Martha Lizabeth Phelps, Ph.D., is an associate professor in residence in the Honors College at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also serves as UNLV’s Nationally Competitive Awards Advisor, mentoring students pursuing major scholarships and fellowships while helping them develop ambitious academic and professional trajectories.

Phelps is recognized for rigorous, engaging teaching, significant scholarly activity, and extensive service across the university. In the classroom, she challenges students to think critically, write clearly, and connect complex political ideas to real-world questions. Across campus, she is a highly visible faculty leader whose work includes mentorship, advising, committee service, student support, and participation in the broader intellectual and civic life of UNLV.

Her scholarship includes publications in political science and security studies as well as work on active learning and artificial intelligence in education, reflecting both disciplinary expertise and a strong commitment to innovative teaching and student success. She earned her doctorate from the University of Miami and also holds degrees from Norwich University and the University of California, Santa Cruz.