Maxwell School News and Commentary

The eight essays include historical background and trends to explain the legacy of voters' choices in November. Also included in this edition are stories on historian David Bennett's 50-year-plus career, a new scholarship fund geared towards retention, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changyong Choi ’11 Ph.D. (SSc) has been appointed to the Korea Development Institute’s School of Public Policy and Management as a faculty in international development and public policy.

Paul Arras ’04 B.A. (Hist)/’11 M.A. (Hist)/’16 Ph.D. (Hist) has written a book titled "Seinfeld: A Cultural History." The book explores the history of the still-popular late-1990s sitcom Seinfeld—how the show’s ideas are woven into popular thought and behavior, and how it challenged previous conventions of television comedy.

Jeremy Ames ’04 M.P.A. is the new director of the Division of Communications in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Regulatory Affairs, which leads FDA field activities, inspecting regulated products and manufacturers, analyzing samples of regulated products, and reviewing products imported into the United States.

Scott Rayder ’92 M.P.A. is the new executive director of the Alabama Water Institute (AWI), based at the University of Alabama. As executive director, Rayder will facilitate collaboration with the National Water Center, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration center located on the University of Alabama campus. 

All Robertson fellows at Maxwell receive funding for two years of study, allowing them to pursue one of the joint degrees offered through Public Administration and International Affairs; the grants cover not only full tuition, but a living stipend, health insurance, and assistance in finding a summer internship. All four of this year’s incoming fellows will pursue the joint M.P.A./M.A.I.R. degree.

Melaine Rottkamp ’91 B.A. (PSc) is the new president and CEO of Dutchess Tourism. As president, she will manage Dutchess Tourism’s branding, advertising and marketing efforts, and various business support and education programs.

After serving as its director or co-director since 2005, Catherine Gerard has stepped down from her leadership role at the Maxwell School’s renowned Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC), effective July 1, 2020. Gerard will continue as an adjunct professor of public administration and associate director for the Executive Education Programs at Maxwell, and also continue her work as co-director of the Collaborative Governance Initiative at PARCC.