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.
Harvey Davis
Professor Emeritus of Nursing
Office Phone: (415) 338-1578
Email: hardavis@sfsu.edu
Harvey Davis is an expert on psychiatric care and mental health treatment.
Areas of Expertise:
Sleep disturbances
Alcohol and substance addiction
Highest Degree: Ph.D., Nursing, University of California, San Francisco
Gail Dawson
Associate Dean of the College Liberal & Creative Arts
Office Phone: (415) 338-3118
Email: gdawson@sfsu.edu
Gail Dawson is an expert in painting and new media. Dawson's work explores the interference of media with images, and time and motion. She works between mediums translating video to paintings and drawings, and paintings and drawings to video. Her work can be seen at her webpage linked below.
Areas of Expertise:
Painting
Drawing
New media
Highest Degree: M.F.A. Painting, University of Texas, Austin
Stephen John de la Cruz
Lecturer, Communication Studies
Office Phone: (415) 338-1597
Email: sdlc@sfsu.edu
Areas of Expertise:
Criminal Law, Civil Law, Constitutional Law
Highest Degree: J.D., University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law
Brian De Vries
Professor Emeritus of Gerontology
Office Phone: (415) 338-3559
Email: bdevries@sfsu.edu
Brian De Vries is an internationally known expert on bereavement and end of life issues and gay and lesbian aging.
Areas of Expertise:
Loss of spouses
Aging
LGBT end of life issues
Highest Degree: Ph.D., Lifespan and Social Development, University of British Columbia
Dennis Desjardin
Professor of Biology
Office Phone: (415) 338-2439
Email: ded@sfsu.edu
Dennis Desjardin is an expert on the evolution and biodiversity of fungi species and has discovered more than 200 new fungi species, including luminescent mushrooms.
Areas of Expertise:
Mycology (study of fungi)
Mushroom taxonomy
Toxic mushrooms
Highest Degree: Ph.D., Botany, University of Tennessee
Jane DeWitt
Associate Dean of Academic Planning
Office Phone: (415) 338-1895
Email: dewitt@sfsu.edu
The research in Jane DeWitt's laboratory focuses on understanding the mechanisms of heavy metal accumulation and transformation in higher plant systems from a chemical and molecular perspective. The goals of this research are to determine the change in speciation (oxidation state, geometry, coordination environment) that occurs upon accumulation of the metals by plants and to identify the biomolecules involved in metal complexation, thus providing insight into mechanisms of heavy metal tolerance in plants.
Areas of Expertise:
Bioremediation of chemical contaminants using plants
Heavy-metal accumulation in plants
Highest Degree: Ph.D., Chemistry, Stanford University
Marc Dollinger
Professor of Jewish Studies
Office Phone: (415) 338-3160
Email: mdolling@sfsu.edu
Marc Dollinger is an expert in the fields of Jews and American politics, American Zionism and California Jews.
Areas of Expertise:
Jewish social responsibility
American Jewish history
American Jewish politics
Highest Degree: Ph.D., History, University of California, Los Angeles
Philip Dreyfus
Professor of History
Office Phone: (415) 338-1625
Email: pdreyfus@sfsu.edu
Philip Dreyfus is an expert on environmental history, particularly the growth and development of the San Francisco Bay Area and American perceptions and ideas about nature.
Areas of Expertise:
Environmental history of San Francisco
Modern history of California and the West
American labor history
Highest Degree: Ph.D., American History, Graduate Center of the City University of New York