Of note: News about center faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends

The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics is pleased to recognize the accomplishments and activities of its faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters:

Carrie Ann Johnson, associate director for outreach and communication for the Catt Center and assistant teaching professor in women’s and gender studies, was interviewed both by Alana Wise of NPR and on “AirTalk with Larry Mantle” on LAist 89.3, NPR’s flagship affiliate station for Los Angeles and Southern California, about her research on whisper networks and implications when the networks go digital, such as with the Tea app.

Elizabeth Katz, professor of law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and recipient of a 2016 Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics honorable mention award, recently published the article ” ‘May It Please Her Honor’: The United States’ First Women Judges, 1870-1930,” a comprehensive account of the country’s first women judges. The article details how even early suffragists sought positions for women in the judiciary and challenges the conventional wisdom that only a handful of women served as judges prior to ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.

Karen M. Kedrowski, center director, appeared on Iowa Public Radio’s “River to River” on July 16 and August 4. On July 17, Kedrowski was interviewed by Emma Bradford of Cronkite News about Arizona Senator Rueben Gallego’s planned visit to the Iowa State Fair. On August 4, she was interviewed by Jennifer Taylor of East Wing Magazine about former first lady Florence Harding and her commitment to women’s rights. On August 27, she was interviewed by JD Snover of Local 5 News about Catelin Drey’s election in the August 26 special election for Iowa Senate District 1. On August 28, her interview on Iowa Public Radio’s “Talk of Iowa” about the gender gap in politics that was originally aired on April 7, 2025 was re-aired. Kedrowski was interviewed about Sen. Joni Ernst’s announcement that she will not seek re-election in 2026 by O. Kay Henderson of Radio Iowa on Sept. 2 and by Maya Marchel Hoff of the Lee-Gazette Des Moines Bureau on Sept. 3. She was also interviewed on Sept. 3 by Skylar Tallal of Iowa News Now about the changing dynamic of Iowa’s 2026 gubernatorial, House and Senate races. On Sept. 4, she was interviewed by reporters from the Quad City Times about Sen. Ernst’s re-election announcement. On Sept. 7, she spoke at a Hamilton County ISU Alumni fundraising dinner about Cyclone Civics.

Kelly Shaw, co-director of the Center for Cyclone Civics and teaching professor of political science, appeared on Iowa Public Radio’s “River to River” on July 9, August 4 and August 6. On August 11, Shaw spoke to the Noon Rotary in Webster City, Iowa, about Cyclone Civics.