Meet our CHC Core Faculty

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 241 Atoms: Mother Nature’s LEGOS; 241 Music to Your Ears: The Science of Song; 277 Thesis Orientation; 301 Beneath the Surface Science; 441 The Art of Data Manipulation
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Song on Repeat: “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran
What’s in the fridge: Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Limeade.
Guilty Pleasure: Leaving boxes out for my cats to play in.
Favorite Movie: The Princess Bride
Coffee or Tea: Tea! (Peppermint is a favorite)
Why I teach at the CHC: I appreciate the diversity of knowledge that students bring into the classroom. The best learning moments come from considering others’ unique perspectives.
If you take my class, you will: Have the opportunity to (1) Explore science from a “real life” tangible perspective, and (2) Take ownership of your research and learning.
I’m a stickler for: Respecting each other. In my classroom, everyone has space to be heard. I expect our class to uphold this welcoming and supportive environment.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 101 Making Space for Our Stories: Immigrant and Refugee Experiences of Coming to America; 231 Running: Culture, Community and Identity; 231 Medicine, Health and Storytelling; 277 Thesis Orientation; 431/434 Displacement and Health; 444/431 The People of Oregon: Immigrants, Refugees and Society
Hometown: Union City, Calif.
Song on Repeat: “Tala'al Badru” by Muad & Firas
Guilty Pleasure: Cardamom Anything — latte, muffins, chocolate, granola
Favorite Movie: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Coffee or Tea: Coffee in the AM, tea in the PM
Why I teach at the CHC: For starters, I am one of the luckiest people in this world to be here at the CHC! I absolutely love, love, love what I am doing here with my colleagues and all the students I get to interact with! I appreciate being in community with students from all walks of life, who come to class with curiosity and a willingness to respectfully listen and engage with one another. I cherish the time I have with my students, colleagues, and staff.
If you take my class, you will: Have a better sense of who you are and how you might nurture positive change in this world.
I’m a stickler for: Participation! I value nurturing spaces for students to be seen and heard inside and outside of the classroom. I want students to connect our classroom and themselves to the larger world around them. I echo the words of Rosa Parks: “Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today's mighty oak is yesterday's nut that held its ground.”

Department: Psychology
CHC classes: 101 Deep Dive; 441 Public Writing Seminar: Public Science
Hometown: Redwood City, Calif.
Song on Repeat: “Gabriel’s Oboe” by Ennio Morricone
Guilty Pleasure: Surrounding myself with pets.
Favorite Movie: Arrival
Coffee or Tea: Yes, please.
Why I teach at the CHC: The students! The faculty! The staff!
If you take my class, you will: Engage with your fellow students in a collaborative process of learning to shape ideas and knowledge into written pieces that sing to others with clarity and force.
I’m a stickler for: Focusing on connection first.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 221 "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead:" Narratives of Retribution/Revenge; 301 "Build My Gallows High:" Written and Cinematic Noir; 421 "Lie to Me:" Techniques in Prose Fiction; 477 Thesis Prospectus
Hometown: Charlotteamalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; and Fayetteville, N.C.
Song on Repeat: I’m all about whole albums. Jorge Ben's 1976 masterpiece África Brasil has been a near-weekly go-to for me. I’ve recently fallen pretty hard for the work of Tess Parks, especially her work with Anton Newcombe. If I had to pick a single song, it would probably be Cherrelle's classic “I Didn't Mean to Turn You On.”
Guilty Pleasure: For years, my answer to this question would've been the music of Kate Bush. But thanks to Stranger Things everybody loves her now, and now I can be guilty no longer.
Favorite Movie: Toss-up between Jacques Tourneur masterpiece Out of the Past and Spike Lee's Malcolm X. Honorable mentions? Brian De Palma's Carlito’s Way and John Carpenter's The Thing.
Coffee or Tea: Coffee, and lots of it.
Why I teach at the CHC: The students—I have absolutely loved working with CHC students. The support that CHC faculty gets from administration and staff is a huge plus for me, too.
If you take my class, you will: Work hard, learn a ton, and have a great time doing so.​​​​​
I’m a stickler for: Intellectual curiosity. This might sound simplistic, but intellectual curiosity is how we learn one thing by first learning another. It's the gas that makes the car go. With intellectual curiosity, a scholar can go anywhere. Without it, though, that car's basically just a hunk of metal.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 241 Microbes Making Food; 441 Microbiomes and Society 
Hometown: Bay Area, California
Song on Repeat: “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga
Guilty Pleasure: Bulk bin gummy candies from WinCo.
What's in the fridge: Greek yogurt and homemade nectarine jam.
Favorite Movie: Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and most other Studio Ghibli movies
Coffee or Tea: Matcha lattes, Earl grey, rose black tea, boba tea... any kind of tea
Why I teach at the CHC: The small class sizes with passionate students and interdisciplinary interests! 
If you take my class, you will: Learn about how microbes are everywhere and can do all sorts of neat things. 
I’m a stickler for: Keeping an open mind and remaining as non-judgmental as possible. 
 

