Paul M. Collins, Associate Professor and Director of Legal Studies, has been namned a 2015 Fellow of the Public Engagement Project.  Paul is one of nine scholars across the University to receive the fellowship.

"We are excited and honored to work with such an accomplished group of scholars," said Amy Schalet, director of the Public Engagement Project. "We were happily overwhelmed by the number and high quality of applicants. There is clearly demand for this new fellowship opportunity." 

Professor Collins investigates the factors that shape the selection and decision-making process of U.S. Supreme Court justices. During his Public Engagement Fellowship, he will develop a media relationship strategy, using the success of his recent book Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings and Constitutional Change to contribute to public discussions of the Supreme Court.

The Public Engagement Project is a faculty-driven initiative building on a collaboration of the Center for Research on Families (CRF), Center for Public Policy and Administration (CPPA), Institute for Social Science Research, (ISSR), and Psychology of Peace and Violence Program. It  has been made possible by generous funding from the UMass College of Natural Sciences, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Provost's Office, and University Relations, as well as the collaborating centers and institutes.