Scholars from throughout the world will converge Oct. 18-19 at Northwest Missouri State University for the 22nd Annual Great Plains Political Science Association Conference (GPPSA).

Scholars, practitioners and students in political science and related disciplines annually attend and share their research at the conference. Northwest is hosting the conference for the third consecutive year.

“This is a relaxed environment to gain knowledge about the political world,” Dr. Bronson Herrera, an assistant professor of political science at Northwest and vice president of GPPSA, said. “It gives a behind-the-scenes look at what academic research is being done and how we work as a community of scholars to help sharpen each other's work. Especially for students, this is a great opportunity to rub shoulders with faculty and get plugged into the right networks.”

Dr. Peter J. Longo, professor of political science at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, will deliver the keynote address at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, in the J.W. Jones Student Union Boardroom.

Longo received his undergraduate from Creighton University as well as Ph.D. and J.D. degrees from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He is the author of “Great Plains Politics,” co-author of “The Nebraska State Constitution: A Reference Guide” and co-editor of “Water in the Great Plains: Issues and Policies.” Longo studies how cooperative politics can promote community good and serves as the editor of “Great Plains Research,” an interdisciplinary journal from the Center for Great Plains Studies.

The Great Plains Political Science Association was created in 1997 to promote the study of political science and public affairs and supports academic study of the topics through an annual conference that serves as a forum for both faculty and student presentations, faculty development and public affairs workshops.