Joseph A. Aistrup

Joseph A. Aistrup is a Professor of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University, where he served as Dean from 2013-2021. His academic career includes prior roles as Associate Dean at Kansas State University and Head of the Political Science Department at Kansas State starting in 2002.

His educational background includes a PhD from Indiana University (1989), an MA from Virginia Tech University (1984), and a BA from Fort Hays State University (1982).

Aistrup's research spans American politics with emphases on electoral behavior, federalism, and environmental policy. His work examines geographic sorting in presidential elections, voter ID laws, abortion policymaking post-Dobbs, and water governance in the Great Plains. He employs interdisciplinary approaches integrating political science with environmental systems analysis, particularly through coupled human-natural systems modeling for sustainability challenges.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on contemporary political conflicts including election security, resource distribution, and the intersection of climate change with agricultural communities. Key themes include institutional design in environmental governance and the evolving dynamics of regional political identities.

• OpenMI Award (2017) for Ogallala Aquifer modeling
• Robert Lineberry Award (2012) for best paper in Social Science Quarterly

Aistrup has secured significant research funding for interdisciplinary environmental projects, particularly through collaborations with hydrologists and agricultural scientists on Great Plains sustainability. His leadership in the College of Liberal Arts involved strategic initiatives in faculty development and international programs. While no formal lab is specified, his work consistently involves team-based research on coupled human-natural systems with colleagues across engineering, agriculture, and social sciences.