Department: Journalism
CHC classes: 101 Media Unfiltered; 231 Pursuing Happiness; 277 Thesis Orientation
Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Song on Repeat: Metallica and Lady Gaga
What's in the fridge: Broccoli salad
Guilty Pleasure: Instagram
Favorite Movie: The Sound of Music and The Shawshank Redemption
Coffee or Tea: Coffee all day, every day
Why I teach at the CHC: Rich intellectual discussions about the pressing issues of our times.
If you take my class, you will: Learn to critically evaluate the mass media and hold these powerful institutions accountable.
I’m a stickler for: Enthusiasm, empathy, and gratitude.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 101 Global Issues; 231 Environmental Change and Disease; 231 War and Peace: Understanding Conflict in the 21st Century; 444/431 Program Design and Evaluation in Public Service; 434/431 The Disease Chasers: Foundation of Epidemiology and Global Health
Hometown: Simsbury, Conn.
Song on Repeat: so many – from the Gamelan of Indonesia, Mariachi from Mexico, to Sufi from Turkey
Guilty Pleasure: Good wine.
Favorite Movie: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Coffee or Tea: Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon.
Why I teach at the CHC: Interesting and motivated students and innovative colleagues.
If you take my class, you will: Increase your understanding of the many paths you can take to contribute to positive and sustainable change.
I’m a stickler for: Being thoughtfully engaged in discussions.

Department: German and Scandinavian Studies; Judaic Studies
CHC classes: 221 Poetics of Failure; HC 301 Theory of Myth; 421 TB or not to Be: Writing, Sickness, and Death
Hometown: Opelousas, Louisiana
Song on Repeat: “24 Hours” by Chloe Slater
Guilty Pleasure: Falling asleep on the couch with the TV on.
Favorite Movie: Burn After Reading
Coffee or Tea: Chai.
Why I teach at the CHC: I was a liberal arts student at Bard College and it has mapped my entire life. I love being able to pass that on to future generations.
If you take my class, you will: ​​​Read a lot, but hopefully laugh a bunch too and maybe just fawn over human language!
I’m a stickler for: Footnotes!

