Dr. Hobgood is co-chair of the Environmental Studies program and has chaired the Religion program as well. She holds the Elizabeth Root Paden Chair in Religion and Environmental Studies and is a frequently invited lecturer. In 2018-2019, Dr. Hobgood coordinated “The Anthropocene,” the 39th Brown Symposium at Southwestern University.

Hobgood has also received many recognitions during her time at SU, including the Mundy Service Award, the William Carrington Finch Award and holding the Paden Brown Chair in Religion and Environmental Studies. 

She is also affiliated with the Animals and Religion Consultation—American Academy of Religion, the Forum on Religion and Ecology, and the American Society of Environmental History. And has served as President of the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture.

Hobgood received her Ph.D. from St. Louis University in 1997, her M.Div. from Vanderbilt University in 1989, and here B.A. from James Madison University in 1985. She spends her time away from Southwestern engaged with dog rescue and cycling.

Too often, teaching is viewed as one of the jobs a university professor must perform. I choose to view teaching as a privilege and as the most important job a professor performs. Teaching takes on many different forms. It occurs in the classroom, office, and laboratory and it involves students and colleagues as well as oneself. Teaching may be structured, as it is in most classroom settings, or it can be largely independent where the teacher provides guidance and information as is typically done when overseeing research projects. Teaching may also be unstructured where the student and teacher work together, investigating and learning to simply broaden their horizons. To these ends, teaching involves the communication of knowledge. This communication is most effective when the student is actively involved in learning. To involve students, a teacher must understand the nature of students, how to adapt knowledge to interest them, and how to structure effective participation experiences. I am convinced that students are better able to comprehend and utilize knowledge when they participate in well-designed learning experiences. As a result of my belief that learning is understanding how to use knowledge, not simply memorizing facts, my teaching style emphasizes student participation. I choose to use a problem-based learning approach so as to challenge students to develop thinking skills appropriate to understanding the scientific material in my classes. The following describe some of the methods that I use. First, I strive to help students develop the ability to formulate and ask questions in class. This is a skill that many students simply don?t have. Exercises related to this have included writing questions for submission to magazines (several of which have been published), a required question submission component for my introductory class (the ?muddiest point? option), and developing a question and related hypothesis for semester research projects. Second, I permit open discussion in class. I encourage the students to ask questions regarding the material, question my thinking or rationale in my lectures, or offer personal insights related to the topics. Third, I plan small group (2-4 people) learning sessions in class where students work to solve problems or to discuss issues. This has included mathematical problem solving, hypothesis writing, and participation in team-oriented games. Finally, I require the students to communicate their knowledge in oral and written form. Beyond the traditional exams and assignments, each student will make a presentation to the class as well as turn in at least one formally written paper. Beyond participation, I believe that developing the link between concepts and application is an important aspect of teaching. I attempt to help students understand the integral role research plays in developing and utilizing knowledge. To help understand that process, students in my classes complete a semester long research project. Each student participates in a small group (2-4 students) to conduct a simple research project using the steps of the scientific method. They must formulate a question and develop associated hypotheses, collect data, analyze these data, and report their findings. I view these projects as an opportunity that most undergraduates do not receive, particularly in introductory classes. In this advancing age of technology, I feel that it is important to expose students to new technologies and to require students to gain experience with these technologies. One avenue for developing these skills is the semester research project. Students use state-of-the-art equipment in our laboratory to conduct human movement analyses. This work requires the students to acquire and use research and computer skills. Although a major time commitment on the part of the student as well as the teacher, this experience demonstrates to the student how the knowledge they are gaining in the classroom can be applied in the real world. Often the students begin their projects by believing that the questions they ask are mundane or too simple to be considered for a research project. After completing the project the students generally are much more aware of the time, effort, and care needed to conduct a research project. They have also developed a better understanding of the concepts presented in class. I use every opportunity to incorporate technology into classes. For instance, my lectures include the use of computer generated slides. This enhances my ability to present complex ideas using intricate graphics, equations, etc. in a systematic manner. I also require homework assignments using the computer. For example, one assignment pertains to using the internet to locate information specific to the topic of the class. Finally, a large portion of the class laboratory is conducted with the aid of technologically advanced equipment. Introductory courses often challenge a teacher because of the diversity of students? backgrounds, uncertainty in career choices, and, depending on the material, potentially intimidating information. To this end, it is necessary to remove any barriers the students may perceive in relating to me as a person early in the teacher-student relationship. I attempt to clearly describe my expectations of the students at the very start of our relationship. At the same time, I work hard to learn about the students in my classes. This information allows me to tailor the class to meet the students? needs. It is important for me to arrive early to class and to hold office hours immediately following class so that students can access me while questions are fresh in their minds. I believe that an ?open-door? policy is essential to establishing an effective communication link to students, and, I strive to be accessible for them at hours that accommodate their schedules. I also think that it is important to take an interest in the students? activities outside of the classroom. As a result, I try to attend various student events and talk with them about things that are important to them. Knowing the students and understanding their responsibilities is as important to me as for them to understand my expectations of them. In summary, I believe that to effectively teach my courses I must encourage the students to take an active role in their education. It is my responsibility as a teacher to develop participation in the class as well as provide effective approaches to learning the material. Success in these endeavors will produce students who have achieved an understanding of the field both in concept and application.

