Eric Schwartz

Eric Schwartz
Phone: 828-832-6598 
E-Mail: poli.sci.media@gmail.com

Summary
I am a educator and researcher with a special interest in democratization and political communication. I have extensive experience managing and working in newsrooms. I have also taught journalism in academic settings and in professional workshops. Currently, I consult for several Washington, DC-based firms and edit for Transitions Online, an Internet-based journal focused on the Former Soviet Union.

Experience
College instructor    2004-present
* Currently a tenure-track instructor in political science at Hagerstown Community College, Hagerstown, MD. Courses taught include American politics, international relations, American history, and constitutional law.
* Taught journalism, research methods, communication ethics, and introduction to mass media in the Department of Communications, Appalachian State University. 2009-2011.
* Taught classes in world politics and American politics as a political science graduate teaching assistant at Binghamton University. 2004-2007.
* As the teacher of record, developed and taught “Media and Democratic Politics” for three terms in the Department of Political Science, Binghamton University.

Chief of Party/Azerbaijan, International Center For Journalists    2008-2009
* Established programs to train investigative reporters in Lenkoran and Gance, Azerbaijan.
* Students in program published pieces about subjects such as environmental pollution and corruption.
* Managed annual budget of roughly $400,000.
* Submitted regular budget and activity reports for US Department of State funding.
* Delivered journalism training and lectures in English and Russian.

Knight International Journalism Fellow, International Center For Journalists    2007-2008
* Established journalist-training programs in Russia and across Azerbaijan.
* Focus in Russia: Newsroom training and coordination. Focus in Azerbaijan: New Media usage and investigative reporting.
* Organized the first pre-election forum in Azerbaijan. October 2008.
* Delivered journalism training and lectures in English and Russian.

Media trainer, Institute For Sustainable Communities    2003-2004
* Established media strategies for grassroots organizations in the regions of Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, Russian Far East.
* Contributed program narratives for USAID reports.
* Provided training for local journalists and grassroots leaders.

Education
Ph.D., Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY    2010
Doctorate from Department of Political Science. Dissertation: “Conflicts of Interest: How Media Pluralism Protects Democracy and Human Rights.”
Master’s Degree, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY    2007
Department of Political Science. Primary Field: Comparative Politics. Secondary Field: World Politics.

Master’s Degree, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY    2002
International Relations Program of Maxwell School. Thesis: “Examining the Roots of Russia’s Ruble Crisis.”

Bachelor’s Degree, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI    1984
Major: Journalism and Russian. Minor: Spanish

Skills
Fluent in Russian and Spanish; working proficiency in Azerbaijani, German, and French.
Experienced blogger, photographer, and videographer.
Skilled in budget preparation and management. Adept user of Microsoft Office suite and statistical programs.
Veteran manager of newsroom staff, publication designer, interviewer, and writer.

Recent Academic Presentations
“The Political Impact of Social Media: A Reassessment and a Prediction.” One-day seminar presented at the Hutchinson Center of the University of Maine, Belfast, ME. Feb. 9, 2012.
Presented two papers at annual meeting of Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, 2011: “Social Means for Political Ends: An Analysis of Social Media and the Organization of Anti-Authoritarian Resistance,” and “An Imperfect Mirror: How Nationalistic Media Coverage Affects Peace Initiatives.” Second paper was co-written with Dr. Gayane Torosyan, Department Chair, Department of Communications at SUNY-Oneonta .

Recent Professional Awards
Knight International Journalism Fellowship: 2007-2008.
Binghamton University Teaching Assistantship: 2004-2007.
Binghamton University Political Science Faculty Scholarship: 2004.

Recent Professional Service
Served as peer reviewer, providing critique, evaluation, and analysis on papers submitted to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference in St. Louis, MO, August 2011.