Dr. Byung Hee (Brian) Min has been awarded a FY 2022 competition-based Faculty Research Seed Grant for his “Representing Democracy, Government Intervention, and Learning” proposal. His study focuses on the collaborative dynamics that exist between local government and Non-Profit Organization (NPO) partnerships. In particular, the research pinpoints the importance of individual voluntarism and representation in NPOs which are constrained by autonomy from government intervention. The findings for the study enhance knowledge in both the field of practice and academia by facilitating a broader understanding about inter-organizational learning for a variety of third sector activities, and enriching the theoretical foundations for future research into civil society, democracy and organizational learning, as well as community development.

Dr. Brian Min is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Valdosta State University. Prior to joining VSU, Dr. Min obtained Ph.D. from the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University. He also completed his B.A. in Public Administration from Michigan State University, and his master’s degree in Sociology at Yonsei University in Korea.

His research has appeared in Administration and Society, Public Performance & Management Review, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, and the Journal of Public Affairs Education. He has received several national awards for his research and diversity and inclusion endeavors. These include a 2021 Emerging Scholar Award by the by the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA), a 2020 Founder’s Fellow by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), a Best Thesis Grant from Florida State University, a Diversity Scholar Award by ARNOVA, and the Best Paper Award for the 2020 ASPA SKPA Junior Asian Scholarship.