Education

PhD, Arizona State University 1994
BA, College of Wooster 1987

Affiliations

• American College of Sports Medicine (1990-present)
• International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (2000-present)
• Texas Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (2001-present)
• Allied Health and Education Representative (2005-2009)
• President-Elect (2009-2010)

I believe that the best teachers are engaged and interested in both their students and the content of their courses. In my quest to be an outstanding teacher, I have sought to embody a teacher-scholar model of education. My research agenda enhances my teaching because I am actively engaged in the same process of critical inquiry that I teach and my teaching informs my research by allowing me to see areas of interest to the students or areas that have been under theorized in the status quo. The research projects, journal articles, and conference papers that comprise my professional development are also useful to my students as examples of new directions in the field of rhetorical and communication theory. In other words, my research and teaching goals are reciprocal and serve to enhance one another. As a member of the Southwestern University faculty, I endeavor to be a notable teacher and scholar.

I fundamentally believe that the university experience should educate individuals in more than just the subject area of their courses. My goal as a teacher is to help our students to think critically about communication and the world around them. My courses are based on the idea that we must question tradition, convention, and popular wisdom to uncover its roots and assumptions. This critical posture is essential to the field of communication, but is also an important life skill. My teaching philosophy is rooted in the idea that a university education should equip students with critical thinking skills that will enable them to be concerned, interested, and active citizens. I seek to develop students’ critical thinking skills so that they can approach any problem with more intellect and finesse. My expertise in rhetorical theory, especially its dimensions of feminist, environmental, and critical theory allows me to empower students with the knowledge necessary to develop a more critical consciousness. I encourage students to look deeper, think more critically, and ask more questions about the things that often go unquestioned. If our students begin asking, “Why is that the way it is?” more often, I hope they will begin to see the ways in which communication plays a fundamental role in the establishment and reification of our culture. I also seek to invest students with the understanding that our culture is a product of our practice, and that activism is within their reach. Individual agency and a sense of empowerment stem from the understanding that our culture is malleable and has shifted substantially over time. Students who develop this sense of agency are then able to be actively involved in the creation of a more just, equitable, and humane society.

Education

PhD, University of Kansas 2000
MA, Kansas State University 1997
BA, University of Notre Dame 1993

Fumiko Futamura received her MS and PhD from Vanderbilt University in 2007 and her BA from the University of Louisville in 2002. In her free time, she is an artist working primarily in charcoal, pen and ink, oils and crochet, but she dabbles in everything from photography to ceramics. She shares her passion for mathematics and art with her students in classes like Geometry and Explorations in Mathematics, empowering and engaging them through hands-on activities and active learning. She also shares this love through public lectures and workshops at venues such as NerdNite, Japan America Society of Greater Austin, the Phi Beta Kappa honors society, Art.Science.Gallery and the Thinkery. She is the author of a TED-Ed video, The Mathematics of Sidewalk Illusions, and is writing a textbook with co-authors Annalisa Crannell and Marc Frantz titled Perspective and Projective Geometry. 

“Mathematics is the most elusive of all the arts. It took 8 years of serious study to even begin to understand the medium and begin to work with it in a creative way. Math is art. I wouldn’t be a mathematician otherwise.”
- Fumiko Futamura

Hi! I’m @ProfRomi, an aquatic ecologist at Southwestern University. Visit my comprehensive webpage at www.profromi.com to learn more about my integration of research, teaching and a special interest in teaching with chocolate.  

