Charles Anthony “Tony” Smith, associate professor of political science, studies law and legal institutions; comparative and international law; and gay and lesbian electoral politics. He and 13 other political science professors from around the country have filed amicus briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court concerning Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act. Smith received the 2011 Bailey Award from the LGBT Caucus of the American Political Science Association for a paper titled “Gay Rights & Legislative Wrongs: Representation of Gays & Lesbians.” He is chair of APSA’s committee on the status of LGBT political scientists. Contact Smith at 949-824-5403 or [email protected].

Catherine Bolzendahl, associate professor of sociology, researches when and why people are willing to grant marital rights and benefits (joint taxes, health insurance, hospital visitation and adoption) to same-sex couples. She can address the liberalization of attitudes about this subject over the years and how people apply definitions of “family” to same-sex couples. Bolzendahl is the co-author of “Counted Out: Same-Sex Relations & Americans’ Definitions of Family,” which asks men and women of different ages, races, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds to share their opinions on what counts as family and what doesn’t. Contact Bolzendahl at 949-824-1311 or [email protected].