faculty experts
If you are looking for an expert in a subject that is not on the following list, please contact Debra Holtz at (925) 631-4222 or dmholtz@stmarys-ca.edu.
Aging & Social Policy
Mary McCall, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, is an expert in issues of aging; including family, death and dying, and the social policies of housing, health and support services for low-income elders. She can also speak about the role of cultural values in aging social policies around the world, as well as the ethics associated with various genetic technologies. She can be reached at her office (925) 631-8017 or by email at mmccall@stmarys-ca.edu.
Archaeology
James Allan, Ph.D., a lecturer in the Anthropology Department, specializes in both terrestrial and maritime archaeology. Once described as a kind of underwater "Indiana Jones," Allan is currently conducting research for the Transbay Cable Project in San Francisco Bay, the Transbay Terminal Project in downtown San Francisco, and for several terrestrial archaeological projects he is conducting throughout the San Francisco Bay area. He can be contacted at (925) 253-9070.
Art & Architecture
Anna Novakov, Ph.D., is an associate professor of art history and chair of the Art and Art History Department. She has authored many articles and exhibition catalogues on the relationship between contemporary art, gender and modernist architecture. She is also editor of "Veiled Histories: The Body, Place and Public Art" (Critical Press, 1977) and "Carnal Pleasures: Desire, Contemporary Art and Public Space" (Clamor Editions, 1998). In her recent teaching and research, Novakov has examined the pedagogical possibilities of virtual architecture and web communities. She can be contacted at anovakov@stmarys-ca.edu or (925) 631-8315.
Asian-Pacific Americans in the Workplace
Diana T. Wu, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Economics and Business Administration. She is the author of a supplemental textbook titled “Asian Pacific Americans in the Workplace.” Her field of specialization involves all aspects of business management, with special interests in organizational psychology and international business. She presents guest lectures on contemporary China, diversity management and leadership. Dr. Wu can be reached at (925) 631-4082 or at dwu@stmarys-ca.edu.
Astronomy & Space
Ronald Olowin, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He oversees an intermediate-range telescope in a hilltop observatory at Saint Mary's College that has significantly expanded the college's research and instructional capabilities. He can be reached at (925) 631-4428 or at rpolowin@stmarys-ca.edu.
California Wildlife
Douglas J. Long, Ph.D., a professor of biology, has had a lifelong interest and taught many courses in California's mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes. He has served as chair of the department of Ornithology & Mammalogy at the California Academy of Sciences, and as a researcher in the Ichthyology Department, where he worked with government, academic, and private agencies to study and conserve California's native animals. He is currently working on several field guides to California wildlife. Long can be reached at (925) 631-8208 or at dlong@stmarys-ca.edu.
Catholic Intellectual Tradition/Catholic Higher Education
Dave Gentry-Akin, an associate professor in the Theology and Religious Studies Department, is an expert on Catholicism and culture, and on Catholic higher education. His expertise also includes Lasallian history, spirituality and pedagogy. He is a founding member of the governing board of the Bishop John S. Cummins Institute in Catholic Thought, Culture, and Action at Saint Mary’s College. He has organized numerous symposia at the College exploring the intersection of Catholic faith and the intellectual life. Gentry-Akin participated in the Rome Seminar on International Perspectives on Catholic Higher Education in June of 2006. In January 2008, he led a group of Saint Mary’s students in Walking in the Footsteps of the Early Christians: A Pilgrimage to Rome. He holds a pontifical Doctorate and Licentiate in Theology from the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) and a Master’s in Divinity from the University of Notre Dame (Indiana). He can be reached at dgentry@stmarys-ca.edu or at (925) 631-4790.
Brother Donald Mansir, FSC, KHS, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Integral Program and the Graduate Liberal Studies Program. He is chair of the Bishop John S. Cummins Institute for Catholic Thought, Culture and Action at Saint Mary’s College, which strives to promote the Catholic identity of Saint Mary's College. Brother Donald has a long-standing relationship with a number of Vatican offices including the Secretariat for Education, the Secretariat for Eastern Churches, and the Holy Office. He remains actively involved with the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. He has organized and attended a number of conferences on Catholic higher education. He can be reached at dmansir@stmarys-ca.edu and (925) 631-4154.
Christian Origins/Historical Jesus/First Century Judaism
Rabbi Harry A. Manhoff is a part-time lecturer at Saint Mary's College and a full time congregational rabbi. His doctorate in New Testament and Christian Origins allows him to share a unique perspective on the synoptic gospels and the quest for the historical Jesus. Manhoff sees the New Testament as a Jewish book written for Israel, by teachers of Israel, about a Messiah of the people of Israel. He can be contacted at: (925) 631-8154 or at Temple Beth Sholom, 642 Dolores Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94577, (510) 357-8505, ravmanhoff@aol.com, or at hmanhoff@stmarys-ca.edu.
