Professor Denise K. Degarmo has had a long and distinguished career as a political scientist and educator. Her expertise lies in international security with a focus on the nuclear era and security in the Middle East, and she remains committed to advancing the field. She is currently excelling a full professor in the Department of Political Science at Southern Illinois University, where she was promoted in 2016. Dr. Degarmo’s responsibilities include managing teaching, research, and publications, conducting lectures and seminars, performing advanced research on international relations, and providing community service. In addition to that role, she has also served as a research associate at the Applied Research Institute in Jerusalem since 2011, which includes acting as the principal investigator on issues surrounding the Palestinian territories.
Prior to her present work, Dr. Degarmo served as a chairman, associate professor, and assistant professor in the Department of Political Science of Southern Illinois University, and as an instructor at the University of Michigan. She prepared for these endeavors by earning an Associate of Science at Monroe Community College in 1990, a Bachelor of Science in political science at the University of Buffalo in 1992, and a PhD in political science from the University of Michigan in 2001.
Using her extensive experience, Dr. Degarmo has authored several publications in her field, including “The Disposal of Radioactive Wastes in the Metropolitan St. Louis Area: The Environmental and Health Legacy of Mallinckrodt Chemical Works,” “The U.S. –Israeli Strategic Alliance and the Disappearing Palestine,” “International Environmental Treaties and State Behavior: Factors Influencing Cooperation,” and “The Geneva Convention and Their Protocols: The Case of Israel.” Notably, “The Israeli Settlement Enterprise: Grave Breaches of International Law” was submitted to the International Criminal Court in 2016. Dr. Degarmo has also contributed numerous articles to professional journals, and has written research handbooks, undergraduate teaching manuals, government reports and book reviews. Additionally, she has been a presenter at a variety of conferences on topics such international relations, Palestinian issues, the role of pop culture in nuclear energy, and defying the rules of conflict resolution. She is presently working on two more books.
To keep abreast of changes in her field, Dr. Degarmo maintains affiliation with the International Studies Association, Women in International Security, the American Political Science Association, the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, and National Association for Professional Women. She is also a member of the Foreign Policy Association, the International Studies Association, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, the Palestinian American Research Center, and the Southern Political Science Association.
In recognition of her impressive achievements and accomplishments, Dr. Degarmo has received numerous awards. She was the recipient of the Students First Award for Building a Just Community from Southern Illinois University in 2007, honored as the Student Organization Adviser of the Year in 2004, and was recognized as the Faculty Member of the Year by the Student Advisory Committee of the Illinois Board of Higher Education in 2002. Further, she earned the Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award, and was featured in numerous issues of Who’s Who of American Women, and Who’s Who in America. Dr. Degarmo attributes her success to the wonderful opportunities and access to education she has had. Her joy comes from student recognition and in giving back and helping students to excel.