Faculty Experts

From the discovery of new planets to the work of noted criminologists, SF State offers a wide variety of scholars who are the most distinguished in their fields. This directory identifies academics who possess insight and knowledge of diverse subjects and who are willing to work with journalists whenever possible. The faculty experts directory is compiled by the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications. 

If you need immediate assistance finding an expert, please call (415) 338-1665 or email pubcom@sfsu.edu

 

William Cochlan

Senior Research Scientist for the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies

Office Phone: (415) 338-3541

Email: cochlan@sfsu.edu

William Cochlan, whose research lab is at the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies (RTC), is a biological oceanographer and marine microbial geneticist who studies how environmental changes affect the physiology of phytoplankton and bacteria. His recent research, published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looks at the effectiveness of iron enrichment on the oceans.

Areas of Expertise:

Marine biology and microbiology

Phytoplankton

Algae

Highest Degree: Ph.D., Oceanography, University of British Columbia


Sarah Cohen

Professor of Biology

Office Phone: (415) 338-3750

Email: sarahcoh@sfsu.edu

With appointments at the Department of Biology, and at the Robert Tiburon Center (RTC), Sarah Cohen's research interests are in how ecological, behavioral and environmental features shape evolution and genetic systems in diverse organisms. Most of her work is in marine and estuarine settings.

Areas of Expertise:

Marine population biology

Coastal and marine conservation

Population genetics

Highest Degree: Ph.D., Zoology, University of Washington


Robert Keith Collins

Associate Professor and Chair of American Indian Studies

Office Phone: (415) 338-1054

Email: Rkc@sfsu.edu

Robert Collins is an authority on African and Native American cultures in the Americas as well as the ethnic identification of persons who are of both African American and Native American heritages. Collins is of African-Choctaw descent.

Areas of Expertise:

American Indian Choctaw language and culture

American Indian cultural changes

Highest Degree: Ph.D., Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles


Roy Conboy

Professor of Theatre Arts

Office Phone: (415) 338-1614

Email: rconboy@sfsu.edu

Roy Conboy is a Chicano playwright, director, and teacher, and is the head of the Playwrighting Program at SF State, teaching in both Theatre Arts and Creative Writing. His plays and those of his former students have been produced on stages across California and the United States.

Areas of Expertise:

Playwriting and contemporary theatre

Modern Chicano theatre

Business and production of playwriting

Highest Degree: M.F.A., Acting and Directing, University of California, Irvine


Jamal Cooks

Professor of Secondary Education

Office Phone: (415) 338-2065

Email: jcooks@sfsu.edu

Jamal Cooks is an expert on the connections among education, popular culture and hip hop, particularly the use of hip hop to teach literacy in schools.

Areas of Expertise:

Using music and sports as a teaching tool in the classroom

Using hip hop in schools to teach expository writing skills

Highest Degree: Using hip hop in schools to teach expository writing skills


Jeff Cookston

Professor of Psychology

Office Phone: (415) 405-2133

Email: cookston@sfsu.edu

Jeff Cookston is an expert on father-child relationships, particularly during adolescence, and how families and children adjust during and after divorce.

Areas of Expertise:

How children adjust to divorce

Social constructions of fatherhood and parenting

Marital conflict

Highest Degree: Ph.D., Educational Psychology - Human Development and Education, University of Texas, Austin


Adrienne Cool

Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Office Phone: (415) 338-6450

Email: cool@sfsu.edu

Adrienne Cool is an expert on globular clusters (dense aggregates of stars) and the exotic types of star found within them, including binary stars (pairs of stars that orbit each other), blue stragglers and white dwarf stars.

Areas of Expertise:

Globular star clusters

White dwarf stars

Blue stragglers

Highest Degree: Ph.D., Astronomy, Harvard University


Carlos B. Cordova

Professor of Latina/Latino Studies

Office Phone: (415) 405-2419

Email: cordova@sfsu.edu

Carlos Cordova is an expert on South American countries and populations including settlement patterns, demographics and Latino emigrants from these countries in the U.S.

Areas of Expertise:

Central American politics

Central American culture and society

Central American migration

Highest Degree: Ed.D., Multicultural Education, University of San Francisco