معرفی
Professor Jocelyn Johnston is a distinguished faculty member at American University's School of Public Affairs, Department of Public Administration and Policy. She teaches graduate courses including Public Administration Capstone (PUAD-610), Doctoral Dissertation (PUAD-899), and Topics in Public Management: State and Local Management (PUAD-609).
Professor Johnston earned her educational credentials from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, where she completed both her PhD and Master of Public Administration. Her undergraduate studies were completed at LeMoyne College, where she earned a BA in Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy.
Professor Johnston's research program focuses on the complex dynamics of government contracting, public management, intergovernmental programs and policy, with particular emphasis on social welfare policy and administration. Her work explores how government agencies design and manage contracts with private and nonprofit providers, examining issues of accountability, performance measurement, and the effectiveness of different contractual arrangements in delivering public services. She has published extensively in leading journals including Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Public Administration Review, and Administration and Society.
Her scholarly contributions demonstrate a consistent trajectory examining the evolution of contracting in public administration, particularly in social welfare programs. Over time, her research has expanded from examining specific state-level implementations to developing broader theoretical frameworks about contracting across the federal system. Professor Johnston's work consistently addresses the tension between traditional bureaucratic control and newer networked governance approaches in public service delivery.
Professor Johnston's scholarly excellence has been recognized through several prestigious awards:
- Kaufman Award for the best paper in Public Administration presented at the 2001 American Political Science Association national conference
- Vice Chancellor's Administrative Fellow, University of Kansas, 2001-2002
- John Ben Snow Foundation Doctoral Fellowship, Syracuse University, 1993
- Emil and Maud Beck Family Doctoral Scholarship, Syracuse University, 1992
- New York State Government Finance Officers Association Scholar, 1989
Professor Johnston has secured significant research funding throughout her career, with particular expertise in social welfare reform and government contracting. Her grant portfolio includes numerous projects funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project at the Rockefeller Institute of Government (SUNY Albany), and state governments including Kansas and Pennsylvania. These projects have examined Medicaid managed care, welfare reform implementation, food stamp take-up rates, and state social services contracting. Her practical experience in local government administering federally and state-funded social welfare programs for ten years informs her research approach and provides valuable real-world context to her scholarly work.
Professor Johnston maintains active professional engagement through memberships in leading organizations including the Public Management Research Association (Executive Committee), American Political Science Association, Association for Budgeting and Financial Management, Association for Public Policy and Management, and American Society for Public Administration. She has served as Chair of both the National Association for Budgeting and Financial Management and the Public Administration Section of the American Political Science Association, demonstrating leadership in the field.
