New faculty quotes:

Posted on December 12, 2014 by pppauwt

Several new faculty joined PPPA this fall, and a few had comments on how much they enjoyed their first quarter at UW Tacoma.

Ishita Nandi: “I have had a very enjoyable and fulfilling fall quarter here at UW Tacoma. The students are engaging, intelligent and have the right attitude towards learning. We have developed an easy camaraderie in class and I feel like the conversational tone to my lectures makes it easier for them to open up and ask questions. I am always pleasantly surprised to hear my students voice their opinions on the many public policy issues we analyze in TECON 410, and I love seeing that spark of understanding when my TECON 101 students apply a basic economic model for the first time that relates to their own lives and the decisions they make. Continue reading →

New faculty joining PPPA

Posted on July 25, 2014 by pppauwt

We wish to welcome three new faculty members who will be joining us this coming year. Jeramy Gee, who is now completing his PhD in Philosophy from UW Seattle, will be teaching philosophy courses. Jeramy’s interest in philosophy was sparked during a schoolyard discussion about the existence of God with a friend, and he’s been interested in

philosophical questions ever since. His research focuses on understanding sentiments like anger and hatred when they are directed at wrongdoers, and the moral status of these attitudes. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the University of Washington, Tacoma this fall to teach introduction to philosophy, practical reasoning, and courses in ethics. The interdisciplinary character of IAS is also exciting and I look forward to great conversations with my new colleagues.”

Ishita Nandi will also be joining PPPA this Fall. Ishita earned her PhD in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on labor and economic growth theory. Her current research is examining wage inequality between men and women in the United States. Ishita is a seasoned instructor, bringing with her over ten years of teaching experience. For the past four years, she has been a faculty member at Oakland Community College. Next year she will teach courses in economic principles, public policy, and development economics. Says Ishita: “Teaching has been in my family for generations and I am proud to continue this tradition by being a mentor and teacher to the bright and dedicated students of UW Tacoma.”

Finally, Andrew Cockrell will join the PPPA faculty this January. Andrew has an MPhil from Oxford University, England and is currently completing his PhD at the University of Washington, Seattle. Andrew is a political psychologist who studies emotion in international conflict. He is a recipient of the 2011 UW Excellence in Teaching Award and will teach Introduction to International Relations and Introduction to Globalization both in the winter as well as the spring quarter.

Faculty hold research colloquium in Silverdale

Posted on May 29, 2014 by pppauwt

This May, PPPA held its first annual research colloquium retreat. Organized by Prof. Turan Kayaoglu, the event took place over a long weekend where eight faculty members participated in sessions discussing six different research papers. Chaired by Profs. Turan Kayaoglu and Brad McHose, the sessions included papers presented by Mary Hanneman (“Surrender, Society and National Identity: Implications of Japan’s WWII Surrender“); Rob Crawford (“The Politics of Accountability for U.S. Torture“); Jane Compson (“The CARE Protocol: A model for introducing healthcare professionals to self-care literacy“); Will McGuire, (“Institutional Barriers to Creative Destruction and the Future of China’s Economic Development“); Etga Ugur (“Contextualizing Islamist Politics: Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey in Comparative Perspective“); and Katie Baird (“Financial Crises and Transfers to the Poor: A comparison of social policies in eight European nations”). The colloquium took place in Silverdale, and in addition to the scholarly sessions, faculty also enjoyed meals together (above) and a game of disco bowling (no picture included). It was a very successful retreat, and we are now planning for next year’s second annual colloquium.

Annual PPPA student-faculty softball game

Posted on May 26, 2014 by pppauwt

In what has become an annual ritual, students and faculty engaged in a hotly contested game of softball at Tacoma’s Vassault Park this May. We all enjoyed the sun and warm breezes blowing in from left field, and a fine game of softball followed by a BBQ. After four successive years of defeat, the students this year came out determined to win. And win they did! It was a close game, but graduating Law and Policy senior Grady Heins squashed the faculty’s early celebrations by socking a second home run, this one a three-run blast in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, allowing students to eke out a hard-fought but well-earned victory against us. Since alumni play for the faculty team, we look forward to having Grady on our side next year.

Two faculty members to join PPPA

Posted on March 9, 2014 by pppauwt

IAS recently hired two new faculty members who will join PPPA faculty next year. Sarah Hampson will be joining us to teach courses in public law. She is currently finishing up her PhD. in Political Science at the University of Connecticut, and her specialty is in Law and Society, with a special interest in policies around a work/life balance. She is interested in connecting big questions in law and society with practical public policies. She is also interested in politics, women in the military, and race and ethnicity in American Politics. “I am very excited to be joining UW Tacoma this fall, and I look forward to teaching courses in public law, including Law in Society, Constitutional Law, and Law and Public Policy.”

Elizabeth Bruch is our new expert in human rights. She earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin, has a PhD in sociology from the University of British Columbia, and will be teaching courses primarily in the area of human rights. Her research focuses on international law and policy, human rights, and humanitarian intervention. Having worked as a human rights lawyer before she began teaching, Elizabeth brings this perspective to her classes and scholarship. “I am looking forward to joining the PPPA Division of IAS this coming fall. My family and I will be moving to the Tacoma area from Vancouver, BC, Canada, and we are excited to explore another part of the beautiful Pacific Northwest.” Next year she will be teaching International Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, International Law and International Organizations.