Mitchell Smith

Mitchell Smith is the Director of the School of International Affairs and a Professor of International Affairs at Pennsylvania State University. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, an M.P.A. from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs, and a Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University. His research focuses on comparative political economy, European integration, and environmental regulation, with a particular emphasis on the European Union's policies and governance.

Smith has held prestigious fellowships, including the Fulbright Fellowship in European Union Affairs and a Jean Monnet Fellowship at the European University Institute. He previously served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Interim Dean at the University of Oklahoma’s David L. Boren College of International Studies, and directed the university's European Union Center.

His scholarship spans books and journal articles analyzing EU economic governance, environmental regulation, and political legitimacy. Notable works include States of Liberalization (2005) and Environmental and Health Regulation in the United States and the European Union (2012). Current research explores the perceptual divide in public opinion between the U.S. and U.K. regarding democracy.

Smith’s awards include recognition as a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies and his contributions to EU policy analysis. His advisory roles and grants have supported interdisciplinary research on transnational governance and democratic institutions.