“Chris is a wonderful addition to the MPA program, and we’re thrilled to have him at the U. He brings with him a national reputation and high expectations as director of an elite program,” said David Rudd, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “I have great confidence that Chris will build on the already strong foundation and exceptional work of Rick Green, the program’s previous director. “

Prof. Simon conducts research in alternative energy policy; civic community and volunteerism; education policy; criminal justice policy; Homeland Security policy; land use policy; military sociology; and sustainability and governance. He balances his scholarly efforts with applied research work beneficial to state and local government. In fact, applied research often helps him develop research questions for academically-focused work. He regularly conducts interdisciplinary research and thoroughly enjoys the learning opportunities that such research provides. In the last seven years, he has gravitated towards applied research collaboration with the College of Engineering, University of Nevada. At the University of Utah, Prof. Simon hopes to continue his balanced research approach.

“Chris Simon will be a wonderful addition to the faculty. He has endless energy and, in addition to his wide teaching and research interests, he has conducted many projects to benefit communities in Nevada in areas such as alternative energy, renewable energy, homeland security, policing, and voluntarism,” said Steve Ott, CPPA Director. “He has received funding for studies and projects from organizations including the Nevada Department of Transportation, Reno Regional Transportation Authority, and Reno Police Department.”

Prof. Simon believes that teaching and mentoring students is a central part of his professional life. He has had the opportunity to teach a wide variety of courses in public administration, public policy, research methods, and U.S. politics at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Organization theory, personnel administration, public policy, policy evaluation, and research methods courses are among his favorites. At University of Nevada-Reno, Chris team-taught a cross-listed course in renewable energy with the Dean of Engineering, Theodore Batchman. He says that he would thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to build a similar course offering at University of Utah.

Prof. Simon is the author of State and Local Government: Sustainability in the 21st Century (with Brent Steel and Nicholas Lovrich, Oxford University Press, 2010); Alternative Energy: Political, Economic, and Social Feasibility (Rowman & Littlefield, 2007); Public Policy: Preferences and Outcomes (Longman, 2007; 2nd Edition 2010); and To Run a School: Administrative Organization and Learning (Praeger, 2001; Mandarin edition, 2005). He has published peer-reviewed articles in Administration & Society, American Review of Public Administration, Armed Forces & Society, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Comparative Technology Transfer & Society, Land Use Policy Journal, Policy Studies Journal, Public Administration Review, and Social Science Quarterly.

Christopher Simon was raised in California and Oregon. He graduated from Oregon State University with bachelors degrees in History and Political Science (1991). He studied with his graduate mentor, Professor Nicholas Lovrich at Washington State University, where he received his M.A. (1994) and Ph.D. (1997). Prof. Simon was an Adjunct Professor at Washington State University (1997) and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Oregon State University (1997-1998) before being hired as a full-time Assistant Professor at University of Nevada, Reno in 1998. At University of Nevada, Chris was promoted to Associate Professor in 2003, Full Professor in 2009 and became Director of Graduate Studies that same year.