In my science life, I work as an aquatic ecologist interested in how ecological life histories influence behavior, diversity and distribution of freshwater invertebrates. My lab has adopted a number of applications of molecular ecology to study freshwater snails.

My research at Southwestern focuses primarily on a group of large freshwater snails - commonly called apple snails because they can reach the size of an apple. In Texas, one species, Pomacea maculata (formerly P. insularum), occurs as a non-native, invasive species but has native populations in South America. 

My Teaching Philosophy rests on 4 main pillars:

1. Teach who you are

2. Make your classroom a lab (experiment!)

3. Make your lab a classroom (teach critical thinking!)

4. Connect anything and everything to chocolate!

I spent the summer of 2025 as a student myself - taking a Cocoa Masterclass in Bahia, Brazil, from Cacao Latitudes and working towards my Level 3 Certification from the International Institute for Cacao and Chocolate Tasting during a origin trip to Peru.  I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with my students.

Dr. Zewail-Foote earned a B.S. degree in chemistry with honors from Caltech and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from The University of Texas at Austin. She joined the faculty at Southwestern University in 2003 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2009 and Professor in 2013.  She holds the Garey Chair in Chemistry at Southwestern and is a Visiting Scholar at UT Austin. 

Dr. Zewail-Foote regularly teaches general chemistry and biochemistry and she brings in the latest research topics in her courses. Undergraduate students in her research group are taught how to conduct interdisciplinary research at the forefront of nucleic acid (DNA) chemistry. Her research has led to publications in top-ranking journals such as Nature Chemistry and Nucleic Acids Research.

B.S. Virginia Tech - 2002

• Major: Nutrition & Exercise Science
• Minors: Chemistry, Biology

M.A. University of Texas at Austin - 2004

• Major: Kinesiology
  • Thesis: Effect of aerobic exercise and the induced increase in heat shock proteins on recovery of skeletal muscle function after ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin - 2009

• Major: Kinesiology
  • Dissertation: Repair of Skeletal Muscle Transection Injury with Tissue Loss

Postdoctoral Fellow. University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine - 2009-2012

• NIH F32AR060670: Regulation of human skeletal muscle protein metabolism following burn injury
• NIH R01 (PI: Marcas Bamman): Maximizing mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy to combat sarcopenia in older adults

Assistant Professor. Appalachian State University. 2012-2017

• Department of Health & Exercise Science

Alison Marr received her Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University in 2007, her M.S. from Texas A&M University in 2004, and her B.A. from Murray State University in 2002. Before attending Texas A&M, Marr participated in the EDGE summer program and before her senior year at Murray State participated in the Oklahoma Weather Center’s REU. She has been at Southwestern since 2007 and has served as Department Chair and co-chair of the Transforming Paideia Initiative. She teaches classes across the math curriculum from Introduction to Statistics to Calculus to Algebraic Structures. She also enjoys teaching interdisciplinary courses such as her FYS on television game shows and her team taught Global Health Paideia Seminar. 

Outside Southwestern, Marr is the current co-director of the Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) Summer Program for women entering PhD programs in mathematics across the US. She has also been active in the inquiry-based learning community (IBL), and has served on committees for the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). 

Dr. Chandrasekhar received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Caltech, and he received his PhD in bioinformatics and systems biology from UCSD. Prior to coming to Southwestern, Dr. Chandrasekhar worked as a computer science lecturer at UCSD, the University of San Diego, and the University of Pittsburgh. He has taught courses in computer programming, algorithm design, applied machine learning, and theory of computation. He has also taught survey courses that introduce students to some of the broad ideas and themes in computer science and information science. Outside of the university context, Dr. Chandrasekhar has taught for the Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM), and he has facilitated the administration of local clubs for Girls Who Code (GWC). For more information, please see my academic website!

