Teaching

 

When I tell strangers I am an anthropology professor, they often tell me, “I loved the anthropology class I took in college!” Such comments convey the joys of teaching anthropology. Foreign images, fascinating customs, and far-away places easily capture students’ imaginations and engage their interest. Yet it is precisely this foreignness that can make it difficult to impact students’ lives in a lasting way. Inevitably, after saying they loved anthropology, people tell me, “But I did not major in it—what would you do with that in the real world?” Students often cannot see how anthropology provides tools to understand—and, perhaps more importantly, to build careers in—contemporary America. Engaging with these challenges is at the core of my teaching philosophy.

My first goal as a professor is to ignite students’ passion for anthropology and global health. My research examines human survival in the face of poverty, water scarcity, and food insecurity, and I use this as the basis for my teaching. In my course on “Poverty, Social Justice, and Global Health,” for example,  I take the class on an intellectual journey through Chicago’s South Side, Brazil’s favelas, and Haitian health clinics to show how poverty creates premature death, lifelong disability, and grinding misery. Once I capture students’ attention with stories and images, I use demanding readings, intensive writing, and structured debates to help students critically evaluate and challenge received wisdom about poverty eradication. By the end of the course, students are armed with a deep understanding of how poverty creates health inequities, how their personal histories shape their own ethics, and how they can make productive contributions as professionals.

Beyond inspiring students, I have two main instructional goals. First, I strive to help students bring their passion and energy to bear on real-world problems in poverty, global health, and sustainability. Second, I aim to provide rigorous training in practical research skills. My instructional approach was honed as a faculty instructor in the National Science Foundation’s prestigious methodological institutes in cultural anthropology (2006-2016). In the NSF institutes—and my workshops at ASU’s Institute for Social Science Research—I employ a “teach the teachers” model designed to grow capacity for university-level instruction in social science methods. My experiences with the NSF methodological institutes have also shaped my teaching program at ASU in profound ways.

At ASU, I provide leadership in curriculum development by designing, in collaboration with ASU faculty and community partners, innovative research-oriented programs for undergraduate and graduate instruction. These programs demonstrate anthropology’s real-world relevance and develop students’ professional skills. I use four models to enhance education in the classroom and beyond. Here are examples of collaborative studies I developed using each model:

 

 

 

Lab-based Learning

I co-direct the Culture, Health, and Environment Lab (2010-present), where faculty and students work on NSF-funded research and develop cutting-edge skills for data collection and analysis. In the lab, I have mentored over 80 undergraduates and 25 graduate students.

Collaborative International Research

I designed the Global Ethnohydrology Study (2007-present), a multi-year, cross-cultural study that examines local ecological knowledge of water in 10 countries. Each year, this study provides hands- on research experiences through faculty-guided study abroad, research assistantships, and independent research. Through this study, I have provided mentorship opportunities for over 1000 undergraduates and 20 graduate students.

Locally-embedded Community-based Research

In South Phoenix Collaborative (2008-2013), my colleagues and I designed a participatory community-based study of health risks in a Latino immigrant community. This project trains historically-underserved Latino students in community-based research and outreach. On this project, I have collaboratively mentored 26 undergraduates and 13 graduate students.

Locally-engaged Citizen Science & Education

I designed the Science of Water Art (2010-2013), a citizen science study that partners students with 78 Arizona elementary and middle schools, the Maricopa County Board of Education, and SRP. This project teaches undergraduates about community partnerships, citizen science, and curriculum design. On this project, I collaboratively mentored 56 undergraduates and one graduate student.

In addition to developing research-oriented educational opportunities, I am passionate about innovating alternatives to traditional classroom teaching. To address the poverty and inequity I study as a researcher, I am particularly enthusiastic about alternative instructional formats that provide underrepresented groups with greater access to university-level education. My drive to make high- quality university education widely accessible motivates me to experiment extensively with non- traditional forms of teaching and share “lessons-learned” with my colleagues. Three examples:

Online teaching

As an “early adopter” of ASU’s online program, I was excited by the flexibility online formats afford students—especially those working multiple jobs to make ends meet. I was delighted to discover that innovative online tools can create a highly interactive, immersive learning experience.

