Join us as we host Dr. Martha Jones and Dr. Michael Latner as our third STEMulate The Vote Seminar Series panelists!

Martha Jones, JD, PhD

Martha Jones, JD, Ph.D. is an American historian and legal scholar. She earned her Ph.D. in history from Columbia University and JD from the CUNY School of Law. Her work examines how Black Americans have shaped the story and history of American democracy. Prior to the start of her academic career, she was a public interest lawyer in New York City where she represented homeless people, people with mental illnesses, and women living with HIV/AIDS. Her work – deeply rooted in her passion for social justice, was recognized with the Charles H. Revson Fellowship on the Future of the City of New York at Columbia University. She is the author of several books and articles which focus on women’s rights, politics, and the history of race in America. Dr. Jones currently has an appointment at Johns Hopkins University, and she is a Professor of History and the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor. Dr. Jones will speak about the history of voting rights and voter suppression to establish the foundational importance of voting in America. 

Michael Latner, PhD

Michael Latner, Ph.D. earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Irvine. He is a Kendall Voting Rights Fellow with the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. His research focuses on political representation and electoral systems, including redistricting and gerrymandering in the US, and the impact of electoral administrative law on political participation. In addition, he works to bring public attention to robust scientific measures of integrity and bias in US electoral institutions, and the impact of electoral bias on public health, environmental, and related safety policies and outcomes. He has published extensively on election-related issues in the academic and popular press, and co-authored articles for The Guardian and The Washington Post. He currently holds an appointment as an associate professor of political science and public policy at the California Polytechnic State University. Dr. Latner will speak about the intricacy of voter suppression, how it threatens democracy, and the policies that can curb voter suppression.