Gonzaga University welcomes a distinguished group of new faculty to the College of Arts & Sciences for the 2025–26 academic year. These scholars bring diverse perspectives, innovative research, and a shared commitment to academic excellence and student-centered education — enriching the University’s mission to lead, serve and inspire for the common good. Read on to meet our new faculty.
Danielle (Nellie) Jensen, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Mathematics
"I used to be a K-12 teacher and while some students were just asking 'When will I ever need to use this?' out of frustration, I always thought it was a valid question. And knowing that answer for a variety of topics would help me teach high level concepts in context which hopefully would help them click."
- Your work spans everything from mathematical biology to machine learning and climate science. What inspires you to apply math to such a wide range of real-world challenges?
I used to be a K-12 teacher and while some students were just asking "When will I ever need to use this?" out of frustration, I always thought it was a valid question. And knowing that answer for a variety of topics would help me teach high level concepts in context which hopefully would help them click. So when I went to academia and industry, I always made sure I was open to collaborations where my math skills could advance work in any domain. Then I could collect answers about how math is used in the real world while facing challenges that pointed me toward new math and data science concepts that would enrich my personal skill set for future problems. There's also probably a leftover relic from my undergraduate experience at a world class engineering school (Purdue University) that drew me toward tackling applied problems as well. - You mentioned a passion for supporting and learning from students—what are you most excited to bring to the classroom at Gonzaga?
My favorite thing about working with students is their energy and enthusiasm. I hope my experiences from industry will help students see potential paths forward that let them really dig into their interests as potential career paths. I want to be able to see what students bring to the classroom and help tie those hopes, dreams, and passions to fulfilling futures where they can continue to grow and develop as lifelong learners. I also (selfishly!) hope some of their excitement and new ideas will push me to find the new skills that will fuel my lifelong learning!
Elizabeth Bell, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Philosophy
"For me, philosophy is the act of critically examining beliefs, especially one’s own, and evaluating the reasons offered for them."
- Your work explores imagistic reasoning, an emerging area in philosophy. How would you explain it to students new to the concept -- especially in contrast to more traditional, word-based reasoning?
My work focuses on imagistic reasoning and the way we use images in our everyday thought processes. We rely on diagrams to reason about complex sets of data and on maps to navigate our world. Regrettably, mainstream logics and research programs in rational decision-making focus almost exclusively on the implication relations between sentences. As a result, they fail to capture the reasoning we do with images. Since imagistic beliefs clearly play a substantial role in human reasoning, this leaves a significant gap in the research—one I aim to help fill.
In traditional linguistic logics, we are concerned with the special relationship between sentences and sets of sentences: the premises (reasons to believe) and the conclusion (the claim being supported). For example, in deductive logic, a good argument is one in which, if all the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true. A similar relationship can hold for images, but there remains much to explore in this area. - What drew you to this modality, and does it help to be a visual thinker to excel at imagistic reasoning?
I have always enjoyed formal epistemology. My interest in imagistic reasoning grew when I realized that many of my beliefs are not sentence-like, yet all the formal models I had been working with—Bayesian epistemology, epistemic logics, and the AGM model of belief revision—take linguistic items as their subject. This is curious, given that many of us hold imagistic beliefs.
Consider what happens in your mind when you answer the question: How do you tie your shoes? If you are like me, you don’t automatically form a list of step-by-step instructions. Instead, you likely visualize the process and then translate those steps into words.
However, not everyone visualizes in this way. An estimated 1–3% of the population has Aphantasia, or the inability to create mental images. Surprisingly, those with Aphantasia do not seem disadvantaged when solving visual tasks. In mental rotation experiments, where subjects must match objects after rotation, people with Aphantasia tend to be more accurate, though they often take longer to complete the task. - You argue that philosophy is not merely reading the work of other thinkers, but rather, something someone does. What does philosophy in action look like to you?
I believe philosophy is not merely about learning what great thinkers of the past have argued, nor simply about crafting the most persuasive arguments. For me, philosophy is the act of critically examining beliefs, especially one’s own, and evaluating the reasons offered for them.
Jessica Bertram Williams, M.F.A.
Assistant Professor of Dance
“What inspires me most is the moment when students find themselves in the movement—even when it’s not directly tied to their own cultural background.”
- Your work beautifully bridges Afro-Diasporic traditions, identity, and social justice — what inspires you most when introducing students to the historical and cultural roots of the dance forms you teach?
What inspires me most is the moment when students find themselves in the movement—even when it’s not directly tied to their own cultural background. That point of entry, where something unfamiliar starts to feel personal, is powerful. A lot of the students I work with come from advanced movement training grounded in European aesthetics, and much of what I teach shifts that focus. We lean into being rooted in the floor, connecting with each other, and moving away from individualism toward collective experience—really embracing the people in the room and the space itself, along with all the multisensory elements that come with that.
