CLAS Welcomes Three New Faculty Members, Expanding Commitment to STEM
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is happy to welcome three full-time visiting faculty members, signaling its ongoing commitment to STEM programs.
Dr. Katie Dobkowski is Visiting Associate Professor and chair of the new Environmental Science program, which launches in fall 2023. Dr. Dobkowski is a marine ecologist and scientific scuba diver and snorkeler who loves all things photosynthetic. She realized that she wanted to study seaweed (especially bull kelp, the *best* kelp) while taking a field course in marine algae in between finishing her undergraduate degree and starting a Ph.D. program at the University of Washington. She incorporates community-engagement into both her teaching and her research and looks forward to developing an interdisciplinary curriculum in the new Environmental Science major. About moving to Southern California, Dr. Dobkowski says, “I’m very excited to see familiar critters and also learn about new ecosystems and opportunities in…both terrestrial and marine systems.”
Daniel Thomas, who has been a part-time member of the Woodbury Biology faculty since 2021, joins us as a full-time Visiting Senior Lecturer and Biology Lab Manager. Daniel holds an MS in biology with an emphasis in genetics, an MEd in secondary education, and a BA in English literature. Daniel, who has authored research in both the education and science fields, has also worked with a research group developing gene therapy for a condition called hereditary inclusion body myopathy. Daniel’s role was to determine if a mouse animal model with the M712T mutation showed similar phenotypic effects as humans with the same point mutation. Most recently, he supervised a student research project that focused on determining the glyphosate content in common foods. Daniel has also been involved in community outreach programs, where students of all ages were invited to college campuses for a diverse and inclusive learning experience.
Arthur Zverev is Visiting Assistant Professor in Political Science and Public Safety Administration and will serve as POHI/PSAD Coordinator. Prior to joining Woodbury, his professional experience focused on conducting legal research, providing analysis on pending legislation, and drafting motions and appellate briefs for various government agencies. He has previously worked for the Office of the San Diego Public Defender, the Office of the United States Trustee, and the Federal Defenders of San Diego. Arthur’s research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of politics, American legal history, criminal law, litigation, constitutional law, and regulation of vice. His current research projects use history and current legal precedents to reveal how the law regulates the boundaries between various issues and investigates how social and legal concepts and categories change over time. He earned a JD from California Western School of Law and a BA in Sociology from CSUN. He has been awarded the Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for Pro Bono Service by the California Lawyers Association and is also a member of the Legal Writing Institute.
Last Updated on October 7, 2022.