Meet our CHC Core Faculty

a female faculty member smiling in the center of a ring of students sitting at desks in a light-filled classroom

Clark Honors College Core Faculty

Lindsay Hinkle in a pink sweater standing under U of O campus oaks turning red in early autumn.

“The biggest thing for me is that my students are still people.

Yes, you are a student in my class but there’s so much about you that I don't know. I want to get to know you so I can help support you in your journey as a college student.” 

—Lindsay Hinkle, Instuctor of Chemistry

Members of the Clark Honors College Core Faculty

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Rebecca Altman
UO Excellence in teaching of chemistry award
Instructor of Natural Sciences

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 241 Atoms: Mother Nature’s LEGOS; HC 241 Music to Your Ears: The Science of Song; HC 277 Thesis Orientation; HC 301 Beneath the Surface Science; HC 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. 

Rebecca Altman Profile

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Yalda Asmatey
Instructor of Social Sciences

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 101 Making Space for Our Stories: Immigrant and Refugee Experiences of Coming to America; HC 231 Muslims in America; HC 231: Storytelling and Health; HC 221: Middle East Joy and Culture; HC 277 Thesis Orientation; HC 431/434 Displacement and Health
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.” 

Yalda Asmatey Profile

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Dare Baldwin
CURE faculty research mentor award; guggenheim fellowship
Professor

Department: Psychology
CHC classes: HC 441 Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing “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. 

Dare Baldwin Profile

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Corinne Bayerl
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship 2023-24; CHC Innovative Teaching Award 2022
Senior Career Instructor of Comparative Literature
Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 101 Codes and Ciphers; HC 221 Satire; HC 434 African American Writers in Paris
Hometown: Munich, Germany and Île de Groix, France
Song on Repeat:“Karantez vro” by Yann-Fañch Kemener
Guilty Pleasure:  Buying lottery tickets
Favorite Movie: Maborosi
Coffee or Tea: Both
Why I teach at the CHC: It’s a pleasure!
If you take my class, you will: Participate in a lot of small-group discussions; have the option to do a creative final project.
I’m a stickler for: Remember diacritic signs in foreign language words!

Corinne Bayerl Profile

outdoor portrait of ulrick casimir
Ulrick Casimir
Randall Jarell Fellowship
Senior Instructor I of English, Digital Humanities (on sabbatical Fall 2024)

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 221 Narratives of Retribution/Revenge; HC 301 Written and Cinematic Noir; HC 421 Narrative Technique
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.

Ulrick Casimir Profile

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Anita Chari
Williams Teaching Award; Solomon Guiteau teaching fellowship; Ersted Teaching Award
Associate Professor

Department: Political Science
CHC classes: Music and Politics; Autobiography as Political Agency; Thesis Prospectus; Body Politic and the Art of Perception
Hometown: Chicago
Song on Repeat: “Alone Again Or” by Love
Guilty Pleasure: Aperitivo hour 
Favorite Movie: Mulholland Drive
Coffee or Tea: Right now, a Café Salentino to be exact
Why I teach at the CHC: CHC students have the best taste in music. 
If you take my class, you will: Build community with your classmates and learn a lot about yourself, both personally and intellectually.
I’m a stickler for: Depth and authenticity.

Anita Chari Profile

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Nicole Dahmen
2021 scripps howard journalism professor of the year; tiger athletic foundation undergraduate teaching award; sojc agora journalism center faculty fellowship
Professor

Department: Journalism
CHC classes: HC 101 Media Unfiltered; HC 221 Creative Nonfiction; HC 431 Solutions to Our Wicked Problems
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.

Nicole Dahmen Profile

Portrait of Nicole Dudukovic outside
Nicole Dudukovic
Williams Instructional Award
Senior Instructor I, Neuroscience Major Director
Department: Psychology
CHC classes: HC 101 Misinformation; HC 241 The Science of Learning and Memory; HC 277 Thesis Orientation; HC 301 Autobiographical Memory, HC 441 Neuroethics; HC 441 Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing “Neuroscience Journalism”
Hometown: St. Louis
Song on Repeat: My kids’ Suzuki violin and viola tunes
Guilty Pleasure: Sleeping in.
What's in the fridge: A lot of cheese.
Favorite Movie: Memento
Coffee or Tea: Herbal tea or a decaf latte
Why I teach at the CHC: I’m inspired by my students and colleagues.
If you take my class, you will: Engage in meaningful conversations with your peers and learn more about how your mind works.
I’m a stickler for: Treating others with respect and being open to new ideas.

