David Carter

David Carter is Associate Professor and Director of the School of Public Affairs at the University of Utah. Since July 2024 he holds the rank of Associate Professor, and from July 2025 he serves as Director of the School. Previously he was Chair of the Division of Public Affairs (2024-2025) and Director of the Program of Public Affairs (2023-2024). He earned BS and BA degrees from Colorado State University (2006), an MPA (2010) and PhD in Public Affairs (2016) from the University of Colorado Denver, and is fluent in Spanish.

Research Interests:

• Public policy and program administration
• Regulatory policy, especially USDA organic food oversight
• Child welfare services privatization
• Self-governance in outdoor recreation (climbing communities)
• Collaborative governance and institutional analysis
• Environmental policy and land management
• Social equity in public services

His work employs mixed methods—ranging from national surveys and quasi-experimental designs to institutional grammar analysis—to study how governance arrangements shape social outcomes. A recurring theme is the tension between public values (equity, access, transparency) and administrative realities (privatization, resource constraints, institutional fragmentation).

Scientific Awards & Honors:

• Don K. Price Best Book Award (APSA STEP, 2024)
• Advancing Equity & Connecting Communities Award (CSBS, Univ. of Utah, 2023)
• Early Career Teaching Award (Univ. of Utah, 2022)
• Outstanding Reviewer Award (JPART, 2019)
• Dean’s Outstanding Dissertation Award (Univ. of Colorado Denver, 2017)
• Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award (SPA, Univ. of Colorado Denver, 2017)
• Founders’ Fellow (ASPA, 2016)
• Staats Emerging Scholar Award (NASPAA, 2015)

Grants & Funding:

• FY22 SEED Grant: “State Policy Scorecard Pilot Project – Deciphering Who Gets What, When, and How from State Legislation” ($ awarded, 2022-2024)

Teaching & Advising:

Carter teaches graduate courses including Policy Analysis, Governance & Economy, MPA Research Paper, Internship, and Independent Study. He has mentored numerous MPA and doctoral students (names not publicly listed). His pedagogy emphasizes applied policy analysis, evidence-based management, and reflective practice.

Collaborations & Service:

Active in the American Political Science Association (STEP section) and the American Society for Public Administration, he collaborates with local climbing organizations, the USDA, and interdisciplinary research teams across North America. He also serves on editorial boards and reviews for leading public administration and policy journals.