 

Eight-week semester

With student debt increasing, 8-week courses can lower the cost of undergraduate degrees by speeding degree completion. I have begun offering 8-week courses, and see this innovation as one that helps increase the financial accessibility of a university education.

Hybrid teaching

I am inspired by recent research showing “flipped” classrooms (lectures online, classroom interaction) have better educational outcomes. Like online teaching and 8-week semesters, hybrid formats can help make coursework timing more flexible and speed students’ degree progression.

As a professor, my focus is on inspiring students, teaching them professional skills, and demonstrating how these skills can help them combat poverty and inequity. To expand my impact as a professor, I am dedicated to developing new approaches—whether through research mentorship or alternative teaching formats—to reach and motivate anthropology and global health students.

Through my national teaching program, ASU workshops, and informal relationships with colleagues, I have worked hard to provide innovative leadership in university-level teaching. In doing so, I hope to address the inequities I study—in small but significant ways—by increasing university access for underserved students and improving global health practices in disadvantaged communities.

Student and Mentoring List

Postdoctoral Scholars

Dr. Laura Castro-Diaz, 2022-current

Postdoctoral Position: NSF GCR/AWII/NEWN, Global Institute of Sustainability & Innovations

Dr. Mathews Wakhungu, 2023

Postdoctoral Position: AWII/NEWN, Global Institute of Sustainability & Innovations

Employment: Senior Research Scientist, National Museums of Kenya

Dr. Jelena Jankovic-Rankovic, 2022-2023

Postdoctoral Position: NSF GCR/NEWN, Global Institute of Sustainability & Innovations

Employment: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anthropology, University of South Carolina

Dr. Anaís Delilah Roque, 2021-2022

Postdoctoral Position: NSF GCR Postdoctoral Research Scholar, ASU Future H2O

Employment: Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Ohio State University

Dr. Barbara Quimby, 2020-2022

Postdoctoral Position: USDA Stakeholder Study, ASU Kyl Center for Water Policy

Employment: Assistant Professor, College of Natural & Comp. Sciences, Hawai'i Pacific Univ.

Dr. Julia (Chrissie) Bausch, 2018-2019

Postdoctoral Position: USDA Stakeholder Study, ASU Kyl Center for Water Policy

Employment: Policy Analyst, Environment and Climate Change Canada (Government of Canada)

Dr. Melissa Beresford, 2018-2019

Postdoctoral Position: Global Ethnohydrology Study, ASU Center for Global Health

Employment: Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, San José State University

Dr. Meskerem Glegziabher, 2016-2018

Postdoctoral Position: Outreach & Community Engagement, ASU Center for Global Health

Employment: Assistant Research Professor, SHESC, Arizona State University

Dr. Roseanne Schuster, 2016-2017

Postdoctoral Position: Global Ethnohydrology Study, ASU Center for Global Health

Employment: Assistant Research Scientist, SHESC, Arizona State University

 

Ph.D. Students

Graduated- Committee Member

Anaís Delilah Roque, Ph.D. in Environmental Social Science, Role: Chair, Graduation: 2021

Employment: Arizona State University, NSF GCR/GFL Postdoctoral Research Schola

Dissertation fund/site: ASU Provost & CLAS Multiyear Package Award, 2018-2021; Puerto Rico

Danelle Cooper, Ph.D. in Global Health, Co-chair, Graduation: 2021

Employment: Arizona State University, Counseling Services

Dissertation funding/site: American Indian College Fund; Native Hawaiian people

Christine DeMyers, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Role: Chair, Graduation: 2019

Employment: Pacific Institute, Research Associate on Climate, Water & Environmental Justice

