Tanya Augsburg

received her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Humanities from Emory University in 1996.  Dr. Augsburg comes to us from Arizona State University, where she has been a Senior Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Studies.  Prior to ASU, Dr. Augsburg taught at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she was Undergraduate Faculty Member of the Year in 1997.  She will be working most closely with Area 4, Creative Arts and Humanities.

Dr. Augsburg’s areas of expertise include contemporary feminist performance and interdisciplinary studies pedagogy. She is author of the first textbook in interdisciplinary studies, Becoming Interdisciplinary: An Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies (Kendall/Hunt, 2006), currently in its second edition. She is curator of the first retrospective exhibition on the work of Joanna Frueh and editor of its accompanying exhibition catalogue, Joanna Frueh: A Retrospective (Nevada Museum of Art, 2005). She is completing a collection of critical essays on Frueh tentatively titled, “Performing Pleasure: Joanna Frueh and the Female Body.” Other current research interests include contemporary American autobiographical practices and self-transformation as a theme in literature and art. Dr. Augsburg is an Executive Board Member of the Association for Integrative Studies (AIS).

A native New Yorker, Dr. Augsburg attended Stuyvesant High School, where she was a student of Frank McCourt, and New York University, where she was a University Scholar. The child of immigrants, Dr. Augsburg was the first one in her family to attend and graduate from college. Dr. Augsburg enjoys traveling and learning about diverse cultures.

Dr. Augsburg teaches courses in Liberal Studies, Humanities and Communication Studies.

J. Acacio de Barros

received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Brazilian Center for Research in Physics, Rio de Janeiro, in 1991.  Dr. de Barros comes to us from the Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University.  Since 1995, he has also been a faculty member at the Institute for Exact Sciences, Federal University at Juiz de Fora, Brazil.  He will be working most closely with Area 2, Life Science, Physical Science, and Mathematics.

Dr. de Barros's interests are interdisciplinary.  He works on subjects ranging from the foundations of quantum mechanics to the physics of the brain and of cognitive processes.   At Stanford, he has worked closely with Patrick Suppes, a prominent philosopher whose work involves both science and philosophy, on projects involving the physics of the brain and theories of learning.  His current scholarly work focuses on the biophysics of cognitive processes, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and physics education.

Dr. de Barros teaches courses in Liberal Studies and Math.

Tendai Chitewere

received her Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from Binghamton University in 2006. Dr. Chitewere has been a lecturer for the Child and Adolescent Development program, where she taught Action Research Methods.  She will be working most closely with Area 3, Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Dr. Chitewere’s research is an interdisciplinary study of U.S. environmentalism; specifically she examines the consumption of “green” commodities as a means to effect environmental change.  She is interested in the emergence of green or natural capitalism as a response to the current environmental crisis.  Dr. Chitewere studied how residents in ecological cohousing communities attempt to create socially and ecologically sustainable lifestyles.  She has a strong interest in qualitative research design and methodology. 

Originally from Zimbabwe, Dr. Chitewere serves on the Board of Directors of Earth Team, an environmental education organizations that inspires a new generation of youth to become leaders in the environment, and The Clarence Foundation, an engaged philanthropic organization that funds small nonprofit groups in developing countries that work on human rights and environmental causes.  She has also worked closely with several environmental organizations in the Bay Area.

 Dr. Chitewere teaches courses in LIberal Studies, Social Science and Environmental Studies.

Logan Hennessy

received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2005.  Dr. Hennessy has recently been a lecturer at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz.  He will be working most closely with Area 3, Behavioral and Social Sciences. 

Building on a background in tropical ecology and environmental philosophy, Dr. Hennessy's interests are in interdisciplinary research on environmental problems around the world.  His focus on the impacts of oil development and mining on indigenous environments and developing participatory-based policy alternatives combines three main areas of research and teaching:  indigenous environmental politics, the political economy of extractive industries, and environmental history in the Americas.  He has conducted in-depth research on these issues in Ecuador and Guyana, working closely with local indigenous communities and organizations. 

Outside of this research, Logan also considers collaborations with the non-governmental sector as a critical part of his work, and has volunteered and worked with several local and international organizations.  In California, he has worked on environmental indicators and agricultural conservation tactics in the Central Valley, waste-reduction policy on Capitol Hill, and trade in non-timber forest products in the northwest region. 

Currently, in the spring and summer of 2007, Dr. Hennessy is engaged in two collaborative research projects with Bay Area non-profit organizations.  This research is looking at contracts between mining companies and indigenous communities, and the massive IIRSA infrastructure initiative in South America. 

Dr. Hennessy teaches courses in LIberal Studies and in Social Science.

Matthew Luskey

was a faculty member through the Spring of 2009.  

August 12, 2009

Dear Liberal Studies Students,

It is with very bittersweet feelings that I have decided to accept a position at the University of Pittsburgh. This decision has nothing to do with the great quality of the Liberal Studies program or the wonderful campus of San Francisco State. I had to make this decision simply out of necessity. The position at the University of Pittsburgh will enable my family to live a more financially balanced and sustainable life. This has been the hardest professional decision I’ve made.

I love the Liberal Studies program and San Francisco State. You have been a joy to work with. You are engaged, earnest, and curious. Your willingness to explore new approaches has made the recent changes we’ve made - e-folios, the gateway, the capstone, to name just a few - run smoothly. I feel extremely hopeful about the future of the LS program at SF State, and I plan to remain very informed about its progress over the years.

Toward the end of the spring semester, a number of you expressed interest in starting a LS student organization. I looked forward to being a part of this great idea. I know from my discussion with other faculty in the program and on the LS Council that there is also strong support for this idea. I hope you will continue to organize. You deserve your own official organization.

I’m going to miss working with all of you. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the discussions, the conferences, the presentations, and the hours of advising. I wish the best for everyone and hope you will keep me informed about your progress at SF State and beyond.  

Thank you for making the last two years such a joy.

Kindly,

Matthew Luskey