Nicole Dudukovic Profile

daffodils outside chapman hall
Jean Faye
Instructor of Natural Sciences
Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 241 Environmental Problem-Solving; HC 277 Thesis Orientation
Hometown: Toukar and Dakar, Senegal, West Africa
Song on Repeat: “One Love” by Bob Marley
Guilty Pleasure: Dark chocolate pistachio ice cream
Favorite Movie: Guelwaar from Sembène Ousname
Coffee or Tea: Both, and please serve the tea with mint
Why I teach at the CHC: The neat community of students, faculty and staff.
If you take my class, you will: Pay greater attention to the environment and champion sustainable living. You will become accustomed to a truly global and cross-cultural perspective, with direct relevance to parallel issues in Oregon. You will connect to topics and tools, experiences and insights that will empower you to understand and make a difference in the career you will pursue. 
I’m a stickler for: Student-centered learning approaches, hands-on practices, study abroad. 
One thing you would never guess about meI played professional soccer for a year. 
What's in the fridge: 
Tofu and fresh vegetables.
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Jesse Feddersen
Instructor
Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 101 Syzygy The History and Science of Eclipses; HC 277 Thesis Orientation
Hometown: Bloomington, Indiana
Song on Repeat: “Bosler” by Jaland Crossland and “Dancing on my Own” by Robyn
Guilty Pleasure: Ice cream from the tub
Favorite Movie: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Everything, Everywhere, all at Once
Coffee or Tea: Black coffee in the morning, Earl Grey tea with milk and sugar in the afternoon
Why I teach at the CHC: This is my first year at CHC, but I'm excited for small classes with students bringing diverse academic experiences.
If you take my class, you will: Learn that “space is big.” (Douglas Adams)
I’m a stickler for: Skepticism and clear writing. 

Jesse Feddersen Profile

Portrait of ellen fitzpatrick
Ellen Fitzpatrick
Fulbright Scholar in Turkey; State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Teaching
Instructor

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Global Problems of the 21st Century; Research Methods in Environmental Studies and Sustainability; Environmental Change and Disease; Creating Resilient Communities
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.

Ellen Fitzpatrick Profile

Daphne Gallagher headshot
Daphne Gallagher
UO Senate Leadership and Service Award for Officers of Administration; Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies; Senior Lecturer of Anthropology
Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Unearthing Medieval West Africa; Ethnobotany of the Atlantic Exchange; Thesis Prospectus; Thesis Orientation
Hometown: Champaign, Illinois; Tucson and Flagstaff, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; Madison, Wisconsin
Song on Repeat: “Ordinary Angels” by Frente!
Guilty Pleasure: Spending time with my cats
Favorite Movie: The Martian
Coffee or Tea: Both
Why I teach at the CHC: I love learning from my students.
If you take my class, you will: Learn to think about problems from multiple directions.
I’m a stickler for: Communication. We can solve problems if we talk about them.   

Daphne Gallagher Profile

gantt gurley outdoor portrait
Gantt Gurley
Jim Joseph Foundation Award, 2019-22
Associate Professor

Department: German and Scandinavian Studies; Judaic Studies
CHC classes: HC 101 The Garden and the Wall; HC 421 TB or not to Be: Writing, Sickness, and Death; HC 301 The Natural World; HC 221 The Birth of the Novel
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!

Gantt Gurley Profile

outdoor portrait of Tobin Hansen
Tobin Hansen
Outstanding Teaching Award for the School of Language, Culture, and Society at Oregon State University
Instructor

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: U.S.-Mexico Borderlands; Policing Masculinities; Human Care and Intimacy; Deportation from the United States; 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.

Tobin Hansen Profile

Linsay Hinkle headshot
Lindsay Hinkle
2024 Faculty Excellence in Universal Design Award; Clark Honors COllege Teaching Innovation Fellowship
Instructor of Chemistry

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 101 Symmetry; HC 241 Pick Your Poison; HC 441 Water: A Deep Dive; HC 441 Verifying the Viral: Investigating Science on Social Media; HC 277 Thesis Orientation; HC 477 Thesis Prospectus; General Chemistry Study Sessions
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.  

Lindsay Hinkle Profile

Trond Jacobsen headshot
Trond Jacobsen
Senior Instructor of Information Science

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Oral argument and advocacy; Thesis preparation; Social History of Baseball; Library Research
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.

Trond Jacobsen Profile

robert mauro portrait
Robert Mauro
NASA Turning Goals Into Reality, Gustav Meyers Award for Outstanding Written Work in Human Rights
Associate Professor

Department: Psychology
CHC classes: Making Mistakes and Causing Catastrophes; Law, Science, and Morality; Psychology of Fascism; Data and Death
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. 

Robert Mauro Profile

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Brian McWhorter
Professor

Department: Music
CHC classes: Some of my classes include HC 221 Velocity of Gesture, or Intro to Air Guitar; HC 421 Louis Armstrong: the Sound of a Century; HC 101 Down the Rabbit Hole (with Lisa Munger); and HC 421 Music, Film, and Glass Ceilings
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. 

