Professor Paru Shah, Rutgers University 

Paru Shah is Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University and Senior Scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Her research interests include gender, race/ethnicity, paths to office, and descriptive and substantive representation, particularly in state and local offices. She is currently working on the 5th edition of Women and Politics: Paths to Power and Influence with Julie Dolan (Macalester College) and Michele Swers (Georgetown University).  Her articles have appeared in such journals as the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly, Journal of Women, Politics and Policy and Politics, Groups and Identities.  Shah received her B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and her Ph.D. from Rice University. She was previously Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.