Welcome to my website! My name is Matthew (Matt) T. Cota and I am a PhD Student in Political Science at Michigan State University. I earned my B.A. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2022, Phi Beta Kappa.

My research interests are in American political institutions with a focus on the federal judiciary, particuarly the U.S. Supreme Court. My work is centered on explaining the behavior of the Supreme Court and its justices. I employ quantatitive methods to examine and identify the factors that shape judicial decision making and the inner workings of the judicial process.

My teaching is focused on the judiciary and the law, and quantitive research methods. I have taught courses on constitutional law and taught labs for introductory quantitative methods courses. In addition to teaching, I enjoy working with undergraduate students on research projects.

Outside of political science, I love spending time with family, running, brewing coffee, reading history and short stories, hiking and camping, cooking, and playing guitar. I was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and am an avid fan of the Vikings, Twins, and Gophers (when they are doing well, at least).

For more information about my work, please visit my Research page or contact me at cotamatt@msu.edu.