Faculty and doctoral candidates from the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs recently concluded a week of high-impact scholarship and leadership at the American Society for Public Administration Annual Conference, held March 20–25 in Hollywood, California.
The delegation, consisting of three faculty members and four Ph.D. students, joined thousands of practitioners and scholars to address the most pressing challenges in modern governance.
David Swindell, executive director of the IU Public Policy Institute, completed his distinguished term as chair of ASPA’s Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management. Among his final acts as chair, Swindell facilitated the 2026 Deil Wright Symposium March 20. He also contributed to the academic program by presenting his research, “Neighborhood and Homeowner Organizations as Vehicles for Limited Public Service Provision,” and served as a featured panelist discussing local participation in polarized eras.
Swindell’s time as SIAM chair is coming to an end, but the O'Neill School’s influence will continue as Clinical Assistant Professor Mitchell Berg was elected to the section's board. At the conference, Berg served as a panelist for a session on local-tribal collaboration and presented his research on Minnesota tribal-municipal cooperation to the International Network of Asian Pacific Islander Public Administrators.
“This role aligns perfectly with my research and professional background in tribal, local, and state government relations,” Berg said. “I’m looking forward to working with the board and helping make an impact in a critical area.”
Clinical Associate Professor David Bell also co-presented a session focused on energy justice, exploring how storytelling can increase the acceptance of smart energy technologies among vulnerable populations.
Additionally, Associate Professor Aaron Deslatte and Ph.D. candidate Juwon Chung were honored with the Best Article Award for their State and Local Government Review article, “The Infrastructure of Tomorrow: Integrating Local Planning and Management for Climate Resilient Stormwater Systems.”
Chung was further honored as a 2026 ASPA Founders Fellow, a distinction recognizing the next generation of leaders in public administration.
In addition to the faculty presence, four Ph.D. candidates from the O’Neill School presented original research, reflecting the school’s commitment to data-driven public policy. They included Chang, who examined the intersection of administrative turnover and intergovernmental climate efforts; Lady Ikeya, who analyzed the incidence and impact of Medicaid provider taxes; Xiaxochun Zhu, who presented a meta-analysis on public perceptions of artificial intelligence; and Yunchen Zhu, who shared findings from an experiential study on digital platforms and co-production.
The American Society for Public Administration is the leading professional membership association for public service. By bridging the gap between the academic and practitioner communities, ASPA advances the excellence of public service through its 50 local chapters and 30 subject-matter sections.