Christian Theology and Spirituality/Historical Interpretation of the Bible
David Zachariah Flanagin, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Theology & Religious Studies, has a strong interest in the development of Christian theology, particularly Christian understandings of the Bible and religious authority. He teaches courses that cover the history of theologies of Jesus, the church, the Protestant Reformation, and the Bible. His recent publications include articles about medieval biblical interpretation and conciliar church governance. He is presently working on an article on late-medieval ecclesiology and a translation of the conciliar writings of the 15th century theologian, Jean Gerson. He can be reached at (925) 952-4412 or at flanagi@stmarys-ca.edu.
Church and Theological Issues
Fr. John R. Morris, Ph.D., O.P., Th.D., adjunct professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, specializes in the Christ of the Christian Tradition. He is well versed in biblical images of Christ, the Jesus of history, as well as the patristic, medieval and contemporary understanding of Christ. He is promoter for Social Justice, Western Dominican Province, and has some expertise in recent papal teaching on social justice issues. He can be contacted at (925) 631-8019 (office) or (925) 381-1863 (cell) or at jmorris@stmarys-ca.edu.
CIA & Intelligence
David Alvarez, Ph.D., a professor of politics, is an expert on the CIA and intelligence. He can be reached on campus at (925) 631-4585 or at home at (925) 938-1082.
Constitution, Civil Rights, & the Legal System
Stephen Woolpert, Ph.D., a politics professor and dean of the School of Liberal Arts, specializes in the Constitution, civil rights, the Supreme Court and the legal system, criminal justice, environmental politics and law, and American political thought. He can be reached at (925) 631-4609 or at woolpert@stmarys-ca.edu.
Contemporary China
Diana T. Wu, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Economics and Business Administration. She is the author of a supplemental textbook titled “Asian Pacific Americans in the Workplace.” Her field of specialization involves all aspects of business management, with special interests in organizational psychology and international business. She presents guest lectures on contemporary China, diversity management and leadership. Dr. Wu can be reached at (925) 631-4082 or at dwu@stmarys-ca.edu.
Contemporary Classical Music & Composers
Martin Rokeach is a professor of music and a composer whose music has been performed throughout the United States, Europe and Australia. For more than 20 years he has served as artistic co-director of Composers, Inc., a San Francisco concert series that programs the music of living American composers. He is available to discuss issues regarding contemporary classical music as well as works of individual composers at mrokeach@stmarys-ca.edu or (925) 631-4682.
Corporate Governance & Corporate Ethics
Jim Hawley, Ph.D., and Andrew Williams, Ph.D., professors in the Graduate Business Program, are co-directors of the Elfenworks Center for the Study of Fiduciary Capitalism at Saint Mary's College. Hawley and Williams have consulted on corporate governance topics for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, co-authored a number of papers and written a book titled "The Rise of Fiduciary Capitalism: How Institutional Investors can make Corporations More Democratic." Hawley can be reached at (925) 631-4204 or (510) 652-9566 or by e-mail at jhawley@stmarys-ca.edu. Williams can be reached at (925) 631-8179 or by e-mail at awilliam@stmarys-ca.edu.
Cuba
Roy Allen, Ph.D., dean of the School of Economics and Business Administration, is an expert on Cuba. He visited Cuba and met with President Fidel Castro in Spring 2003. He can be reached at (925) 631-4604.
Economics
Samuel L. Lind, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Business Administration, specializes in finance and health economics. He can be reached at (925) 631-4588 or by e-mail at slind@stmarys-ca.edu.
Environmental Science & Marine Ecology
Gerard Capriulo, Ph.D., is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Chair Professor of Marine Biology. He is an expert in the ocean sciences, marine food webs, coastal zone ecology, and on the effects of pollution on marine environments. He is currently conducting research into the destructive environmental impact on ocean life caused by severely reduced oxygen levels in the Long Island Sound. Capriulo participated in a special three-day U.S. Environmental Protection Agency workshop in New York City in May 2007 to assess the oceanography, biological condition and overall health of the Long Island Sound Estuary. He is also the author of “The Golden Braid: the Symbiotic Nature of the Universe,” which explores questions on the nature and meaning of creation. Capriulo can be reached at (925) 631-4602 or at capriulo@stmarys-ca.edu.
Ethics of Genetic Technologies
Mary McCall, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, can speak about the ethics associated with various genetic technologies. She can be reached at her office (925) 631-8017 or by email at mmccall@stmarys-ca.edu.
