John C. Morris

John C. Morris is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Auburn University, part of the College of Liberal Arts. He has been a faculty member at Auburn since 2019, following academic positions at Old Dominion University (2002–2019) and Mississippi State University (1994–2002). He holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Auburn University, earned in 1994.

His research centers on collaboration, public-private partnerships, water policy, federalism, and organization theory. He has published over 120 scholarly articles and book chapters, and authored or co-authored twelve books, including recent works on clean water policy, e-participation, and state politics under the Affordable Care Act. His work appears in leading journals such as Public Administration Review, Policy Studies Journal, and Environmental Politics. He is currently developing additional book manuscripts and journal articles on water infrastructure and climate resilience.

His recent publications show a strong trend toward climate change impacts on water infrastructure, federalism in crisis response, and cross-sector collaboration in environmental governance. Articles such as 'The South’s aging water infrastructure is getting pounded by climate change' and 'Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic for Federalism and Infrastructure' highlight his focus on real-world policy challenges and intergovernmental coordination in extreme events.

• 2025 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award

Dr. Morris teaches courses in collaboration, public policy, organization theory, privatization, and policy evaluation in both the Master of Public Administration and PhD in Public Administration and Public Policy programs. He has received numerous teaching awards and serves on the editorial boards of two journals. He has been involved in research collaborations funded by entities such as the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency, often in partnership with colleagues like Jonathan Fisk and Megan Heim LaFrombois. His current research includes a comparative study of drought policy in Alabama, Texas, and California, featured in the forthcoming book The Drought Dilemma. He also contributes to public discourse through media outlets like The Conversation, where he analyzes infrastructure and policy challenges.

Dr. Morris has been affiliated with research centers such as the Center for Governmental Services at Auburn University and Policy Studies Associates, Inc. in Washington, DC. He continues to lead collaborative research teams focusing on water policy, infrastructure resilience, and public administration reform.