Welcome to Our New Faculty Members: Dr. Tabitha Benney & Dr. Hakan Yavuz

The School of Public Affairs is excited to officially welcome two distinguished faculty members, Dr. Tabitha Benney and Dr. Hakan Yavuz, who joined our division in January and will begin teaching their first courses with us this fall.

Dr. Tabitha Benney

Dr. Tabitha M. Benney is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Affairs and holds affiliated faculty appointments in both the School of Environment, Society, and Sustainability and the International Studies Program. She directs the Utah Radon Lab and serves on the Executive Council of the Energy Futures Research Engine, housed in the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Utah.

Dr. Benney’s research and teaching span a wide range of topics, including International Political Economy, global trade and finance, industrialization, capitalism, international relations, and environmental issues such as energy policy and air quality.

Dr. Hakan Yavuz

Dr. M. Hakan Yavuz is a Professor of Comparative Politics whose work focuses on transnational Islamic networks in Central Asia and Turkey, the intersection of Islam, nationalism, and state-building, and ethno-religious conflict management. His areas of expertise also include international organizations, comparative bureaucracy, and Middle East politics.

Dr. Yavuz brings a wealth of experience to the classroom, teaching courses on ethnic conflict, nationalism, civilizational states, and religion and politics. He was recently honored with the Superior Teaching Award from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Benney and Dr. Yavuz to the School of Public Affairs!