Dr. Schmotter's research investigates the structure and function of ethnic identity, with a focus on the effects of public policy on race and ethnicity in the United States and South Asia. As a secondary area of research, he studies the politics of public support for judiciaries, and the contexts under which such support can protect judicial institutions from would-be autocrats.

Dr. Schmotter is also deeply committed to his role as an educator, particularly through courses that ask students to do rather than simply absorb. He is a strong advocate for Reacting to the Past, a simulation-based pedagogy in which students step into the roles of historical actors (for example, delegates at the Congress of Vienna, or leaders of India's independence movement) and argue, negotiate, and make decisions as those figures would have. The result is a classroom where students, not the instructor, carry the discussion forward. He brings a similar hands-on approach to his methods courses, pairing lectures with in-class labs so students can build confidence and intuition with statistical concepts through direct practice rather than passive instruction. Across both, his aim is the same: to create a space where students learn by grappling with real problems, and come away with skills they can carry beyond the course itself.

Prior to St. Olaf, Dr. Schmotter completed his dissertation at George Washington University, where he studied how formal, government definitions of racial and ethnic identity in the United States influence perceptions of group boundaries. He earned his M.A. in International Peace & Conflict Resolution from American University, with a focus on negotiation and mediation. During this time, he also served as a campus dialogue facilitator, helping students, staff, and faculty have meaningful (and often difficult) conversations around issues of race and racism on AU's campus. Before starting his graduate studies, he lived in Guilin, China for two years where he worked as a foreign teacher and deputy director of international staff at Guangxi Normal University. He also holds a B.A. in Politics and International Relations (double major) and B.S. in Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology from Drake University.