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 101 Human Care and Intimacy; 231 Migrant Belongings; 444/431 Bordering the U.S. and Mexico; 477 Thesis Prospectus
Hometown: Gates, Oregon
Song on Repeat: “Hombre al Agua” by Soda Stereo
What's in the fridge: Meats, cheeses, veggies, and Coke zero
Guilty Pleasure: Reading the Atlantic, Letras Libres, New Yorker, or Nexos. Or playing pickup basketball three or four times a week. On second thought, I don't feel too guilty about either one...
Favorite Movie: Amores Perros
Coffee or Tea: Coffee. Different roasts for different days.
Why I teach at the CHC: I love collaborating with others and facilitating learning. The CHC's small class sizes and multidisciplinary orientation make it an ideal place for that.
If you take my class, you will: Take ownership of your learning. I create a structure, but challenge you to do transformational work. You'll reflect by looking inward at your existing understandings, then read, write, and, in our classroom learning community, exchange ideas with classmates. Then we'll reflect some more and start the cycle again.
I’m a stickler for: Trying hard when something’s worth it.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 241 Pick Your Poison; 444/441: Flint Water Crisis; 277 Thesis Orientation; 477 Thesis Prospectus
Hometown: A suburb of Dallas, Texas
Album on Repeat: “Meaning of Life” by Kelly Clarkson
What's in the fridge: Ranch Dressing.
Guilty Pleasure: Fun sunglasses.
Favorite Movie: I'd rather binge-watch a TV show...
Coffee or Tea: Coffee with cream and sugar, please!
Why I teach at the CHC: The students and my colleagues are talented, creative, and inspiring individuals. I learn something new every day and I love that.
If you take my class, you will: Learn some chemistry, work hard, have fun, and be supported along the way.
I’m a stickler for: Numbers having units. Without a unit, a number is meaningless.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 231 Oral Advocacy and Argumentation; 477 Thesis Prospectus
Hometown: Eugene
Song on Repeat: “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder
What's in the fridge: Cherries and lox.
Guilty Pleasure: Baseball simulation.
Favorite Movie: The Godfather II
Coffee or Tea: Prefer coffee, but the stomach prefers tea.
Why I teach at the CHC: The students are inspiring.
If you take my class, you will: Learn critical thinking and effective advocacy.
I’m a stickler for: Compassion.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 101 Science of Zombies; 241 Avian Ecology: The Birds of UO; 277 Thesis Orientation; 441 Ecophysiology and Extreme Environments
Hometown: Applegate
Song on Repeat: “Slow Show” by The National
What’s in the fridge: A concerning amount of juice.
Guilty Pleasure: I like to watch Futurama on repeat. "Good News, Everyone."
Favorite Movie: So many. I really love Hot Fuzz.
Coffee or Tea: Neither. I like my caffeine to be carbonated.
Why I teach at the CHC: The dynamic community created by students, faculty and staff.
If you take my class, you will: Learn about the scientific method and flex your critical thinking skills.
I’m a stickler for: Concise writing.
One thing you would never guess about me: We have a lovely miniature horse that occasionally hangs out inside to watch TV.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 231 Japan: History, Memory, Empire; 431 Asia Urbanism
Hometown: Irvine, California
Song on Repeat: "Carson City Stage" by Chet Baker and Carson Smith
What’s in the fridge: Strawberry kefir
Guilty Pleasure: Kouign-amann from Provisions
Favorite Movie: Tokyo Ga
Coffee or Tea: Double Espresso
Why I teach at the CHC: The small discussion-based class format. And because of the amazing students and colleagues at the University of Oregon. 
If you take my class, you will: Engage with historical-analytical knowledge frameworks and produce interpretations using contextual keywords while learning about Japan and the Asia-Pacific .
I’m a stickler for: Timely submissions!

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 101 Wait, What Do You Mean?; 221 Poetry's AI; 277 Thesis Orientation
Hometown: West Linn, Ore.
Song on Repeat: The complete works of Beyoncé
What’s in the fridge: Sparkly water, fancy yogurt, every kind of cheese.
Guilty Pleasure: Reading a book all day long. Like, the entire day. 
Favorite Movie: Casablanca
Coffee or Tea: Tea
Why I teach at the CHC: To work with students who are eager to navigate challenges. 
If you take my class, you will: Learn to test ideas in community—not to arrive at a single right answer, but to practice the hard, necessary work of thinking for yourself. And you’ll probably read a poem or two. 
I’m a stickler for: Ending class on time.

Department: Psychology
CHC classes: 231 Thinking and Deciding; 241 Making Mistakes and Creating Catastrophes; 431 Psychology of Fascism; 441 Psychological Science and Law
Hometown: Los Angeles
Song on Repeat: “Standing in the Breach” by Jackson Browne
Guilty Pleasure: I’ll never tell. I refuse to answer on the grounds that it may incriminate me.
Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings (OK, so I cheated. There are three.) and Always.
Coffee or Tea: I'm flexible
Why I teach at the CHC: The students (they’re the best), the class sizes, and the flexibility.
If you take my class, you will: think, talk, write, but most importantly, you’ll learn some important things about people and about yourself together with some concepts and ways of thinking about problems and other issues that you will be able to apply in whatever you do.
I’m a stickler for: Accuracy and logic; saying what you mean and meaning what you say; if you claim something is true, tell me how you know it to be true.

