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. 

Jamal Cooks

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

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

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

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


Sarah Curtis

Sarah Curtis

Professor of History

Office Phone: (415) 338-2250

Email: scurtis@sfsu.edu

Sarah Curtis is an historian who studies the role of women and religion in 19th century France. She can also comment on contemporary issues of religious freedom in France, such as government efforts to ban Islamic religious dress in schools.

Areas of Expertise:

19th century France

Religion and the state

French education system

Highest Degree:

Ph.D., History, Indiana University


Anthony D'Agostino

Anthony D'Agostino

Professor of History

Office Phone: (415) 338-7535

Email: dagostin@sfsu.edu

Robert D'Agostino is an expert on the history of Russia, including the Russian revolution and the Cold War and the history of Europe during the World Wars.

Areas of Expertise:

History of Russia

History of Europe: 1900 - 1949

Diplomatic history of the 20th century

Highest Degree:

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles


Rene Dahl

Rene Dahl

Professor of Child and Adolescent Development

Office Phone: (415) 338-2056

Email: rdahl@sfsu.edu

Rene Dahl is an expert in the field of school age child development.

Areas of Expertise:

Elementary school age development

After school development programs

Highest Degree:

Ph.D., Sociology of Education, Stanford University


Barbara Damashek

Barbara Damashek

Associate Professor of Theatre Arts

Office Phone: (415) 338-1460

Email: damashek@sfsu.edu

Barbara Damashek is an expert in musical theatre. She is the author of many Musical Theatre pieces, most notably "Quilters," for which she was nominated for three Tony Awards, and which has been produced extensively all over the world.

Areas of Expertise:

Musical theatre

Highest Degree:

M.F.A., Drama, Yale University