Ian Wheeler assists Professor John Stephens in planning annual immersion weekend on Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration
Ian Wheeler, 2nd year student
Hometown: Hampton, VA
Academics: Bachelor of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2013 and MA in Teaching and ESL Edication in 2015 from College of William and Mary.
We asked Ian a little about what he’s up to with his research assistantship.
Q: Why are you getting your MPA?
I am a dual-degree student in Library Science and I wanted an MPA to give me the leadership skills and understanding of public systems needed to serve citizens in library settings more effectively and efficiently.
Q: What are you currently working on for this assistantship?
Recently, Dr. Stephens recognized a need to explore the impacts of artificial intelligence on the public sector, so he taught an immersive, weekend-long intensive class on the topic this semester. I served as his teaching assistant and evaluated hundreds of articles as a part of our work together.
Q: How is it working with Dr. Stephens?
Dr. Stephens is an expert on mediation and conflict resolution. My major responsibility involves analyzing, summarizing, and synthesizing research articles pertaining to all kinds of citizen and government interaction including food policy councils, coproduction, and law enforcement advisory boards.
Q: What has this research assistantship experience opened your eyes to?
It has opened my eyes to the breadth of topics that can be covered under the umbrella of public administration. Further, I have learned how everyday citizens can impact public services through a variety of volunteer and advisory board roles.
Q: Where do you see your career going?
After graduation, I initially want to be a school librarian where I work with youth on civic engagement. Eventually, I would like to use the leadership skills I have developed in the MPA program to be a director of school libraries or youth services director for a large local or state library system.