It’s also really exciting to bring music into the center of the practice. In undergrad, I encountered a lot of postmodern and modern dance that intentionally distanced itself from music, and I found myself missing the joy of dancing with rhythm. So in my classes, I highlight the ways music and dance can be intertwined—how rhythm, sound, and presence can guide us into deeper engagement with the form. - You mention storytelling, self-determination, and play as key elements of your choreography — could you share a project or piece that felt especially meaningful to you and why?
One piece that immediately comes to mind is a solo called who bathedyou?, which later became part of my MFA thesis project Homegoing. The solo explored my relationship to water, both personal and ancestral, as a Black Southern woman from a line of Black Southern matriarchs. Water has always held so much meaning in my life—its power to cleanse, to cool, to calm—but also to hold fear, especially when thinking about how generational trauma and segregation have shaped how my family has moved through the world. - Building community seems central to your teaching and creative work... what are some ways you hope to engage with students and the broader Gonzaga and Spokane communities through dance?
Building community is central to my work as an artist and educator. I’m a big believer in fellowship—that act of coming together in joy, in conversation, in shared space. That can look like gathering over food, or creating low-stakes environments where people can just show up as they are and connect.
One example from my past is BIPOC jams—improvisational spaces where folks from similar or different backgrounds can explore movement together. There’s something special that happens when people find each other through play and shared exploration. I’d love to bring that kind of energy to Gonzaga and Spokane, whether through public workshops, open movement sessions, or community events that welcome both dancers and non-dancers. I know that as I spend more time here, the particular gems and rhythms of this place will reveal themselves, and I’m excited to co-create with the community and see what grows.
Kelly Buch, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
"Being part of the mathematical community doesn’t require perfection. It requires curiosity and persistence."
- You’ve described mathematical modeling as a powerful tool for answering real-world questions. What excites you most about sharing this approach with students at Gonzaga?
The most exciting thing about teaching mathematical modeling is there isn't just one way to do it. I can pose the same question to five different groups and get five difference responses, each with solid rational and backing. So often, students think that there's only one way to do mathematics, but mathematical modeling gives students the chance to use their creativity when solving problems with mathematics. - You’re passionate about creating inclusive, student-centered classrooms. What are some ways you help students—especially those new to math—feel like they belong in the field?
Being part of the mathematical community doesn’t require perfection. It requires curiosity and persistence. In my courses, students aren’t punished for mistakes; instead, we use them as opportunities for reflection and deeper understanding. This approach helps students see themselves as active participants in mathematical discovery.
Brian Connolly, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Biology
“My role as a research advisor is to generate a space where student researchers can complete the ‘research arc’ and proudly demonstrate a concrete product of their work.”
- What do you see your role as when working with undergraduate students as they prepare to conduct their independent research projects? How do you support them?
I was once posed a question (presumably rhetorical) by a senior scientist with whom I worked: “If you haven’t communicated your science, have you done science?” This question strongly shaped my personal approach to my research and how I mentor undergraduate scientists. My role as a research advisor is to generate a space where student researchers can complete the “research arc” and proudly demonstrate a concrete product of their work.
I prioritize early discussions on importance of communicating one’s science and I work with my research students to identify opportunities where and when these students can communicate their work. With this target opportunity in mind, the student researcher and I work backwards to structure an experimental timeframe and then we brainstorm a series of testable questions that occupy the intersection of the student’s interest, my ability to advise on the science being conducted, and the available time we have.
I am an experimental ecologist with a research history examining how different parts of the environment (e.g., temperature, nutrients, microbes, herbivores) influence a plant’s capacity to survive, grow, and reproduce. I can best advise students on how to generate greenhouse or field studies that piece apart cause and effect and I love the challenge of working with students to craft elegantly designed experiments. - If you could create any Biology course for Gonzaga students, what would that look like?
As a post-doctoral researcher, I got the opportunity to spend time during three consecutive summers working with small mammals on the California Channel Islands. The history and ecology of these islands fascinated me, and I have since been looking for ways to share this unique cultural and ecological resource with others. I could envision leading the creation of a biology course where a cohort of students and I travel to the California Channel Islands during summer and spend two weeks living and learning together on the islands.
The California Channel Islands have a rich geologic, cultural, and evolutionary history. I would design a course such that the students and I explore the natural and social history of the islands and then spend time learning about the ecology of the islands. Students would get hands-on experience documenting the activity of the Channel Island Fox (an endangered species recovery success story!), work to restore degraded sites through revegetation with endemic island plants, and explore how the topography of the islands generates a myriad of unique habitats. I would probably conclude the class by supporting students in an independent observational experiment where they can summarize their learning in the presentation of a case-study unique to the islands. - Can you share an instance where you saw the fruits of the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm—either in your undergraduate or teaching experience?
To me, the five components outlined in the IPP (Context, Experience, Reflection, Action, and Evaluation) are a critically important to effective STEM education and provide an effective framework for structuring college courses. I work to integrate each of these components into my instructional approach, but occasionally unforeseen opportunities make me realize there are unique ways to the IPP can be communicated to my undergraduate students and to younger students as well.