Dr. Barbara Anthony teaches a variety of computer science courses, including Explorations in Computing for non-majors, introductory courses in Java and Data Structures, core courses in Discrete Math, Algorithms, and Programming Languages, electives in Databases, Operations Research, and Theory of Computation, and the capstone in Software Engineering. She has taught First Year Seminar, Colloquium in Computer Science, and a course designed to prepare students to compete in the International Collegiate Programming Contest. She sometimes teaches Introduction to Statistics on the Mathematics side of the department. She also has conducted numerous independent studies, from explorations of topics with first-year students through seniors doing research as part of an Honors project. She is the faculty supervisor for CSC academic internships. She is currently the faculty advisor for UPE, the CS Honor Society, and is happy to help organize a number of CS-themed events throughout the year.

She received her PhD in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization from Carnegie Mellon University in 2008 and her BA from Rice University in 2001 with majors in Computational and Applied Math, French, and Mathematics. She is an ACM Senior Member, a member of UPE, CCSC and SIAM, and a certified American Sign Language interpreter. 

“Computer Science is relevant for everyone these days, and has great interdisciplinary potential, especially at a liberal arts institution. As such, I believe lower-level courses should be accessible to any SU student, and students should be exposed to both the breadth and depth of the field.”
- Barbara Anthony

Dirk Early received his PhD from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA in 1995 and his BSB from Miami University, Oxford, OH in 1988.

Emily Niemeyer received her PhD from State University of New York at Buffalo in 1998 and her BS from Ohio Northern University in 1993.

Honors

• Jesse E. Purdy Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Works Award (2022)
• Southwestern University Teaching Award (2020)
• Joe S. Mundy Award for Exemplary Service (2017)
• Distinguished Alumni Award, Elida High School (2014)
• Outstanding Texas Women in STEM Award from Girlstart (2013)
• Exemplary Teaching Award from the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church (2009-2010)
• Southwestern University Excellence in Academic Advising Award (2002-2003)

Steve Alexander received his PhD from The University of Texas at Austin in 1982.

Debika Sihi is a Professor of Business at Southwestern University. She earned her PhD in Marketing at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin. She also holds a BBA and MPA (Masters in Professional Accounting) from the McCombs School. Prior to entering the doctoral program, Debika worked at Public Strategies, Inc. and Deloitte, both multinational professional services and consulting firms.

Debika’s research explores the impact of technological innovations on marketing strategy. She has published works in peer reviewed marketing and business journals including the Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, and the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Debika teaches a variety of business courses including classes on digital marketing and a capstone course with a focus on innovation in business.

Debika actively participates with different initiatives in Austin’s vibrant entrepreneurship community. She is also an avid supporter of Emancipet, an animal welfare organization.

Honors & Awards

• John Shearn Chair in Business Administration 
• Stukent 2022 Professor of the Year
• Marketing Management Association Board Member, 2025-2028
• Journal of Business Research, Editorial Review Board Member-Big Data and Business Analytics Track
• Marketing Education Review, Editorial Review Board Member
• Journal of Applied Marketing Theory, Editorial Review Board Member
• 2018 Southwestern University Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Works Award
• 2016-2017 Southwestern University Excellence in Advising Award
• 2016-2017 Community Engaged Learning Fellow
• 2015 William R. Davidson Award runner up-Journal of Retailing
• 2014 Southwestern University Teaching Award
• Guest Post, Creating community through UGC (User Generated Content) during COVID-19
• Featured as Stukent’s June 2019 Professor of the Month
• Featured in 15 Rock Star Digital Marketing Professors.
• Featured in Understand your Consumer

Bob Snyder strives to introduce students to different perspectives in the study of international politics and to have them to be able to compare and contrast the different theoretical and methodological approaches. His courses also survey contemporary international history with a focus on great power relations.  He uses several pedagogical methods that emphasize an interactive approach.

Snyder received his PhD from the University of Michigan in 1993.

Dr. Alicia Moore has 33 years of higher education experience. She currently teaches undergraduate courses in early childhood, special education, general education, and Diversity in Schools and Society. She also supervises field-based and student teachers in Georgetown and surrounding areas, develops course content, researches and writes for scholarly publication, and supervises student research, as well as co-research with students. As well,

Moore received her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997, her MEd from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990, and her BSEd from Huston-Tillotson University in 1988.