Brian McWhorter Profile

outdoor portrait of christopher michlig
Christopher Michlig
Ersted Award for Innovative Pedagogy; Office of the Provost’s Book Publication Award
Professor
Department: Art
CHC classes: Slime and Sliminess; 12,000 Colors; Skiing and Nothingness; Class Picture; Interviews
Hometown: Girdwood, Alaska
Song on Repeat: Soundtrack to Adam Curtis’ 2021 docu-series Can't Get You Out of My Head: An Emotional History of the Modern World
Guilty Pleasure: Pastries
Favorite Movie: Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One
Coffee or Tea: Coffee with a splash of cream
Why I teach at the CHC: To deep-dive into culture and critical inquiry with students.
If you take my class, you will: Have new experiences!
I’m a stickler for: Slowing down and thinking things through.

Christopher Michlig Profile

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Michael Moffitt
A.J. ersted award for distinguished teaching; thomas f. herman award for specialized pedagogy
Professor

Department: Law
CHC classes: HC 431/444 Continuing the Search for the Cayuse Five; HC 444 The Justice System Today; HC 301 Hazardous Waste; HC 431 Secrecy
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. 

Michael Moffit Profile

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Kate Mondloch
faculty excellence award; sherl coleman and margaret guitteau teaching professorships in the humanities; national endowment for the humanities; williams fellowship
Professor

Department: History of Art and Architecture
CHC classes: HC 101 The Art and Science of Human Flourishing; HC 221 Body Politic and the Art of Perception; HC 421 Attention, Perception, Contemplation in Art; HC 434 Global Contemporary Art
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.

Kate Mondloch Profile

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Barbara Mossberg
Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching; Provost’s Award for Innovation in Teaching; Senior Fulbright Distinguished Lectureship; National Endowment for the Humanities 
Professor of Practice in Literature 
Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Thinking Like the Sun: Stellar Knowledge of the Woods, Seeds, Swamps, and Infinity of You; The Art of Living: Travel in Ancient and Emerging Minds; Emerson and Einstein, Interdisciplinary Artist Activists: An Inquiry into Genius; John Muir's Backpack; Eco literature and the Green Imagination; Epic Influencers: Leadership, Poetry, and You; Thesis (both 277 and 477)
Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.
Song on Repeat: “You Are My Sunshine”
Guilty Pleasure: Lying in a raft tied up to a river bank
Favorite Movie: The Fall; close seconds, Amacord and Accepted
Coffee or Tea: Iced coffee
Why I teach at the CHC: It lets me be whole, all the parts of my intellectual, spiritual, and emotional being that go into how I wish to contribute what is in me to our next generation leaders on whom our world depends. With my background in literary criticism, women's studies, American Studies, international education, chaos theory, leadership studies, poetry, drama, the intersection of emergent and ancient science and literature, and other fields, in what department would I fit? Yet in the Clark Honors College, it all comes together in encouragement and respect. It is my greatest honor and joy to work with students, to mentor and advise, and be a person of use at this threshold stage of their lives.
If you take my class, you will: Work harder than you ever have; respect and admire yourself as a learner and leader; look within for answers for your own "inner Einstein;" know that your learning is needed; and do meaningful work you are proud of that can position you for your next life and academic goals.
I’m a stickler for: Enthusiasm and gratitude for the gift of consciousness. May we do justice to it.  

Barbara Mossberg Profile

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Catalina de Onís
teaching innovation fellowship; RHETORIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA'S BOOK OF THE YEAR; NATIONAL COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATION'S WINANS-WICHELNS MEMORIAL AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARSHIP
Instructor of Latine/x Studies

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Environmental, Climate, and Energy Justice in Latine/x Communities; Latine/x Autoethnographies; Calderwood Seminar: Translating Environmental Justice; Latine Testimonios
Hometown: I come from diasporic peoples and have many homes.
Song on Repeat: “Todo Cambia” by Gina Chávez
Favorite Movie: Pumzi​​​​​
Coffee or Tea: Tea
Why I teach at the CHC: Visit me during office hours to discuss why I’m here.  
If you take my class, you will: Discuss the problems of white supremacy and other oppressive systems, while re-imagining what can and must be for the survival and endurance of all people and our non-human relatives.