In Spring 2025, I volunteered to give a presentation at a local elementary school about “how plants grow”; the elementary students were working on a farming unit, and it seemed like a great opportunity to share some of my experience on plant rearing. In the process of working on the presentation I grew concerned that I might lose my audience of 82 kindergartners, growing plants can be far removed from a young person’s experience. Reflecting on the IPP, I realized that by incorporating an action into the lesson, the lesson might take root a little better. I worked with the teachers and Gonzaga undergraduates to grow enough tomato seedlings for every kindergartner to get their own plant to take home. That way the young students could take the ideas of the importance of water, light, and soil for plant growth that we talked about and put them into practice with their own plant. I don’t know how many (if any) tomato seedlings survived, but the kindergartners were certainly enthusiastic (at least initially) about caring for their “baby” plants.
Nora Donoghue, Ph.D.
Lecturer of History
“In my classroom, I hope students will encounter multiple perspectives of the ancient world that illuminate identities that they might connect with."
- Your work beautifully bridges the field of archaeology and teaching. What’s an archaeological site or discovery that has most influenced your approach in the classroom?
Early in my undergraduate career, I became interested in the production of ancient thread using a drop spindle to spin wool fiber together. Growing up in Massachusetts, I worked on a farm that bred endangered farm breeds and educated children about animal husbandry, and I would teach children to spin using the wool produced on the farm. Ancient spinning intrigued me because spindle whorls have changed very little over thousands of years and especially because it was a practice associated with ancient women. This connection I felt to women in antiquity changed my approach in the classroom from being an object- and architecture-based perspective to thinking about understudied groups of people in antiquity and their behaviors that can be seen archaeologically. In my classroom, I hope students will encounter multiple perspectives of the ancient world that illuminate identities that they might connect with. - You’ve designed courses ranging from ancient domestic life to the cultural histories of Greece and Rome. Historically, what have your students found surprisingly relatable or engaging?
I find that students become engaged when examining objects that forge a tangible connection to an ancient individual, like an accidental fingerprint left in the slip of a Greek vase, or the act of placing one's own hands within the hand impressions left in clay by an ancient artisan. Archaeology often underscores that the interests, daily habits, and forms of entertainment are in many ways consistent with those of college students today. For me, a lover of dogs and dog training, the evidence of ancient people's relationship to their pets—like the dog house made from a reused amphora in a garden at Pompeii—emphasizes how the daily lives of people in the past resonate with our own. - What’s one unexpected connection you love to explore between ancient domestic life and today’s world?
In my non-academic time, I am a baker with a particular interest in leavened and laminated bread and pastry. My sourdough starter is named after the troubled last Flavian emperor, Domitian - or in this case, Doughmitian! I first learned to bake from helping my grandmother, but it wasn't until my time in graduate school that I became interested in learning to make bread and, by extension, learning about the production of ancient bread.
While the basic ingredients, bread ovens, and the importance of bread in the ancient world were almost the same as those still in use today, the process of producing all the necessary ingredients was complex and technical. Currently, some of my research is investigating the fragmentary evidence of bread production at the Etruscan site Poggio Civitate. This includes using archaeobotanical evidence collected during excavations that shows wheat, barley, and chickpeas were being cultivated by the Etruscans. The Roman author Pliny the Elder tells us that these were all ingredients used in later Roman breads, with chickpeas sometimes being used as a leavener in less expensive and denser breads made from barley and wheat.
Robert Gipal, M.A.
Fulbright Scholar, Modern Language & Literature
“...being an educator goes beyond delivering content—it means meeting students where they are, adapting with empathy, and supporting their learning through uncertain times, no matter how challenging it may seem.”
- How did navigating online English language instruction in the Philippines shape your perspective on education and resilience?
To ensure learning continuity, I had to quickly adapt to the sudden shift in the educational landscape brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic using technology-mediated instruction. However, I realized that access to education in the Philippines was far from equal—many of my students lacked reliable internet connection or even the technological devices necessary for distance education. Some of my students even needed to cross a river, climb a tree, or stay near a cliff to get a good reception or stable internet connection. It made me deeply value my profession, thinking that there are still students in the most remote areas in the country, clinging to a small hope for access to quality education amidst the challenges of the pandemic.
It prompted me to reshape my teaching styles and to view my pedagogy through the lens of my students. It pushed me to be even more compassionate and flexible, so I constantly checked their progress and ensured they would continue receiving equal education.
These shared experiences with my students reshaped my perspective on education and resilience. I understood that being an educator goes beyond delivering content—it means meeting students where they are, adapting with empathy, and supporting their learning through uncertain times, no matter how challenging it may seem.
My experience fueled my passion for teaching and to contribute to the body of knowledge, so I wrote and published a research paper on teachers' experiences of online teaching in English as a Second Language classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allowed me to reflect more deeply on teachers' challenges and contribute insights that might help improve the changing educational landscapes, thinking of ways forward, without leaving anyone behind. - What aspects of Filipino culture are you most excited to share with your students and colleagues here, and what are you most curious to learn about American culture in return?
