B.A. Pitzer College. Claremont, CA. Political Studies & International/Intercultural Studies. 2000.
M.A. University of Washington. Seattle, WA. Political Science. 2006.
Ph.D. University of Washington. Seattle, WA. (Anticipated) 2010
As I teacher I try to inspire and empower my students to be critical thinkers and engaged citizens. I think Horace Mann said it best when he said, "A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on a cold iron." I try to heat up the iron by posing provocative questions and challenging students to think outside the box. I encourage my students to question convention and authority (including my own) and to consider alternative ways of thinking and relating to the world. In the process, I try to have as much fun as possible. After all, what we learn with pleasure we are less likely to forget. In the end, I hope my students leave my classes more curious, more critical, more self-aware, and more self-confident than they were when they entered.
My research is primarily in the area of political communication. My master's thesis, which is currently under review for publication in the journal Political Communication, examined how and why the Abu Ghraib prison scandal was framed differently in newspapers around the world. For my dissertation, I am investigating the relationship between government and media attention to foreign countries and events. I hope to shed light on why some countries and events receive more attention than others and what the consequences are for both public opinion and public policy in the United States.
Since I try to encourage my students to participate in the political process and get involved in their communities, it would be hypocritical if I didn't get involved myself. My own engagement has taken many forms over the years. I have taught ESL to immigrant day laborers, helped develop and run a literacy program for incarcerated youth, and developed classroom resources for an international education program targeted at K-12 teachers in low-performing schools. Currently, I coordinate the "What's the Economy for, Anyway?" Educational Resource Project and the "Bring Your Own Bag" (BYOB) Seattle Campaign. I am an active member of the Center for Communication and Civic Engagement at the University of Washington Seattle and I am an associate member of Imagining America's Publicly Active Graduate Education (PAGE) Program.