Film & American Culture
Robert C. Bulman, Ph.D., an associate professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, is an expert in films, education and American culture. He is the author of "Hollywood Goes to High School: Cinema, Schools and American Culture" (January 2005). He can be reached at his office (925) 631-8321 or at rbulman@stmarys-ca.edu.
Fossils, Evolution, & History of the Earth
Douglas J. Long, Ph.D., a professor of biology, has a master’s degree in paleontology and a doctorate in evolutionary biology. Much of Long’s research centers on the evolution of organisms in their environment as interpreted by their fossil history. At Saint Mary’s. Long teaches the upper division Evolution course, and the lower division Earth History course, and his past research has included studies of fossils in Chile, Antarctica, and throughout California. He can be reached at dlong@stmarys-ca.edu or (925) 631-8208.
Gender Issues
Patrizia Longo, Ph.D., a professor and chair of the Politics Department, is an expert on gender politics and issues of social justice, particularly affecting women, both in the U.S. and abroad, and human rights, again particularly concerning women. Her most recent work deals with the gendered language of the old and new imperialism, as well as gender discrimination in the field of medicine. She can be reached at (925) 631-4140 or plongo@stmarys-ca.edu.
Immigration, First Generation College Students
Phylis Martinelli is a sociology professor who focuses on contemporary and historical immigrants in her teaching, research and publishing. She also co-founded the “Foundation Generation Project” at Saint Mary’s College that examines the experiences of students who are the first in their families to attend college. Contact her at pmartine@stmarys-ca.edu.
Labor
Susan Weissman, Ph.D., a professor of politics, is an expert on American labor issues and teaches a course on the Politics of Labor. She is also the host of a weekly public affairs program on public radio in Los Angeles. She can be reached at work at (925) 631-4246, at home at (818) 990-2860, by fax at (818) 990-6835, or by e-mail at sweissma@stmarys-ca.edu.
Latin America
Myrna Santiago, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the History Department. She specializes in issues facing Latin America, particularly Mexico, Central America and Cuba. She is the author of “The Ecology of Oil” (2006), the first comprehensive look at the Mexican oil industry from 1900-1938, a period when the search for fuel caused major changes in Mexico’s environment, social structure and labor relations. In particular, it explores the dire consequences of a 1908 oil spill in a tropical rainforest in the northern Mexican state of Veracruz. She can be contacted at (925) 631-4606 or at msantiag@stmarys-ca.edu.
Marine Mammals
Douglas J. Long, Ph.D., a professor of biology, has been a member of the federal Marine Mammal Stranding Network since 1990. He developed and occasionally teaches the popular Marine Mammals course at UC Berkeley, and is a member of the Marine Mammal Society. Douglas previously served as chair of the Department of Ornithology & Mammalogy at the California Academy of Sciences, where he managed and developed one of the world's largest collections of marine mammal specimens. His research and field experience includes work on the ecology and conservation of sea lions, elephant seals, porpoises, whales, and sea otters. Long can be reached at (925) 631-8208 or at dlong@stmarys-ca.edu.
Marketing and International Business
Tomas Gomez-Arias, Ph.D., is Transamerica Associate Professor of Marketing and International Business in the Graduate Business Program. He has published research on innovation in financial services and high technology, branding and private labels, and international business with a focus on Asia. He can be reached at (925) 631-4928 or tgomez@stmarys-ca.edu.
Middle East Politics
Hisham Ahmed, Ph.D., a professor of politics, is a leading authority on Islamic movements – in particular the Palestinian group Hamas – and is able to speak broadly about politics in the Middle East. He has written numerous articles, been quoted widely in the media and was a political scientist at Birzeit University near the West Bank city of Ramallah until mid-2006. He can be contacted at (925) 631-8238 or at hha1@stmarys-ca.edu.
Brother Donald Mansir, Ph.D., has written extensively and made numerous presentations on Middle East conflicts, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, terrorism, Iraq, and the role of the Christian Churches in the conflicts. He served as vice president for the Pontifical Mission for Palestine, the Pope’s special agency for relief and development in the Middle East, and was previously a staff member of the Apostolic Delegation to Jerusalem and Palestine. He served as permanent observer to the United Nations and UNICEF for the International Catholic Child Bureau, focusing much of his attention on the plight of children in the Holy Land. He taught at Bethlehem University and served on the faculty of the Latin Patriarchate Seminary in Beit Jala/West Bank as well as consulted for the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem concerning issues between the Catholic Church and the Israeli High Court. He negotiated an international agreement among the Custodians of the Holy Land for the renovation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which required extensive knowledge of the international treaties and conventions that apply to the region. He can be reached at (925) 631-4638 or dfmansir@aol.com
New Media, Film & Media Studies
Dan Leopard, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Communication, is an expert on the uses of media in education and on the history of film, television, and new media, specifically dealing with the military. His main areas of research include interactive media, documentary film, media art, and youth culture. He has published essays in Cinema Journal, Television and New Media, Scope, and Flow. He is currently completing a book on the intersection between media education and entertainment culture. He can be reached at dan.leopard1@stmarys-ca.edu or (310) 283-6871.