I am most excited to share the warmth and hospitality that define Filipino culture. I want them to experience what it truly feels like to be a Filipino and gain a good grasp of what life in the Philippines is like. Filipinos are known to be resilient, finding joy and strength even in the most challenging situations. We tend to paint a smile on our faces, even when we feel like we are being tossed in the waves.
Our identity as Filipinos is more than a matter of citizenship or ancestry; it is about a deep sense of community, often reflected in the spirit of bayanihan—the tradition of communal unity and mutual support. We are also deeply family-oriented, respectful, and generous, traits that shape how we connect with others. Through our food, traditions, stories, and my everyday interactions, I hope my students and colleagues at Gonzaga University, and in Spokane in general, will feel the sincerity, optimism, and sense of community that are central to the Filipino identity.
I also look forward to introducing students and colleagues to our rich traditions like Filipino food (such as adobo and lumpia), our popular cold dessert in the Philippines “Halo-Halo, festival like Sinulog, our values of close family ties, and unique cultural symbols like the “barong Tagalog”, as well as our custom Filipino custom of showing respect to elders “Pagmamano”
In return, I’m eager to learn more about American classroom dynamics, intercultural communication styles, and the emphasis on individualism and independence in American culture. I’m particularly curious about how these values shape relationships, learning, and leadership in the U.S., and how I can integrate those insights into my own personal and professional growth. - If you could design a dream classroom activity to teach Tagalog to beginners, what would it look like?
If I could design a dream classroom activity to teach Tagalog to beginners, it would be an immersive cultural simulation called “Bahay Ko, Kultura Ko” (My Home, My Culture). The classroom would be transformed into a Filipino neighborhood, with stations representing a palengke (market), jeepney ride, Filipino home, and sari-sari store. Students would take on roles as vendors, commuters, or family members and practice functional Tagalog phrases like “Magkano po ito?” (How much is this?), “Saan ang banyo?” (Where is the bathroom?), or “Tara, kain tayo!” (Let’s eat!).
The activity would offer an opportunity to subtly introduce Filipino customs, gestures, and values like pagmamano (a gesture of respect to elders) and bayanihan (community spirit). This kind of experiential learning helps students internalize language through context, culture, and connection, not just memorization.
Nathan Huff, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Psychology
“One lesson I’ve learned from consulting, teaching, and mentoring is that nothing can beat a simple, relatable story.”
- Your research consistently centers on how people perceive and respond to mental illness, especially in high-pressure environments like emergency departments. What sparked your initial interest in studying stigma, and how has your understanding of it evolved through your academic and clinical work?
My interest in stigma began while an undergraduate at Gonzaga actually! I spent a semester volunteering at House of Charity’s overnight shelter in downtown Spokane as part of a psychology course. This exposed me first-hand to the network of challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness, and how mental health crises often deepen these needs. Later experiences working at a youth psychiatric hospital before graduate school refined my interest in healthcare settings, which are a particularly important place in which stigma can emerge.
My understanding of mental health stigma has evolved through my academic work to take on an increasingly expansive lens. We know that stigma is complex and multifaceted, permeating our community norms, healthcare systems, and legislation. My recent work has explored these higher-level societal and community aspects of stigma. Integrating broader structural perspectives on stigma with scholarship on interpersonal perceptions is one of my current areas of interest. - You’ve taught, mentored, and consulted across very different settings, from high school classrooms to national nonprofits. What’s a lesson you’ve learned about how people best engage with complex psychological ideas, and how do you bring that insight into your teaching?
One lesson I’ve learned from consulting, teaching, and mentoring is that nothing can beat a simple, relatable story. Exposing students and clients to clear examples of how a complex theoretical idea or a nuanced insight from a dataset might directly impact their lives or their organization can serve as a valuable anchor for future exploration. Establishing real-world connections early and regularly returning to tangible examples can help students (and clients!) avoid getting lost in the deep end or tuning out when things get complicated.
I use this insight in my teaching to always try to center lessons on some type of ‘so what?’. I regularly ask myself ‘why should my students care about this concept?’ and make sure I have a somewhat defensible reason (even if not every student will agree with me…!). I also try to monitor and elicit student engagement throughout the semester by including a range of activities and non-traditional reading assignments, like videos or podcasts. I truly believe that psychological science gives us some awesome tools to understand the human experience, so making sure students leave my class able to link class content to their own lives is a primary goal of mine.
Ka Yu Hui, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Philosophy
“It takes a person to educate a person: the experience of connecting with fellow students, debating with one another in the classroom, working together in a group project to learn how to respectfully engage others...”
- Your curriculum leverages established Continental philosophers who are often seen as the foundation of contemporary philosophy. Let's fast-forward to today: Who is one of your most valued (contemporary) philosophers? What impact does their work have on the larger questions of your research?
