Rate My Professor Matthew Auer

Matthew R. Auer serves as Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs and Arch Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia, where the school encompasses the Department of Political Science among its academic units. He holds an AB magna cum laude in Anthropology from Harvard University (1988), a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University’s Fletcher School (1990), and both an MS (1994) and PhD (1996) in Forestry and Environmental Studies from Yale University. Auer launched his academic career at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, progressing from assistant professor (1996–2002) to associate professor (2002–2006) and professor (2006–2013). During this period, he directed undergraduate programs (2006–2008), boosting enrollment by over 25%, and then led the Hutton Honors College as dean (2008–2013), managing 4,200 students and securing more than $1.6 million in private funds. From 2013 to 2017, he was Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Faculty, and Professor of Environmental Studies at Bates College, overseeing academic operations for 1,800 students, advancing faculty diversity initiatives, and contributing to multimillion-dollar grants. Since 2017 at UGA, Auer has driven SPIA’s growth, including a 25% enrollment increase, $16 million in fundraising, new majors like BS in Political Science, minors in International Affairs and Human Rights and Security, and enhanced experiential learning programs.