Erika Cornelius Smith, PhD, History

As director of research strategy for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Cornelius Smith analyzes data and develops strategies to support the college’s researchers across the math and physical sciences, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences. She previously held several leadership roles in external relations, alumni engagement, and research strategy and administration with Millikin University, Marietta College, the Center for Intelligent Process Automation, and the Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust.
Her book Service Above Self: Women Veterans in American Politics (University of Kansas Press, 2022) examines the motivation, messaging, and connections between military and public service for female veterans—including Elaine Luria, Chrissy Houlahan, Elissa Slotkin, Tammy Duckworth, Joni Ernst, Martha McSally, and Tulsi Gabbard. She contributes interdisciplinary research to collections examining depictions of female presidents in American popular culture, the office of the First Lady of the United States, internationalization strategies, and central and eastern European politics. 
Cornelius Smith earned her PhD in History from Purdue University, MA in political science from Eastern Illinois University, and BA in philosophy and political science from Millikin University.