Biography

H. Gibbs Knotts, Ph.D. assumed the role of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Coastal Carolina University on July 1, 2024. Before arriving at Coastal, Knotts was the dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the College of Charleston, a role he held since October 2020. Prior to becoming dean, Knotts served as the department chair of the college’s Department of Political Science from 2012 to 2019.

Knotts has published works on political participation, Southern politics, public administration, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. He is also a frequent contributor to various media outlets and has two co-authored books: The Resilience of Southern Identity: Why the South Still Matters in the Minds of Its People (University of North Carolina Press, 2017) and First in the South: Why South Carolina’s Presidential Primary Matters (University of South Carolina Press, 2019). He received the College of Charleston’s Distinguished Research Award in 2017.

Prior to the College of Charleston, Knotts worked at Western Carolina University, where he held a variety of administrative roles including Master of Public Affairs director, graduate school and research associate dean, political science and public affairs department head, and College of Arts and Sciences interim dean. While at WCU, he also received the 2004 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, the 2010 Board of Governor’s Teaching Award, and the 2010 University Scholar Award.

Knotts’ academic degrees – all in political science – include a B.A. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa; and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Emory University.

He lives in Conway with his wife Stacy and daughter Whitney. In his free time, he enjoys spending time on the water, exercising, seeing live music, and cheering for the Chanticleers.