That’s a really good question. Whereas my research focuses on the intersection of 20th-century European philosophy and social and political philosophy, a few contemporary philosophers have shaped the way I think philosophically. Among them is Sally Haslanger, who is currently a professor at MIT. I have recently discovered her works on social construction and feminist metaphysics, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the intellectual adventure ever since. Her works are provocative, to say the least, but that’s exactly what makes them so rewarding. They challenge us to reconsider how social reality both enables and constrains our everyday experiences. Haslanger’s work invites us to reflect on how deeply embedded power structures and cultural assumptions shape what we take for granted as “real.” Of course, we don’t have to agree with everything she says, but her analyses are excellent starting points for grappling with questions about gender, race, identity, and social justice. - Can you tell us more about your monograph, The Phenomenology of Sociality and the Foundations of Social Subjectivity?
I found this somehow more difficult than writing the dissertation itself (!?). But let me give it a try. My dissertation, Personhood and the Social World: a Husserlian Phenomenology of Sociality, answers the question: “What is it like to be a person in different social relationships?” Clearly, we always find ourselves in various social relationships: we are children of our parents, students of our teachers, friends or lovers of somebody, citizens of the country, members of our communities, etc. Different social relationships open up and shape different ways for us to ‘be ourselves.’ But are there basic structures that guide how we experience ourselves socially? My dissertation tries to answer this question by drawing on the works of the 20th-century German philosopher Edmund Husserl. Husserl is often regarded as the founder of a philosophical movement called “phenomenology,” which basically is an attempt to understand the general structure of our experiences – ranging from perception to imagination, symbolic thinking to religious revelation. Orchestrating his works, but also going beyond what he has written without betraying his spirit, I analyze several forms of human sociality, including empathy, communication, acting together, and the sense of group belongingness. I ultimately argue that our personhood develops along the axes of these socialities, through which we obtain different ways to understand not only the world but ourselves. - Lastly, what are you most excited about in the year ahead at Gonzaga?
I am really excited about teaching at Gonzaga and meeting my students. I was educated in a Jesuit institution, and that experience shaped how I approach teaching. The Jesuit idea of education of the whole person is ingrained in what I envision teaching should be. The current challenge that humanities education is facing due to the unforeseeable and unpredictable surge of AI technology makes it so pressing that we need to figure out, once again, what humanities education is all about. And I think that the Jesuit idea of education of the whole person could provide some fundamental insights in forging such a response: education is about flourishing the person in all of their essential dimensions – physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, etc. – not just a person’s mind. And this, I believe, could only be achieved by real-life education where persons – teachers and students – meet. It takes a person to educate a person: the experience of connecting with fellow students, debating with one another in the classroom, working together in a group project to learn how to respectfully engage others, witnessing how the teacher navigates opposing opinions in welcoming and encouraging ways – aren’t these crucial elements of education of a person? I look forward to sharing and exploring this vision with my students and colleagues at Gonzaga, as we continue to reflect together on what meaningful education can and should be in our times.
Andrew Johnson, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Political Science
“It is my hope that my classes at their best are like a raucous jazz performance.”
- Your upcoming book explores the global and historical development of police institutions—what inspired you to pursue this line of inquiry, and how do you see it informing your classroom discussions at Gonzaga?
I am writing a book tentatively entitled Theses on the History of Police. The title is an allusion to a famous essay, the last one he wrote before he committed suicide escaping the Nazis, by the German theorist Walter Benjamin called "Theses on the Philosophy of History". My research on the topic of policing has been animated both personally, by being criminalized as a young person, and socially, by standing against pervasive injustices. I have been writing about the history and politics of policing since 2008. One of my earliest publications was on the French philosopher Michel Foucault and what he called the "secret history of police". This essay was published the summer that Michael Brown was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri. The Black Lives Matter movement inspired me to study how Black radicals had theorized police. Social movements have, in many ways, taught me more valuable lessons about politics than any political theorist. My way of producing scholarship also grounds how I teach these topics to my students. First, I tend to develop my course historically. Second, the study of history is made present by examining its importance for lively debates happening today. - You’ve taught in a wide range of institutions and cultural contexts—from China to California to Jesuit universities. How have these diverse teaching environments shaped your approach to inclusive and interdisciplinary pedagogy?
I have taught in China, for two previous Jesuit institutions, for a Black Studies Department, and helped run an education program for prison inmates throughout California. Each experience has taught me lasting and treasured lessons. I believe that maintaining an inclusive learning environment is sometimes easier said than done. I tend to emphasize that I am always trying to improve and grow as a teacher. - You describe your teaching philosophy as grounded in “accompaniment.” Can you share a favorite classroom moment or course project that brought that concept to life?