Department: Music
CHC classes: 221 Velocity of Gesture, or Intro to Air Guitar; 421 Louis Armstrong: the Sound of a Century; 477 Thesis Prospectus
Hometown: I was born and raised in Portland.
Song on Repeat: The music I have on repeat is almost always music that I’m working on. At the moment, I’ve got Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat on…all the time.
Guilty Pleasure: Nutella…by the spoonful.
Favorite Movie: Whichever movie I’m watching. I love movies. Even the bad ones.
Coffee or Tea: It depends. If you told me that I was going to die in the next 30 seconds unless I drank tea, then I’d drink the damn tea.
Why I teach at the CHC: Since coming to the CHC several years ago, my only regret is that I didn’t come here sooner. I’m proud to be part of this fabulous faculty, I’m grateful to work alongside such a supportive staff, and I’m endlessly inspired by the students.
If you take my class, you will: If you’re like a lot of my students (especially in my Air Guitar class), you might want to drop the class as soon as you read the syllabus (which I won’t send you before class starts, so don’t ask). But if you stick it out, you’ll probably be glad you did.
I’m a stickler for: My kids would say that I’m a stickler for microwaving my ice cream before I eat it. And if you haven’t tried it, then just keep your wrong opinions to yourself.

Department: Law
CHC classes: 301 Hazardous Waste; 444 The Justice System; 477 Thesis Prospectus
Hometown: Wadsworth, Ohio
Song on Repeat: The theme to Oxygen Not Included
Guilty Pleasure: Dungeons & Dragons
Favorite Movie: CODA
Coffee or Tea: Yes please.
Why I teach at the CHC: I have learned something from almost every single CHC student I’ve ever worked with. Such a privilege.
If you take my class, you will: Discover that you are the actual, no-joke, hands-down, total expert in the room on some specific thing that has arisen. And then immediately after that, discover that you (1) like that feeling, but (2) need practice knowing what to do in such situations.
I’m a stickler for: Avoiding globalized assertions. No one should ever use them. They always make you look completely uneducated.

Department: History of Art and Architecture
CHC classes: 101 The Art and Science of Human Flourishing
Hometown: Manchester, Wash.
Song on Repeat: I'm a sucker for movie soundtracks.
Guilty Pleasure: I love the Merlin bird app (and don't feel guilty about it).
What's in the fridge: Kombucha
Favorite Movie: Kung Fu Panda
Coffee or Tea: Both
Why I teach at the CHC: I love talking about art and new media technologies with students from all kinds of disciplines.
If you take my class, you will: Explore how attention and distraction impact our experience.
I’m a stickler for: Kindness and curiosity.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 477 Thesis Prospectus
Hometown: Lafayette, Colorado
Song on Repeat: I search “Elder Emo” on Spotify and hit play
Guilty Pleasure: Seeded sourdough loaf from Noisette Bakery, but I do not carry guilt for this true pleasure.
Favorite Movie: Independence Day
Coffee or Tea: Coffee
Why I teach at the CHC: My field, African American Literature, is inherently interdisciplinary. There is no better place to teach such classes than in the CHC.
If you take my class, you will: Learn a lot about the history of reproductive science and the efforts to correct an unjust system through the human-rights framework of Reproductive Justice.
I’m a stickler for: Directly engaging quotations you’ve included in your writing.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 277 Thesis Orientation; 421H The Anarchist Imagination
Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.
Song on Repeat: “Debaser” by the Pixies
Guilty Pleasure: An old movie matinee in the middle of a sunny day.
Favorite Movie: Vertigo or Rules of the Game or Mulholland Drive or...
Coffee or Tea: Coffee, damn it! What a question. My students know that my large thermos is the T.A. for the course.
Why I teach at the CHC: This is a community devoted to shared learning and discovery, and every day I learn by the example of my students' and colleagues’ generosity, creativity, and disciplinary range. I owe all of them a debt of gratitude for the way they’ve allowed me to continue being their student.
If you take my class, you will: Wander in the dark woods of self-discovery.
I’m a stickler for: The proper use of a semi-colon.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Public Writing Seminar: Writing for Social Justice
Hometown: Stillwater, N.J.
Song on Repeat: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
Guilty Pleasure: Beer.
What's in the fridge: Olives and parmesan.
Favorite Movie: Raising Arizona
Coffee or Tea: Coffee morning. Tea afternoon.
Why I teach at the CHC: Because I love to learn.
If you take my class, you will: Write. A lot.
I’m a stickler for: Proofreading.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 231 Reform, Repression, and Revolution; 277 Thesis Orientation; 301 The Local and the Global; 434/431 Gendering Germany
Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
Song on Repeat: Currently anything on Hurray for the Riff Raff’s album, “The Past Is Still Alive”
Guilty Pleasure: Buying new books even though I own an embarrassing number that I’ve not yet read. 
What's in the fridge: Mama Lil's Pickled Hungarian Peppers in Oil. I put them on nearly everything.
Favorite Movie: I’m not a huge movie person, but definitely the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. 
Coffee or Tea: Mostly coffee, but I love tea, too!
Why I teach at the CHC: For the students, faculty, and staff who are so clearly bursting with curiosity about a host of issues, hardworking enough to learn the skills to seek answers to their questions, and generous enough to support each other in fun, collegial environment along the way. 
If you take my class, you will: Learn to think not just about the what and when of the past, but more importantly, about the how and why. And then you’ll learn the magic of wielding these analytical tools upon our present moment as well. 
I’m a stickler for: Sitting in the discomfort. Learning should be challenging, but the growth is in the struggle. But we don’t have to struggle alone!

