Dr. Jennifer S. Holmes has been named dean of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS) at UT Dallas. Holmes, professor of political science, public policy and political economy, had served as interim dean since June 2018. She has been a member of the EPPS faculty for over 20 years.
“It’s really special to be given this opportunity. This was my first job out of grad school,” Holmes said. “I started as a half-time visiting assistant professor in the fall of 1998 and have worked through the ranks. To know this school, its faculty and its students so well, and to be asked to lead the school at this critical moment is a great honor.”
Holmes’ research is focused on the landscape ecology of conflict and post-conflict, the protection of critical infrastructures, urban quality of life and the creation of real-time event data on political and social events in Latin America.
Recently, she developed nationally-funded research collaborations in the areas of critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and event data with colleagues in EPPS and the Department of Computer Science.
Holmes received her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Chicago and her PhD. in political science from the University of Minnesota, with major fields in comparative politics and political theory and a supporting program in the history of the Hispanic world and international relations.
In addition to numerous journal articles, Holmes is the author or editor of seven books.