Michael H. Crespin

Michael H. Crespin serves as Director and Curator of the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center and Professor of Political Science at the University of Oklahoma. His academic career centers on legislative institutions, electoral systems, and spatial political analysis within American politics.

He earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2005, followed by an APSA Congressional Fellowship in the office of U.S. Representative Dan Lipinski (2005-06). His educational background established the foundation for his empirical research on congressional behavior.

Crespin's research program examines how institutional arrangements shape political outcomes, with particular focus on redistricting effects, congressional elections, and political geography. His work demonstrates that independent redistricting commissions produce more compact districts and increase electoral competitiveness compared to legislatively-drawn maps. He maintains the influential PIPC Roll Call Dataset and has published over 30 articles in top journals including the American Journal of Political Science and Journal of Politics.

His recent publications reveal an expanding methodological scope, integrating computational approaches with traditional political analysis. While maintaining core focus on redistricting and congressional elections, his 2024-2025 work incorporates AI-driven analysis of campaign advertisements and voter behavior, demonstrating adaptation to emerging research frontiers while preserving institutional expertise.

• Risser Innovative Teaching Fellow
• SSRC Negotiating Agreement in Congress Research Grant

Crespin actively mentors students through the Carl Albert Center's graduate program and undergraduate research fellowships, including the Capitol Scholars program that combines legislative internships with academic seminars. He has secured significant grant funding as PI/Co-PI for civic engagement initiatives, Native American politics research, digitization of the OU Daily newspaper, and development of free alternative textbooks.

As Director of the Carl Albert Center, he oversees extensive congressional archives and research collections that serve as critical resources for scholars studying American legislative history and contemporary congressional behavior.