Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Texas at Austin
Department of Government
mauslen@austin.utexas.edu
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin Department of Government
Contact: michael.auslen@columbia.edu
I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. In fall 2025, I will join the department as an Assistant Professor.
My research focuses on democratic representation, the media, and public opinion's role in policymaking, with an emphasis on state and local politics. I am particularly interested in understanding how actors such as local news organizations and political parties enhance or weaken the links between the public and elected representatives. I also study political methodology, in particular methods for public opinion estimation. My research is forthcoming in Political Behavior and Studies in American Political Development.
I received my PhD in Political Science from Columbia University. I also hold an MPP from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a BA in Journalism and Political Science from Indiana University.
Previously, I worked as a journalist covering state and local politics for the Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, and Indianapolis Star.