Teaching Philosophy

I believe that students flourish when their needs are met and I use my instructional strategies to meet those needs. In order to model best practice strategies in for my students, I use these strategies when I teach. I believe that these strategies promote student participation, a learning community, and focus on various learning styles of the students. Strategies I utilize are: group discussions, cooperative learning, interactive lectures, multimedia materials, instructional technology, Think-Pair-Share, small group activities, assigned and selected group configurations, mini lessons, brainstorming, and kinesthetic, visual, aural, and tactile activities. I model these strategies and ask students to develop lesson plans and other activities that are specific strategy based. In addition, I also use a variety of learning techniques to reinforce concepts taught. Students are given assignments that focus on creativity, critical thinking, and their cognitive, behavioral and affective development. I use this combination of techniques because I believe that you should educate the whole student. This holistic approach features elements that stimulate the mind, heart, and psyche. Another component related to my instructional strategies, is the element of constructivism. Constructivism focuses on the student being able to make meaning for the environment, in this case, the materials that I present in class for assignments. Students are expected to use some discovery and/or inquiry techniques to find the pieces to a concept puzzle. This strategy is used in all of my classes and allows students to be autonomous in their personal learning sequence. Course requirements are also varied. I use a variety of activities to inspire and foster learning. Some activities I utilize are lectures, multimedia presentations, group presentations, field-based learning experiences, and storytelling, to name a few.

Honors & Awards

• 2020-2021 Teaching Award, Tenured Faculty
• Cargill Endowed Professorship
• Exemplary Teaching Award from the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church
• Junior Sabbatical
• Cullen Faculty Development Grant
• Academic Advising Award
• Recipient of the Unity in Action Diversity Award
• Nominated for the Excellence in Academic Advising Award

Professional Associations/Affiliations

• Federal Appointment to the Army Command and General Staff College
• Co-Editor for the Black History Bulletin; Published by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History
• Member, National Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators
  Life Comprehensive Member, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
• 2005-Present Member, Association for the Study of African American Life and History
• 2003-2017 Member-at large, Board of Directors, Texas Chapter, National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME)
• 1993-1994 Area Director, Kindergarten Teachers of Texas (KTOT)

Noelle Sawyer is a Bahamian mathematician. She earned her PhD in Math from Wesleyan University and her BA in Math and History from Vassar College. When she’s not working on math, she’s probably baking, drinking tea, working on an embroidery project or doing crossword puzzles.

She is also strongly invested in spaces that are anti-racist, safe and equitable, especially for mathematicians. She is the cofounder of Black in Math Week and hopes to continue finding community and making connections.

Dr. Cody Crosby received his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2020, his M.S.E from UT in 2017, and his B.S. in engineering from Harvey Mudd College in 2015. 

He specializes in cell-material interactions and is currently working to develop novel open-source bioprinters and improved biomaterial inks in his biofabrication laboratory on-campus. Through outside collaborations he also aims to build an improved in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier. Dr. Crosby teaches lower-level physics courses and upper-level engineering courses at SU. He currently advises undergraduates as part of the Pre-Med Advisory Committee. 

Cody is affiliated with the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), Society for Biomaterials (SFB), American Heart Association (AHA), and the International Society for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERMIS). 

Michael Kamen received his PhD in Science Education from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991, MS in Education in Supervision and Administration from Bank Street College of Education in 1984, and a BA in Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood Education from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1977. 

My primary objectives as an instructor are threefold. First, at the most basic level, I aim to create a stimulating and interactive classroom. Second, I constantly work to transmit to students the genuine excitement I have for the subject matter. Third, I aim to effectively illustrate how and why important concepts and theories are applicable to students’ lives and larger communities. To accomplish these goals, I rely on five basic principles.

(1) Enthusiasm and creativity are critical. I feel the more exciting and interesting the classroom, the more likely students will want to come to class and attend to lecture. As such, I try to keep lectures upbeat by incorporating humor and relevant examples. I also use hands-on exercises and class demonstrations to explain critical principles. These exercises vary my teaching methods and keep students’ attention. Additionally, I incorporate class discussions and group work to encourage active thinking. My goal is to engage students across different learning styles, and ultimately make them enthusiastic about the material.

(2) Professors are mentors. I take the role of mentoring students very seriously. I aim to get to know the students in my classes, recognizing and encouraging their strengths and offering ideas to help them improve upon their weaknesses. Because of this goal, I dedicate considerable time to meeting with students. Any time a student performs poorly on a test or paper, I invite them to my office hours to explore ways to improve. If a student is really struggling to grasp course material, I might meet with the student weekly to review concepts. I always communicate that I respect students as individuals outside of their performance in my class. Although my goal is for them to be the best students they can be, I never want a student to feel that their performance in my class is indicative of their worth as a person.

