she served as President of the Southern Poitical Science Association.