Department: English
CHC classes: 101 Poetry of Black Liberation; 221 Black Women's Short Fiction; 444/421 Black Feminist Literature; 444/421 Morrison and Friends
Hometown: New York is the place that feels most like home.
Song on Repeat: Any golden age (late 1980s through 1990s) hip-hop playlist
Guilty Pleasure: Sci-fi, horror, and supernatural TV shows (but I don't feel guilty about it!)
Favorite Movie: I love too many movies to name but a few I'll rewatch anytime are Blade Runner, Daughters of the Dust, Point Break, any movie in the Scream series, and Cabin in the Woods.
Coffee or Tea: Coffee
Why I teach at the CHC: The small class size and terrific students let us really collaborate to learn together.
If you take my class, you will: Definitely develop your reading, writing, and thinking skills and hopefully carry what you learn from African American literature into the rest of your personal and professional life.
I’m a stickler for: Do the reading! Every text I assign is one I chose with great care and respect for students' time. They're all worth your careful attention; I promise!

Department: Music
CHC classes: 221 Music and Meaning; 301 Experiential Anatomy and Somatic Therapies; 444/421 Music and Identity; 421 What's Opera, Doc?
Hometown: Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Song on Repeat: “I am a Vamp” by Ute Lemper
Guilty Pleasure: Wikipedia rabbit holes.
Favorite Movie: Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers
What's in the fridge: IPA from Ft. George 
Coffee or Tea: Why not both?
Why I teach at the CHC: The students are brilliant!
If you take my class, you will: Listen to music you've never heard before.
I’m a stickler for: Good rhythm.

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: 101 Biodiversity; 241 The Habitable Earth; 301 Data Storytelling: Data Analysis, Visualization, and Storytelling with R
Hometown: Goleta, California
Song on Repeat: “Quitting You” by Arkells has been on repeat ever since my kid was born. It has the amazing ability to mellow them out no matter how grumpy they are. 
Guilty Pleasure: I don't know that I feel super guilty about it, but I love video games and D&D.
What's in the fridge: Ingredients to make a smoothie.
Favorite Movie: I like any movie that is funny or has elements of fantasy or science fiction. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves ticked a lot of those boxes. The old (and new) Ghostbusters and Star Wars movies are all good too.
Coffee or Tea: Definitely tea. I pretty much only like coffee if it is disguised in the form of a milkshake.
Why I teach at the CHC: This is my first year teaching with the CHC but I am super excited for the small class sizes and the curious and motivated students.
If you take my class, you will: Learn about how complex our planet is and apply what I teach to new situations and disciplines.
I'm a stickler for: Always trying your best.
One thing you would never guess about me: I love trying to solve puzzles and riddles. My partner and I have done tons of escape rooms and we looked for Forrest Fenn's treasure a few different times before it was eventually found.