Wayde Marsh, an assistant professor of political science, has been named a 2026 Andrew Carnegie Fellow and will receive a $200,000 stipend to support his research on rhetoric, political psychology, and the role of religious institutions supporting their communities in the wake of trauma.
The Andrew Carnegie Fellows program supports research in the social sciences and humanities that addresses issues in American society. A panel of jurors composed of academic and intellectual leaders from universities, research institutions, and think tanks selects the fellows from more than 300 applications each year. The 2026 class marks the third year in which the program has chosen fellows whose work contributes to a body of rigorous evidence-based research exploring the causes of, and possible solutions to, political polarization.
Marsh focuses his research on political behavior and decision-making, informed by insights from psychology.
“We are proud to support Marsh’s impactful community-building research and to see it recognized and elevated by the Carnegie Fellows program,” said Robert Hinde, executive dean and Herbert Family Dean’s Chair in the College of Arts and Sciences. “His experience and real-world approach exemplify the many ways our faculty work to make lives better in Tennessee and beyond.”