Political Science in the News

Professor Matt Buehler and PhD Student Mehdi Ayari Receive Scholarly and Research Incentive Funds

Dr. Matt Buehler and political science doctoral student Mehdi Ayari have received a Scholarly and Research Incentive Funds (SARIF) incentive from the Summer Graduate Research Assistantship Committee and the Office of Research & Engagement (ORE). Selected faculty-graduate student projects receive $3,600 in support of student stipends for work completed during the summer 2015. This year, ORE received 43 co-drafted assistantship proposals of which only 16 were funded. The stipend funds will go toward supporting Mehdi’s fieldwork this summer in Tunisia on an ongoing project he has collaborated with Dr. Buehler on since he began his PhD work in August 2014: “(Mis)managing Authoritarian Coalitions in Tunisia: Minister Survival from Colonial Independence to Democratic Revolutions.” Dr. Buehler and Mehdi are grateful to Political Science department head Dr. Richard Pacelle, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Development Dr.  Janet E. Nelson, and the SARIF and ORE selection committee for this research opportunity that will lead to publications, external grants, and other potential scholarly achievements.