Sophie Meunier, research scholar in public and international affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School and co-director of the EU Program at Princeton, has been decorated by the French Government as a "Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques" for her efforts in promoting the French language and culture in the United States.

The Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms) is an Order of Chivalry of France for academics and cultural and educational figures. Originally a decoration founded by Napoléon to honor eminent members of the University of Paris, it was established as an order in 1955.   The early Academic Palms were only given to teachers or professors. In 1866, however, the scope of the award was widened to include major contributors to French national education and culture – regardless of discipline or nationality.   It was also made available to any French expatriates making major contributions to the expansion of French culture throughout the rest of the world.

Meunier, a native of Paris, who now has dual citizenship from the United States and France and resides in Princeton, NJ, has published widely about the European Union, the politics of international trade, globalization, and French politics.   Her work can be found in journals such as International Organization , Foreign Affairs , and Foreign Policy, and she contributes frequently to the French media .  She is currently writing two books – one on the political use of anti-Americanism and one on the politics surrounding Chinese direct investment in Europe and the United States.   She is also co-editing a book on French politics, “ Developments in French Politics 5” (forthcoming Palgrave 2012)

Meunier is an elected member of the executive committee of the Council for European Studies (2009-2013) and a former executive committee member and secretary of the European Union Studies Association (2003-2007). She also serves on the executive board of the International Political Science Association's Research Committee on European Unification (2009-2012) and on the executive committee of the American Political Science's Association European Politics and Society Section (2010-2013). Meunier currently sits on the executive board of the journal French Politics , and from 2008 to 2011 was a member of the Journal of European Public Policy editorial board.   She has a BA from Sciences Po and earned her Ph.D. from MIT, where she studied with French expert Suzanne Berger.