Accompaniment is a value created by social movements in Central America. It is often associated with a tradition called liberation theology. One of the most prominent spokesmen of this creed was the Salvadorian priest Óscar Romero. He truly put his theories into practice, and quite literally accompanied poor people in struggle on the front lines. He was eventually murdered by a death squad. Accompaniment has two different meanings. One, to join someone on a journey. I see teaching as an ethical act where I attempt to help young people find their path in life. Two, accompaniment is also used by jazz musicians to explain how they improvise while playing together. I particularly like this notion of accompaniment because in another life I would have preferred being a jazz musician than a college professor. It is my hope that my classes at their best are like a raucous jazz performance. Last year, I saw a tweet that a student posted about me saying that now when they read the book we were reading, they read it in my voice, meaning in the overly dramatic way that I do sometimes in class. I have changed my approach to writing assignments in the post-Chat GPT era, but when I was teaching my "Police and Politics" course as a first-year seminar at Seattle University a few years ago, I was particularly impressed with the wide array of diverse topics that students wrote about in their final assignments. Each student took up the course material and created papers about unique topics based upon their own interests. They were top-notch, serious papers! I also loved that students got to submit creative projects for this course, including poems, songs, paintings, and zines.
Christina Nickerson, Ph.D.
Lecturer & Teaching Fellow of Integrated Media
“Sometimes, cultural differences may not be visible, but taking the time to allow students to get to know one another and you as an instructor early on is key to building inclusive learning environments.”
- Your work focuses in many ways on the importance of culturally responsive teaching and communication. What are some strategies you’ve found especially effective in fostering inclusive learning environments?
Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is an important component for fostering inclusive learning environments that celebrate and embrace diversity. As a communication and media scholar, strategies that I have found effective to create inclusive learning environments include building assignments that allow students to explore their own cultural heritage and backgrounds, which will look different and unique to each student. It could be asking students to reflect on certain holiday customs, a recipe, family storytelling, or some other form of tradition, but finding ways to reflect and share these experiences and stories are valuable to learning about other cultures. I also think it’s valuable to craft opportunities for discussion or develop assignments that emphasize learning about one’s own culture or upbringing, while also reflecting on what students can learn from other cultures around them. I try to incorporate journaling into courses I teach, because the act of writing has been found to be linked with memory and recall. Another area that is valuable to fostering inclusive learning environments comes from what I learned by conducting a research study on CRT. This study was recently published in Culture, Education, and Future. Sometimes, cultural differences may not be visible, but taking the time to allow students to get to know one another and you as an instructor early on is key to building inclusive learning environments. One thing I always like to do at the start of each class is asking students about their day-to-day lives and showing investment in their passions, interests, and lives. This simple engagement can build rapport and have a lasting impact! - You’ve developed and taught a wide range of courses, including public speaking, youth & media, and women in media, what new course ideas (or existing courses) are you most excited to bring to, or strengthen at, Gonzaga?
I’m really excited to teach a wide variety of courses here at Gonzaga and gain new experiences with diverse areas of media. This fall, I will have the opportunity to teach two sections of the integrated media department’s public relations principles course. I am excited to teach in a topic area (public relations) where I have not had the opportunity to teach thus far. I also am hopeful in a future semester that I will have a chance to teach other fun courses, such as media literacy or journalistic writing. Additionally, I am most excited and am currently working on developing an interpersonal health communication course with a media focus. My research primarily focuses on interpersonal health communication. Therefore, I believe students who are interested in health, interpersonal relationships, communication, or media would find this class unique from other elective courses typically offered. I would like to explore opportunities with faculty from the integrated media department or the communication department to develop collaborative course instruction endeavors that can utilize skills being developed in other relevant courses. I am also looking into potential teaching experiences that involve interdisciplinary learning through the Gonzaga Health Partnership. Overall, I cannot wait to continue developing the course by using skills gained from Gonzaga’s Center for Teaching and Advising as well as mentorship I will receive from the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. I also welcome any faculty that see collaboration opportunities to please feel free to reach out to me as well! - How has your research on family communication around sexual health and substance use informed your broader approach to teaching or mentorship?
My research on family communication, sexual health, and substance use have informed my broader approach to teaching and mentorship, because I understand how fundamentally important it is to develop teaching and working environments that acknowledge and celebrate diversity, allow for comfort in not knowing all the answers, and sharing experiences to build rapport professionally and interpersonally. My background, specifically as an interpersonal communication scholar, has emphasized the importance of establishing relationships that are mutually supportive. I also think that it is crucial as a faculty instructor to be compassionate and empathetic with students, because they can be enduring lots of hardship and adversity that is not seen at the surface-level. I always encourage students to consider an open line of communication, because faculty cannot predict what students are going through. Sometimes, I think students can feel daunted to approach their professors about difficult experiences that are impacting their learning. However, showing students that you are supportive of them and want to see them succeed is key. My research, which examines sensitive topics, including sexual health and substance use, has taught me how important it is to be understanding and non-judgmental. In a world that sometimes feels divisive and overwhelming, remembering to practice kindness and being approachable are key. Thus, I am looking forward to developing mutually supportive relationships with faculty, staff, student organizations, and the Spokane community at Gonzaga University. Go Zags!
Zachary Roman, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Integrated Media
“Healthy skepticism is vital in a robust democracy, and I encourage students to question the answers that come from inside the halls of power.”
