The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy welcomed three new professors to its distinguished faculty for the 2018-19 academic year. The Batten School considers not only academic rigor, but also real-world experience, political impact, teaching, and mentoring when recruiting faculty members. Currently, the School’s faculty includes more than 60 interdisciplinary scholars and continues to grow. As researchers and professors of practice, they are shaping the future, and their areas of focus reflect the drive and research of the sharpest minds in public policy today. 

“The Batten School is delighted to welcome three new full-time faculty members this fall,” said Professor of Public Policy and Politics and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Craig Volden. “Helping fulfil our mission of training future leaders and addressing the world’s most challenging policy problems, these three expand our offerings in exciting new directions.  From childhood education challenges around the world to community policing in Charlottesville, from an insider’s view of Congress to a counter-terrorism expert, these faculty members bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will be invaluable to the Batten School and its students.”

Lucy Bassett joins the Batten School as an associate professor of practice of public policy. Prior to joining the Batten School, Bassett was an education specialist and a social protection specialist at the World Bank, where she focused on education, social protection, nutrition, and early childhood development. She has also worked on those thematic areas at UNICEF, the World Food Programme, Save the Children, and the International Food Policy Research Institute. Throughout her career, Bassett has worked with governments in low- and middle-income countries to expand access to quality education, nutrition, and social protection services, particularly for poor and marginalized children and their families. Her recent focus has been improving education systems and contributing to the development of a global measurement tool to assess children’s learning and development outcomes, and the quality of learning environments. Bassett also has expertise in designing social protection programs and monitoring their outcomes. In addition to her international development work, Bassett has been engaged in local early education policy and teacher training in Washington, DC. She has lectured at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and at Boston University. Bassett will teach a course on global early childhood development.

Brad Carson joins the Batten School as a professor of public policy. Carson has built a distinguished career in public service, law, and education. He previously served as acting under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness at the Department of Defense, under secretary of the U.S. Army, and general counsel of the U.S. Army, where he managed the world-wide legal operations of the largest military service. A Rhodes Scholar, he is widely published and a noted authority on national security, energy policy, and American politics. From 2001-2005, he served two terms as a U.S. Congressman. Later, he was appointed to the faculty of the business and law schools at the University of Tulsa, where he directed the National Energy Policy Institute and taught academic courses on energy policy, property law, negotiation and game theory, globalization, and law and literature. Carson deployed as an intelligence officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service. Carson will teach courses on space power, counter-terrorism and the role of intelligence, and hacking for Department of Defense innovation. 

Brian N. Williams joins the Batten School as an associate professor of public policy. Williams has previously held faculty appointments at Florida State University, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Georgia. His research centers on issues related to demographic diversity, local law enforcement, and public governance, with special attention devoted to the co-production of public safety and public order. His current research projects examine how law enforcement professionals experience and manage work-related trauma encountered on the job. Williams is the author of “Citizen Perspectives on Community Policing: A Case Study in Athens, GA” (State University of New York Press) and has published works in leading journals in public administration, public management, community psychology, education, and police studies. He was recently appointed to serve on the International Association of Chiefs of Police Trust Advisory Board. Williams’ research has prompted invitations to participate in events hosted by organizations including the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; the National Institute of Justice; the Kettering Foundation; the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics; and Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Williams will teach a course on police-community relations.

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About the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy: The University of Virginia Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy is authoring a new model of public policy education. Of the 250-plus schools of public policy and administration in the U.S., the Batten School has the distinction of being the only one explicitly committed to teaching leadership—how it works, why context matters in decision-making and which actions lead to tangible results. The School’s programs inspire students to act vigorously, effectively and ethically on behalf of the common good.