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Academic appointments, education, teaching, and service.
The PDF is the complete curriculum vitae. This page offers a concise overview of appointments, teaching, projects, and professional activity.
Academic appointments
2024-presentProfessor of Government
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
2010-2024Associate Professor of Government
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
2008-2010Assistant Professor of Government
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
2003-2008Assistant Professor of Political Science
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
At UT Austin, I am also affiliated with the Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, Human Dimensions of Organizations, and the School of Law.
Education
2003Ph.D., Political Science
University of California, Berkeley
Designed by Diffusion: International Networks and the Spread of Democracy
University of California, Berkeley
Designed by Diffusion: International Networks and the Spread of Democracy
Research and project leadership
Teaching
Undergraduate
- Comparative Constitutional Design
- The Politics of Development
- Comparative Political Behavior
- The Art and Science of Contracting
Graduate
- Conceptualization and Measurement
- Comparative Constitutional Design
- Comparative Political Behavior
- Democracy and Democratization
- Law and Democracy
- Writing and Publishing in Political Science
- The Structure of Organizations
Selected honors
2023Award for Excellent Teaching
Government Department, University of Texas at Austin; inaugural recipient
Government Department, University of Texas at Austin; inaugural recipient
2019Political Science 400
Listed among the 400 most-cited active and emeritus political scientists in the United States
Listed among the 400 most-cited active and emeritus political scientists in the United States
2014Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award
with Tom Ginsburg and James Melton, for Constitute
with Tom Ginsburg and James Melton, for Constitute
2013Lijphart/Przeworski/Verba Prize for Best Dataset
APSA Comparative Politics Section, for the Comparative Constitutions Project
APSA Comparative Politics Section, for the Comparative Constitutions Project
2012Distinguished University Lecturer
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
2009Best Book Award
APSA Comparative Democratization Section, for The Endurance of National Constitutions
APSA Comparative Democratization Section, for The Endurance of National Constitutions
Selected research support
2023-2025National Science Foundation
Concept Integration in Comparative Law
Concept Integration in Comparative Law
2018-2020Google
Constitute: Phase III
Constitute: Phase III
2014-2015International IDEA
Arabic Constitute
Arabic Constitute
2012-2015Google Ideas
Constitute: An Indexed Repository of Constitutional Text
Constitute: An Indexed Repository of Constitutional Text
2007-2008National Science Foundation
Comparative constitutional research
Comparative constitutional research
Professional service
- Field Chair, Public Law, Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin (2021-present)
- Chair, Research Committee on Concepts and Methods, International Political Science Association (2015-present)
- Advisory Board, Electoral Integrity Project (2012-present)
- Faculty Advisory Board, Human Dimensions of Organizations (2012-present)
- Committee on Undergraduate Fellowships, Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (2012-present)
Languages and field experience
English (native); Spanish and Portuguese (serviceable); French (fading); Latin (apparently lodged somewhere in the subconscious).
Born in Bogotá, Colombia, with fieldwork or residence in Brazil, Guatemala, Spain, Cuba, Colombia, and Belize.
Web summary based on the January 2026 curriculum vitae.