Bryan Southworth

MPA Fellows, Class of 2028

Director, PhD in Business Program, UConn School of Business

My fortuitous evolution spans higher education, international affairs, nonprofit and for-profit sectors, and military service. I currently serve as Director of the PhD in Business Program at the University of Connecticut School of Business, where I provide academic leadership and operational oversight across five doctoral departments. My work centers student success, faculty coordination, strategic planning, budget management, accreditation, and data-informed program improvement. My broader scholarship and public engagement focus on strategic foresight, intelligent systems, the future of work, and higher education’s role in the marketplace of ideas. I have shared this work through leading publications, keynotes, and national presentations for scholars, executive leaders, educational organizations, and accreditation-related bodies.

As an MPA Fellow, I hope to better understand how policy is formed, translated, and implemented during periods of rapid social and technological change. I aim to connect my background in geopolitics with my work at the intersection of society, democratic institutions, and technology. My goal is to contribute to adaptive, equitable, and human-centered policy frameworks that support civic life in an increasingly complex and uncertain technological era.

Outside of work and research, I enjoy traveling and spending time with my wife, daughter, and dog Colby-Jack.