Politics & Communication/Politics & the Church
Rev. Michael Russo, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Communications, is an expert on how politics is expressed in the media and by the Catholic Church in particular. He provided analysis for CBS News during the papal transitions in 1978 and 2005. He can be reached at (925) 376-1619 or on his cell phone at (925) 586-1219.
Pollution Levels Around Yosemite National Park
Joel Burley, Ph.D., chemistry professor, is an expert on pollution levels around Yosemite National Park. He recently worked with researchers from the Air Resources Division of the National Park Service to measure ozone levels in and around the park. He can be contacted at jburley@stmarys-ca.edu or (925) 631-4839.
Pope & the Vatican
Rev. Michael Russo, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Communications, is an expert on the politics of the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican. He provided analysis for CBS News during the papal transitions in 1978 and 2005. He can be reached at (925) 376-1619 or on his cell phone at (925) 586-1219.
Brother Charles Hilken, Ph.D., a professor of history, specializes in the papacy, papal elections and medieval history. Brother Charles wrote an article about the rituals surrounding a pope's death and burial, published in March 2003 in a museum catalog titled "St. Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes." He can be contacted at (925) 631-4314 or at chilken@stmarys-ca.edu.
Tom Poundstone, an associate professor of theology and religious studies, is well versed in the history of the Catholic Church, the pope's legacy and the worldwide political role of the Vatican. He can be reached at (925) 631-4696 or at tpoundst@stmarys-ca.edu.
Religion & Modern Life
Paul Giurlanda, Ph.D., a professor of theology and religious studies, specializes in the role religion plays in modern life, with particular focus on religious pluralism and homosexuality. He can be reached at (925) 631-4141 or at pgiurlan@stmarys-ca.edu.
Religion & Politics (Church/State Issues)
Barbara A. McGraw, J.D., Ph.D. specializes in social ethics, religion, law and politics. She is the author of “Rediscovering America's Sacred Ground: Public Religion and Pursuit of the Good in a Pluralistic America” (SUNY Press, 2003), lead co-editor of “Taking Religious Pluralism Seriously: Spiritual Politics on America's Sacred Ground” (Baylor University Press, 2005), and co-author of “Many Peoples, Many Faiths: Women and Men in the World Religions” (Prentice Hall, several editions). As a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court, she participated in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow (the Pledge of Allegiance case) by filing an amicus brief. For nearly 10 years, she also has served as an advocate for prison inmates religious accommodation rights in the California correctional system. She can be reached at (925) 377-0333 or at bmcgraw9@mac.com.
Russian Politics
Susan Weissman, Ph.D., a professor of politics, is an expert in Russian/Soviet politics, Soviet history, Russian-American relations, and the Cold War. She is the host of a weekly public affairs program on public radio in Los Angeles. Her latest book is “Victor Serge: The Course is Set on Hope.” She can be reached at work at (925) 631-4246, at home at (818) 906-2860, or by e-mail at sweissma@stmarys-ca.edu.
Sharks & Other Fishes
Douglas J. Long, Ph.D., a professor of biology, has studied and published extensively on different species of sharks, including research into the ecology and behavior of the great white shark. Additionally, he studies the evolution, taxonomy and biogeography of deep-sea fishes, and has discovered 10 new species of fishes during his career. Beginning as a fish anatomy specialist in high school at a taxidermy studio, Douglas continued his research through college, including two postdoctoral assignments in Ichthyology at the California Academy of Sciences, where he is still a research associate. He is a member of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, and has conducted research on sharks and fishes in California, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, Peru, Chile, and the Galapagos Islands. Long can be reached at (925) 631-8208 or at dlong@stmarys-ca.edu.
Sports
Deane Lamont, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, can discuss performance enhancement, ethnic and racial issues in sports, college athletics, and the history of sport (particular ancient Greek, Victorian British and American). He can be reached at (925) 631-4024 or at dlamont@stmarys-ca.edu.
Technology & Venture-Funded Startups
Dave Rochlin, M.B.A., is a lecturer in the Graduate Business Program, where he teaches e-business strategy and technology management. He is a longtime technology executive and consultant, with a background in information services, networking, consumer goods, and software. His textbook on innovation and technology strategy, "Hunter or Hunted: Technology, Innovation, and Competitive Strategy" (Thomson/Texere) was published in 2005. He can be reached at (925) 586-3491 (cell), (925) 388-0093 (office) or drochlin@emacula.com.