- You mention your passion for media literacy — what first sparked your interest in helping students navigate today’s complex media landscape?
I'm not sure my interest in helping students navigate today's complex media landscape was spurred on by one single spark as much as it was a reaction to an ever-growing flame. We live in an era in which things like deepfakes, news opinion masquerading as news reporting, disinformation campaigns, and relentless advertising all pervades our lives. So, my interest in helping students navigate this modern media landscape is primarily a reaction to my own experience of the deluge of modern media issues.
I stress the importance of cross-checking and consuming a variety of media sources. It is not a panacea, but it does encourage the development of a keener sense of curiosity about the stories and articles that appear in our collective media silos. Healthy skepticism is vital in a robust democracy, and I encourage students to question the answers that come from inside the halls of power. However, some students feel that our media landscape is so biased and subjective that essentially none of it is trustworthy. In those moments, I feel that part of my job is to help guide students to find at least a few sources that they can find to be generally reliable and trustworthy. Adopting an apathetic, "it's all the same" attitude erodes the fourth estate, and with that apathy, democracy becomes more eroded as well. So, helping student navigate our current media ecosystem is a central tenant of my work. - With experience teaching speech, debate, and media courses, how do you approach helping students connect strong writing and speaking skills to real-world applications like PR?
One of the things that I remind students of is that, regardless of one's future profession, everyone needs strong communication skills to be as successful as possible in whatever endeavor they pursue. The obvious item that most people find themselves using on a consistent basis is email. It is a genre of wiring that is much more prosaic than poetic, but poor communication stands out regardless of the medium. So, I evangelize the universal importance of strong writing skills for all students.
Another communication element that I think too often goes overlooked is the importance of active listening skills. Most of the communication we engage in is going to be interpersonal, and verbally based, so active listening is critical. Modern students already face more of an uphill climb than previous generations when it comes to homing in on the "signal" out the cacophony of both metaphorical and literal "noise" produced by our highly screen-laden world. Active listening not only demonstrates an innate respect for the speaker, but it also helps the listener thoughtfully process the content that is being communicated—as well as the meaning that can be extracted. When we're checking our phones, not looking at a speaker, or simply not being mentally present--we lose much of the richness of the spoken message.
Of course, the speaking side is also a crucial one. The more organized and clear a speaker can be, the more likely it is that the message will be delivered as intended. One area in which this plays out frequently is during class presentations. I tell students that if they're using a tool like PowerPoint or Google Slides, they should generally be image-based--because slides are a tool to support the speaker--not the other way around. When speakers are disorganized or lack clarity, it makes active listening more difficult. - You describe Gonzaga’s student-centered and collaborative environment as a major draw...what are you most excited to contribute to Integrated Media’s growth and community?
Gonzaga is such a special place. It has the academic rigor and resources of a much larger university, yet it also maintains an intimate feel. I started as an adjunct instructor last year, and I was immediately struck by how present and respectful our students are. It didn't take long for me to realize how perfect this place was for me as a teacher. So, I think I am most excited to contribute to the fomenting of that sense of community. As our mission statement reflects, we aim to educate the whole person who will then go on to contribute to the common good. Every interaction I've had with not only my own incredible colleagues in Integrated Media, but also campus-wide, has confirmed this shared vision. I'm fortunate to be able to join a campus that is so closely matched with my pedagogical approach.
Kristen Skruber, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
I love both eating bread and thinking about the chemistry of the process, specifically the Maillard reaction (which you’ve also benefited from if you’ve enjoyed toast or roasted coffee beans).
- One fun fact about me is that I used to own and operate a bagel manufacturing business. I love both eating bread and thinking about the chemistry of the process, specifically the Maillard reaction (which you’ve also benefited from if you’ve enjoyed toast or roasted coffee beans)
- My latest and ongoing research project is understanding the role of actin inside the mitochondrial matrix. The actin cytoskeleton is mainly studied at the leading edge of motile cells and in the cytoplasm where it aids in vesicular trafficking, among other processes. The role of actin inside organelles such as the nucleus and mitochondria is much more cryptic. We don’t understand how actin gets inside mitochondria or what it’s doing there and for years people have questioned whether it’s there at all! The proof seems more solid now. It’s role there can tell us a lot about both the multitude of functions of the cytoskeleton and about how the mysterious mitochondria evolved, how they operate, and how they keep us alive. As for creative endeavors, I'm an avid electronics hobbyist. I love building circuits and figuring out how computers work!
Annastacia Stegall, M.F.A.
Lecturer of English
“Writing is a process that we are all trying our best in— my job is to help you believe in your own capabilities and be proud of what you’ve accomplished!”
- Writing as an art form and mode of thinking is being challenged by the increased use of AI and LMs, how do you walk alongside students who might want to take the easier route of using something like ChatGPT and how do you positively share the benefits, joys and challenges of writing for writing’s sake?