(3) Information must be made relevant. I strive to prepare students to apply class principles in both local and global contexts. I achieve this through two related foci. First, I work to illuminate for students the relevance of psychological constructs in everyday, familiar contexts. For example, in my Introduction to Psychology course, my students keep a memory journal and record the instances and surrounding circumstances of times they forget things throughout the week. Students then write a paper using research on memory to identify patterns in forgetfulness. Second, I create awareness of cultural diversity and differences in psychological constructs across social contexts. For instance, in my Health Psychology course I have students choose a country and then design a health intervention specific to the needs in that country. The intervention must be supported by research and culturally sensitive to their specific community. I find making information relevant to different communities prepares students to be more active global citizens.

(4) Depth of learning above breadth. Although I strive to maintain an engaging and enthusiastic classroom, I do not sacrifice depth in learning. That is, I do not shy away from more difficult nuances and concepts, nor do I settle for surface understanding of complex ideas. Instead, I aim to present material as clearly as possible, and dedicate significant efforts equipping students to understand concepts so thoroughly that they could teach the ideas to someone else. It is my goal that students will be able to apply class material to novel circumstances and, more recently, to connect information they are learning in my class to information they are learning in other classes. In addition to mastering content, I invest considerable time and energy to helping students develop skills (including their writing, public speaking, and critical thinking), knowing that these skills often stay with students long after they have forgotten course content.

(5) Teaching occurs both in and outside a classroom. I feel collaborating with students in independent research provides a unique opportunity for student development beyond what can be accomplished in a classroom. In my experience, independent research peaks students’ interest by allowing them to pursue ideas and questions important to them. As such, I welcome opportunities to mentor students in the research process. From these experiences I have seen students gain skills necessary to critically evaluate empirical research findings and to contribute to the knowledge base in our discipline.

Education

Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin
M.A., The University of Texas at Austin 2007
B. A., Southwestern University 2005

Honors & Awards

• 2010 The University of Texas at Austin Dissertation Award
• 2010 The University of Texas at Austin Professional Development Award
• 2009 The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School Continuing Fellowship
• 2009 The University of Texas at Austin Professional Development Award
• 2008 The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School Continuing Fellowship
• 2008 The University of Texas at Austin Professional Development Award
• 2006 National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, Honorable Mention
• 2005 The University of Texas at Austin Research Internship Fellowship
• 2005 The University of Texas at Austin Departmental Scholarship
• 2004 Southwestern Psychological Association Award for Undergraduate Research
• 2004 Psychology Department Top Student Award, Honorable Mention
• 2001 Southwestern University Presidential Scholar

Affiliations

• International Association for Relationship Research (IARR)
• National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)
• Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Psi Chi, National Honor Society in Psychology

My academic interests include Latin American film, literatures and cultures, with particular emphasis on Colombia. I am interested in the analysis of film genres and aesthetics, as well as representations of race, class, and gender in contemporary Colombian film and Latin American literatures. My teaching and research mainly address issues related to the conflicting use of Latin American cultural production as an instrument of resistance and denunciation in situations of socio-political conflict. Within this framework, I plan activities that develop language proficiency and focus on issues of diversity and social justice, preparing students to communicate effectively and successfully, and to understand and interact with people from different backgrounds and cultures. My courses seek to make meaningful connections between academics and the precarities of daily life that impact impoverished and voiceless communities in Latin America.

David Asbury, guitarist, is an active performer, teacher, scholar and adjudicator who has appeared on concert stages in Europe, Canada, Central America and throughout the United States. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Diploma of Merit from the Academia Chigiana in Siena, Italy. He has served on the faculty of Southwestern University since 1992, helping his students to both pursue graduate studies and move into the professional arena. In addition to his studio teaching he has led courses in the areas of guitar history and pedagogy, music technology, music appreciation, music in the United States and world music. As a scholar, Dr. Asbury is currently engaged in research related to composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, having most recently presented a paper for the Guitar Foundation of America. His studies with renowned pedagogue Aaron Shearer led to a Bachelor of Music degree from the North Carolina School of the Arts. He received his Master and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin where he worked under the direction of Adam Holzman.

He received his DMA from the University of Texas at Austin in 2005.