He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2003. He conducts research on the origin and outcome of economic and military conflict. His research has appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Conflict Resolution, Journal of Peace Research, and Conflict Management and Peace Science. He teaches courses in international relations and quantitative research methods. Before coming to Texas Tech University in 2007, Dr. Lektzian was a researcher at the International Peace Research Institute in Oslo, Norway, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of New Orleans. During the spring semester of 2014 Dr. Lektzian will be a visiting professor at the University of Vilnius, in Lithuania, as part of the Fulbright Scholars Program.