Catalina de Onís Profile

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Roxann Prazniak
Professor

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 431 Modern Chinese History and the Art of Hung Liu (1948-2021); HC 231 Silk Road Histories
Hometown: Važec, Slovakia via Minneapolis and San Francisco
Song on Repeat: Sting's album If On a Winter’s Night… or Nawang Khechog's Tibetan Meditation Music
Guilty Pleasure: Hiking the Dales (England) during lambing season
Favorite Movie: Casablanca
Coffee or Tea: Prosecco (no caffeine)
Why I teach at the CHC: Great students, curious and intellectually serious.
If you take my class, you will: Have fun and learn a lot. Go away charged to see the world differently.
I’m a stickler for: Critical thinking in an age of post-truth relativism and the digital panopticon.

Roxann Prazniak Profile

daffodils outside chapman hall
Kristen Rahilly
Instructor of Natural Sciences
Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 241 Geology of Campus; HC 477 Thesis Orientation
Hometown: Nashua, New Hampshire
Song on Repeat: A song that I always turn up on the radio is “Heart-Shaped Box” by Nirvana. A song that I listen to almost every day is “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac.
Guilty Pleasure: Reality TV! It is a guilty pleasure that I inherited from my mom. 
Favorite Movie: Fargo
Coffee or Tea: Coffee, then more coffee, then tea.
Why I teach at the CHC: I'm excited to teach students passionate about their own learning. I know I will learn a lot with my students in the classroom.
If you take my class, you will: Learn how to turn your observations into scientific questions, which is actually quite tricky!
I’m a stickler for: My students identifying and valuing the skills they bring to the classroom. 
One thing you would never guess about me is: Even though I'm a geoscientist, I actually cannot visualize in 3D, which means I've learned how to orient myself spatially using creative methods. I even have a compass bracelet that I wear for fun! 
What's in the fridge: Raspberries, coffee creamer, lemon gelato (though I suppose that's the freezer...).
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Elizabeth Raisanen
Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award
Assistant Dean of Advising and Strategic Partnerships; Instructor of Literature
Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Thesis Orientation; Thesis Prospectus; Literary Gestations; Artificial Births in Speculative Fiction; Digital Humanities
Hometown: Most recently, Los Angeles, Calif.
Song on Repeat: “Happy Up Here” by Röyksopp
Guilty Pleasure: Browsing used books
What's in the fridge: Lots of fruit!
Favorite Movie: Groundhog Day
Coffee or Tea: Black tea in the morning, green tea in the afternoon, herbal tea in the evening!
Why I teach at the CHC: I learn so much from my students!
If you take my class, you will: Connect your academic work with your values and future goals.
I’m a stickler for: Well-organized writing!

Elizabeth Raisanen Profile

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Angela Rovak
Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Advising Award
Director of First-Year Experience, Instructor of Literature

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 421/444: Black Literature, Science, and Reproductive Justice
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.

Angela Rovak Profile

Casey Shoop
Casey Shoop
Thomas F. Herman Award for Specialized Pedagogy; UO Teaching Engagement Fellowship on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Pedagogy; Mellon course development grant from Just Futures Institute
Senior Instructor of Literature

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 101 Artificial Intelligence: The Cultures of Minds and Machines; HC 221 The Tragic Mode of Knowledge; HC 222 The Literary Lives of Animals; HC 223 Climate Change and the Problem of Representation; HC 421 How the West Was Spun; HC 441 After the End of the World
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.

Casey Shoop Profile

portrait of Carol Stabile in front of Chapman Hall doors
Carol Stabile
American Council of Learned Societies’ Fellowship; Farrar Award in Media and Civil Rights History; Wayne Westling Award for Distinguished University and Leadership
Dean; Professor of Media History

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Writing for Social Justice; Feminist Science Fiction
Hometown: Stillwater, N.J.
Song on Repeat: “Red Wine Supernova”  by Chappell Roan
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.

Carol Stabile Profile

outdoor portrait of courtney thorsson
Courtney Thorsson
UO Provost Book Publication Award;  Weixlmann Prize for best essay in African American Review on 20th- and 21st-century literature; Public Scholar Award, National Endowment for the Humanities
Associate Professor (on sabbatical Fall 2024-Summer 2025)

Department: English
CHC classes: HC 101 Poetry of Black Liberation; HC 444 Black Feminist Literature; HC 221 Black Women's Short Fiction
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!

Courtney Thorsson Profile

Lydia Van Dreel headshot
Lydia Van Dreel
Ariel AVANT “innovation competition” HEART award; Oregon Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship; UO presidential fellowship in the Arts
Professor

Department: Music
CHC classes: HC 221 Music and Meaning; HC 301 Experiential Anatomy and Somatic Therapies; HC 421 Music and Identity
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.

Lydia Van Dreel Profile

daffodils outside chapman hall
Jesse Wilson
Instructor of Natural Sciences

Department: Clark Honors College
CHC classes: HC 241 The Habitable Earth; HC 277 Thesis Orientation
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. 
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. 
What's in the fridge: Ingredients to make a smoothie.