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CONTACT

Department of Political Science
316 Woodburn Hall
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6317
Morgantown, WV 26506-6317
Phone: (304)-293-3811
FAX: (304)-293-8644

Kevin M. Leyden
Professor and Director, Institute for Public Affairs
Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1992

Office: 301B Woodburn Hall
Tel: 304-293-3811, ext. 5298
Email: kleyden@wvu.edu

Kevin M. Leyden (Ph.D., Iowa 1992), is a Professor of Political Science and Director of WVU’s Institute for Public Affairs. Dr. Leyden’s teaching and research interests include public opinion, political parties, elections, interest groups, social capital, health policy, land-use planning and issues of sustainability. His research has been published in the American Journal of Public Health, The British Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, Legislative Studies Quarterly, American Politics Quarterly, American Journal of Health Promotion, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Presidential Studies Quarterly, and Policy Studies Journal, among others. His current research focuses on the relationship between suburban sprawl, social capital and health. He serves as a partner with the World Health Organization’s Large Analysis and Review of European Housing and Health Status (LARES), and is a Research Fellow with the Global Metropolitan Forum which is examining the quality of life in ten major international metropolises for the National Academy of Science of the Republic of Korea. In addition, he is currently completing an analysis of transport planning as part of a research grant from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency. Other recent research grants include an analysis of over 69,000 residents affected by an environmental clean-up project in Parkersburg, West Virginia and an analysis of disaster evacuation plans for the Office of Homeland Security in the US. Dr. Leyden’s research for the Institute for Public Affairs focuses on public policy issues of concern to the State of West Virginia and the Appalachian region. As the Institute’s Director, he also organizes statewide training conferences and educational workshops designed to assist West Virginia public officials in their efforts to address pressing public policy and governance issues.