If I’m being honest, there are moments where I too want to use AI to do the heavy lifting. Who doesn’t? We’re living in a society where most are overworked and underpaid, and then you’re expected to go home and create a meal plan for the week when that is something AI could easily do? It’s the carrot dangling in front of our faces when even simple writing tasks can feel daunting. However, I’ve found that reminding myself that I’m proud of myself for doing the little things, especially writing, helps the process a lot. Meal planning becomes easier when I am proud of what I’ve accomplished— or that I’ve simply put the energy into it. I wrote a thesis that I thought was killer, but after feedback realized it needs a little work? I’m still proud of the fact that I tried, and that I’m learning. Writing is a process that we are all trying our best in— my job is to help you believe in your own capabilities and be proud of what you’ve accomplished! - You’ve used some unique approaches to meaning-making and creativity, including methods like “junk journaling”. What do these types of activities spark in you as a scholar and writer?
Creativity is at the heart of writing— taking risks, trying new things. When I’m in a stump with writing I often sew, make stained glass window mosaics, or scrapbook/junk journal. Using your hands in different ways, I believe, gets the creative juices flowing. Plus, I could go on a tangent about poetry, for instance, and what qualifies as a poem— I believe that junk journaling can be poetry and so on. The same applies to other writing as well. Thus, using these activities inspire me to let loose and try new things. You never know what may happen! - What are you reading at the moment?
Currently, I just finished reading Fire Exit by Morgan Talty which received a 5/5 stars on my StoryGraph (a rare occurrence) and started reading Penance by Eliza Clark.
Mario Tumen, Ph.D.
Lecturer of Critical Race & Ethnic Studies
“My work is dedicated to helping students develop the critical tools to understand and engage with the complexities of race and power.”
- In the classroom you use a variety of primary and secondary sources for students to critically engage topics such as global environmental history. Can you share a few of your most turned-to resources and what they mean to you in and outside of the classroom?
In the classroom, I have relied on a variety of primary and secondary sources to help students critically engage with global environmental history. Yet perhaps two of my most-turned-to resources are Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala’s 1616 document, The First New Chronicle and Good Government, and Stephanie LeMenager’s 2013 book, Living Oil.
In the first half of the semester, I have used Guaman Poma’s chronicle, which provides incredible insight into the Andean world and its environmental history. Through his perspective, students can visualize the sophisticated agricultural systems of the Inca and understand how a massive population was sustained in a harsh, unforgiving environment. It is a powerful decolonial text that allows students to see the profound and often devastating changes that followed European colonization. Beyond the classroom, this work is personally resonant as it demonstrates the ingenuity and resilience of Indigenous peoples in Latin America.
In the second half of the semester, I have usually turned to LeMenager's Living Oil, a masterful work of cultural studies. While not a historical text, it offers a crucial critique of our contemporary reliance on oil and the way we have taken it for granted. By pairing these two texts, I encourage students to draw connections between historical shifts in resource management and our current predicament, demonstrating that our present environmental crisis has deep roots in the past. - In your research, you explore how political discourse in 19th-century Peru both empowered marginalized communities and justified new forms of exclusion. How has engaging with these complexities influenced your own perspective on present-day movements for racial and environmental justice?
Engaging with the complex history of Peruvian political discourse has profoundly shaped my perspective on present-day movements for racial and environmental justice. My research showed me that the language used to discredit social movements today is not new. This discourse, which casts Indigenous peoples as anti-development “communists,” originated in the nineteenth century and re-emerged with devastating consequences in the 1980s during the civil war between the government and the Shining Path.
By analyzing the archives, I’ve come to see how this rhetoric created a justification for violence against Indigenous communities, who were caught in the crossfire and often accused of siding with rebels. This historical trauma has taught me to look beyond the labels and to understand the specific, and often devastating, consequences these words have on grassroots communities.
Today, when I see Indigenous environmental activists in the Andes being discredited by the very same language, I am reminded of how the past lives in the present. It reinforces my belief that to truly support these movements, we must not only defend their right to protest but also expose the historical strategies used to silence them. - What are you most looking forward to this year at Gonzaga?
I'm looking forward to many things this year at Gonzaga!
First and foremost, I'm eager to join the Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (CRES) department, a program founded on the intellectual tradition of student-driven and student-centered learning. I'm excited to collaborate with colleagues who have a demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary research and teaching, and I look forward to contributing to a curriculum that is both rigorous and socially transformative.
I'm also enthusiastic about Gonzaga's core mission to educate the “whole person” and to foster a commitment to “social justice, diversity, and intercultural competence.” This mission aligns perfectly with my teaching philosophy and my belief that an education must be both intellectually challenging and ethically grounded. My work is dedicated to helping students develop the critical tools to understand and engage with the complexities of race and power. Honestly, I can’t think of a better place to do that than at a university with such a strong humanistic tradition.
Lastly, I am looking forward to working directly with Gonzaga’s students, whose activism helped create the CRES program. I’m excited to mentor them, learn from them, and support their research projects as we collectively work to build a more just and equitable world.