Dissertation + Ph.D. funding/site: NSF GRFP #1462086, 2016-2019; U.S. Southwest

Melissa Beresford, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Role: Chair, Graduation: 2018

Employment: San José State University, Assistant Professor in Department of Anthropology

Dissertation funding/site: SSRC, NSF Cultural Anthropology DDIG #1459004; South Africa

Ashley Hagaman, Ph.D. in Global Health, Role: Chair, Graduation: 2017

Employment: Yale University, Assistant Professor in School of Public Health

Dissertation funding/site: Fulbright - Nepal, NSF Cultural Anthropology DDIG #1459811

Meg du Bray, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Role: Co-chair, Graduation:  2017

Employment: University of North Colorado, Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies

Dissertation funding/sites: NSF #0951366; Cross-cultural research

Rhian Stotts, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Role: Chair. Graduation: 2016

Employment: Arizona State University, Full-time Instructor in SHESC

Dissertation funding/sites: NSF #0951366; Cross-cultural research

 

Current committees – Chair role

Mohammad Jobayer Hossain, Ph.D. in Environmental Social Sciences, Role: Chair. Stage: PHD

Dissertation funding: SHESC Multiyear Funding Package Award, 2021-2025

 

Dylan Diaz-Infante, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Role: Chair. Stage: MA

Dissertation funding: Arizona Water Innovation Initiative, 2023-2027

 

Graduated – Committee Member

Abigail Colburn, Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences, Committee Member, Graduation: 2022

Employment: Yale School of Medicine, Postdoctoral Researcher

Brenda Mora-Castillo, School of Transborder Studies, Committee Member, Graduation: 2022

Employment: Bellomy Market Research, Research Panel Moderator

Charlayne Mitchell, Ph.D. in Global Health, Committee Member, Graduation: 2021

Employment: Northwestern University, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Global Health

Mahir Yazar, Ph.D. in Environmental Social Science, Committee Member, Graduation: 2021

Employment: University of Bergen (Norway), Post-doctoral Scholar

Julianna Gwiszcz, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Committee Member, Graduation: 2018

Employment: Arizona State University, School of Sustainability, GFL Researcher

Ayesha Masood, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Committee Member, Graduation: 2017

Employment: Information Technology University, Pakistan, Assistant Professor

Sarah McCool, Ph.D. in Global Health, Committee Member, Graduation: 2017

Employment: Georgia State University, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Public Health

Heather Story Steiness, Ph.D. in Global Health, Committee Member, Graduation: 2016

Employment: University of Phoenix, Associate Dean, College of Health Professions

Alissa Ruth, Ph.D. in Anthropology, Committee Member, Graduation: 2014

Employment: Arizona State University, SHESC Director of Strategic Initiatives

Jacelyn Rice-Boayue, Ph.D. in Sustainable Engineering, Committee Member, Graduation: 2014

Employment: University of North Carolina–Charlotte, Assistant Professor of Engineering

Isa Rodríguez-Soto, Ph.D. in Global Health, Committee Member, Graduation: 2013

Employment: University of Akron, Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Meredith Gartin, Ph.D. in Global Health, Committee Member, Graduation: 2012

Employment: University of Alabama–Birmingham, Assistant Professor of Global Health

 

Current committees – Member role

Richard Southee, Global Health, Committee Member, Proposal Defended: Nov. 2022

Ph.D. funding: Interdisciplinary Enrichment Fellowship (IEF), ASU Graduate College

Krista Lawless, Environmental Social Science, Committee Member, Proposal Defended: Apr. 2023

Ph.D. funding: Interdisciplinary Enrichment Fellowship (IEF), ASU Graduate College

Liam Gleason, Anthropology, Committee Member, Proposal Defended: 2023

Ph.D. funding: GI Bill

Rachelle Edwards, Anthropology, Committee Member, Proposal Defended: 2023

Ph.D. funding: GI Bill

 

