Shigeo Hirano (Ph.D., Harvard University, 2003). Professor Hirano received his undergraduate degree and Ph.D. from Harvard University. His research interests include comparative politics, American political development, political methodology, applied microeconomics, political economy and Japanese politics. Prior to moving to Columbia University in 2005, Professor Hirano taught for two years at New York University and spent a year as a visiting researcher at the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics, Princeton University.

Professor Hirano is on leave for the Fall 2009 semester.