Honoring Excellence: Michael Neblo Named 2025 Distinguished Scholar
We are proud to announce that Dr. Michael A. Neblo, professor of political science and director of the Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability (IDEA), has been honored with The Ohio State University's 2025 Distinguished Scholar Award.
The Distinguished Scholar Award is one of the highest honors given by the university, recognizing faculty whose research and scholarship have made a lasting impact in their field. Senior leadership from the Enterprise for Research, Innovation, and Knowledge (ERIK) recently surprised Dr. Neblo with the award in recognition of his outstanding contributions and influence.
Dr. Neblo's research focuses on deliberative democracy and political psychology. He developed the concept of Deliberative Town Halls (DTHs), facilitating over 100 forums globally , including with the U.S. Congress and in countries such as Chile, Australia, Nigeria, and the UK. His work bridges the gap between democratic theory and practice, fostering direct communication between citizens and their representatives.
As founding director of IDEA, Dr. Neblo has played a leading role in advancing democratic engagement and accountability. Under his leadership, IDEA has launched innovative programs that connect citizens with policymakers, helping to strengthen democratic processes in the U.S. and internationally.
Dr. Neblo’s scholarly contributions are widely recognized. His research has appeared in top journals, including Science, Nature Communications, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and The American Political Science Review.
“Everyone does their best research in community. I’ve been blessed to work in the best research community of colleagues, students, staff, and administrators anyone could hope for.”
Michael A. Neblo
His books, Politics with the People: Building a Directly Representative Democracy and Deliberative Democracy between Theory and Practice, have shaped the field of political science and democratic studies.
Throughout his career, Dr. Neblo has received fellowships and support from organizations such as the Carnegie Corporation, the Democracy Fund, the Kettering Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the National Science Foundation - a reflection of his deep commitment to research, public service, and impact.
Ryan King, divisional dean of social and behavioral sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, praised Dr. Neblo’s work:
“I think of your work as being brilliant theoretically, but it's also very sophisticated methodologically… there's also a clear translational aspect to your work.” “I love that your work is punctuated with a bit of optimism but also clear-eyed realism and pragmatism.”
We congratulate Dr. Neblo on this well-deserved recognition and celebrate his continued contributions to the field of political science and democratic engagement.