M.A./M.S. Students

Nargish Patwoary, M.S. in Biology, 2021, Committee Chair

Employment: Phoenix Allies for Community Health

Alicia Dinsmore, M.A. in Global Health, 2017, Committee Chair

Employment: Program Coordinator, Family & Community Medicine, University of Arizona

Drew Blasco, M.A. in Global Health, 2016, Committee Chair

Current enrollment: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Michigan (Ph.D., NYU)

Colin Kunzweiler, M.A. in Sustainability, 2013, Committee Member

Employment: Associate at Analysis Group (2018 Ph.D. in Public Health, UI-Chicago)

Ashlan Falletta-Cowden , M.A. in Anthropology, 2011, Committee Member

Employment: Principal and Consultant at Holland Consulting

Sveinn Sigurdsson, M.A. in Anthropology, 2011, Committee Co-chair

Employment: Director, Organizational Performance Optimization at Petaluma Health Center

Tabitha Morris, M.A. in Global Health, 2011 Committee Chair  

Employment: Healthcare Informatics Analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona        

Melissa Kuhn, M.A. in Global Health, 2011, Committee Chair   

Employment: Infectious Disease Data Specialist, Maricopa County

Zeenat Hasan, M.A. in Anthropology, 2009, Committee Member

Employment: Health Program Director, Asian Pacific Community in Action

 

Undergraduate Students

Madeleine Zheng, 2023, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Business Operations, Lightsource

Andrea Castro, 2023, Honors Committee Member

Post-graduation: MS student, School of the Sustainability, ASU

Claire Nichols, 2021, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: MS student, School of the Environment, Yale University

Navneet Kumar, 2020, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: MS student (Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine), USC

Daniela Ledesma, 2020, Honors Committee Co-Chair

Post-graduation: MPH student (Epidemiology), Johns Hopkins University

Jennifer Blech, 2019, Honors Committee Second Reader

Post-graduation: MA, Global Management (Non-profit leadership, GH track), ASU Thunderbird

Paula Kibuka Musoke, 2019, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: MPH student at Columbia University

Andrea Ramirez, 2019, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: MA, Anthropology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Monet Nazilla Niesluchowski, 2018, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Fulbright Scholar, Mongolia; MA in Public Diplomacy, Indiana University

Brittany Hale, 2018, Honors Committee Second Reader

Post-graduation: City Year Corps Member; MPH student at Columbia University

Chloe Warpinski, 2017, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Fulbright Scholar, Slovakia; MD-PhD student at the University of Florida

Ainsley Pfeiffer, 2017, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Fulbright Scholar, India

Austin Smith, 2017, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: M.A. in Health Sciences student at Arizona State University

Emma (Dooley) Hawkins, 2016, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Medical Assistant, Barrow Brain & Spine; PA student, Midwestern University

Hannah McAtee, 2015, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Medical (M.D.) student at University of Iowa

Sarah Patel, 2015, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Medical (M.D.) student at University of Arizona - Phoenix

Drew Blasco, 2014, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: M.A. in Global Health student at Arizona State University

Alyssa McAlister, 2014, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Employed as ‎Informatics Analyst at Health Services Advisory Group

Laurel Grey, 2013, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Medical (M.D.) student at University of Arizona

Holly Vins, 2013, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Earned MPH at Emory Univ., Employed at US Centers for Disease Control

Alicia Dinsmore, 2012, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: M.A. in Global Health student at Arizona State University

Arlis Jenkins, 2012, Honors Committee Second Reader

Post-graduation: FOCUS Program Coordinator, Maricopa Integrated Health Systems

Joseph Canarie, 2011, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: Medical (M.D.) student at Dartmouth University

Elizabeth Unbehaun, 2011, Honors Committee Third Reader

Post-graduation: Account Manager at Yelp.com

Colleen Healy, 2010, Honors Committee Chair

Post-graduation: J.D., Duke University, Employed at Univ. of Michigan School of Public Health

Allen Shepard, 2008, Honors Committee Second Reader