Regarded as one of the country's top political science experts, Dr. Harold Jansen is a leader in his field, respected for his vast knowledge of Alberta politics and government.

With research interests that speak to the future of politics and the influence that the Internet plays on political communication in Canada, Jansen is considered to be an active and innovative researcher, constantly pushing the boundaries of his discipline.

The University of Lethbridge is proud to recognize Jansen as the Board of Governors Teaching Chair for 2013. His two-year appointment will commence July 1, 2013.

Jansen attended the King's University College and the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alta., earning a bachelor's degree in political science.

He went on to obtain his master's degree in political science from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ont. before returning to the U of A to complete his doctorate.

Hired as an assistant professor by the Department of Political Science in 1998, Jansen has since carved out an impressive career, focusing his research interests on Canadian politics, including elections and voting in Canada, party finance, representation and electoral systems and particularly the use of preferential voting in Canada.

Most recently, he has concentrated his studies on the impact of the Internet on political communication and political participation in Canada.

Jansen is currently the principal investigator of a research team studying the impact of the Internet on political communication that received a $296,000 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant in 2012.

Always adept at blending his teaching and research responsibilities, one of Jansen's former undergraduate students, Dr. Royce Koop of the University of Manitoba, is a co-investigator on the project.