Barbara Palmer

Dr. Barbara Palmer is an expert on elections and the success of women candidates. She is professor of political science and the creator and executive director of the Center for Women and Politics of Ohio (CWPO). The CWPO engages students, scholars, media and the public in the sharing of over 100 years of Ohio history and the remarkable stories of women who have run for public office.

Professor Palmer teaches courses on American politics, civil rights and liberties, elections, and women and politics. She serves as the director of the legal studies program and as pre-law advisor for Baldwin Wallace. She is also the creator and advisor for the Baldwin Wallace Legal Studies Honor Society, one of only five honor societies in the nation that recognizes outstanding students in the field of legal studies.

She has given interviews and invited talks to a wide variety of groups across the country and internationally on sex-discrimination law, American elections, and the history of women running for office. She has been interviewed by local, national, and international media, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Minnesota Public Radio, the Voice of America, Die Ziet (Germany), and The Cleveland Plain-Dealer/cleveland.com.

In 2018, she was awarded the Erika Fairchild Award by the Southern Political Science Association, for her strong record of service, commitment to students and teaching, and collegial spirit. Throughout her career, collaborating with several non-profit organizations, she has worked with over 500 young women from across the nation, inspiring them to get involved in politics.