College of Liberal & Creative Arts

Class partners with Nature Conservancy, creates products to present at BioDesign Challenge 

Early one rainy morning in March, more than 25 San Francisco State University students departed together from campus for an all-day field trip to Mendocino County. Covering over 300 miles round trip, the excursion gave a School of Design class a hands-on view of the combative relationship between bull kelp and predatory sea urchins, teaming with The Nature Conservancy to design solutions restoring their natural habitat. 

 As the shoreline came into the horizon near the end of the bus trip up north, the wet weather suddenly turned sunny, clearing the way for a bright day of visits to the Noyo Center for Marine Science, the Mendocino Art Center, art galleries and studios and Portuguese Beach. Late in the afternoon, the bus turned around, reaching SFSU for drop-off after dark.  

“It was exhausting, but inspiring and invigorating,” student Jonathan Blythe said. “It put the wind in our sails.”  

The “Product Design II” class, offered in two sections, is dedicated this semester to developing new, sustainable ways to solve a problem on the North Coast tinted by climate-change: overpopulated sea urchins are preying on the bull kelp, destroying the ecosystem. Research by The Nature Conservancy finds that 96% of the kelp forest have disappeared in 10 years. 

The students’ group projects have discovered a range of innovations. Blythe’s group is developing sea-wall traps to reintroduce more starfish into the Pacific Ocean near kelp restoration sites, where the starfish can prey on the sea urchin.  

“I’ve always been interested in sustainable materials. This class has been a crash course in it,” said Blythe, a graduate student in Design. “It’s been helpful to gain the experience of bringing a product to fruition, by that means, that is less harmful to the planet.” 

Another student, Huan Chang, is in a group creating an aquaculture system that converts the atmospheric carbon dioxide within sea urchins into calcium carbonate, which wineries can use in the fermentation process with efficiency and ecological sustainability. The group adds that uni, the edible portion of the urchin used to make sushi and other delicacies, makes a delightful pairing with wine. 

“For the field trip, we prepared ahead of time what we needed to bring, what kinds of questions we should ask and how we can do field research,” Chang said. “It really excited me because talking with your classmates and the professors is quite different from what you feel and what you learn on site, especially from the scientists, the divers and the specialists in the field. It’s a totally different experience.” 

The opportunity to conduct fieldwork attracted Design graduate student Blane Asrat to take “Product Design II” as an elective.  

“We were able to examine the holdfasts of the bull kelp attached to the rocks. That attachment to the rocks and to the ocean floor was a significant part of our research,” she said. “Being able to see that in real life and pull the bull kelp apart from the rock and realizing it’s not coming off. Whatever adhesion that this is producing in nature is so strong that it’s almost fused.” 

Student Damani “Phesto Dee” Thompson focused on documenting the day through sketches and photographs. As a platinum-selling recording artist with the Souls of Mischief and Hieroglyphics, he has traveled the world for decades, but from this field trip gained a deep appreciation for kelp and its importance in the ecosystem. 

“Design is a roadmap for solving problems,” said Thompson, an Industrial Design major. “We’re dealing with the problem of the loss of the kelp along the coast, so they’ve contacted us as designers — not to make something cute and beautiful, but to figure out some kind of solution thinking outside the box.” 

The course instructor, Assistant Professor Fernando F.S. Carvalho, aims to give students a deeper understanding of design processes and connect them with science. He has been impressed by the student groups for their confidence and ambition in engaging with scientific literature to develop products. 

“They are incorporating science into their learning,” said Carvalho, noting many of the students are studying for a Bachelor of Science degree. “It will take them to the next level.” 

Design Lecturer Faculty Josie Iselin (MFA, ’94) serves as a partner to the class through her ocean literacy campaign Above/Below. 

“It’s been transforming,” Iselin said. “You really see the growth of the students.” 

For the third straight year, one group from the class will travel to New York City in June to compete in the BioDesign Challenge, an annual international competition promoting integrated design, innovation and biotechnology. Funding from the MillerKnoll Foundation, SF State’s Institute for Civic and Community Engagement and donor Richard Ingalls have supported the class.  

Tristin McHugh, the kelp project director for The Nature Conservancy’s California Oceans Program, gave an in-person presentation during the field trip at a major restoration site in Fort Bragg.  

“I was really impressed with how bright and interested the students were. They showed up to the challenge,” she said. “They will have a very direct application in solving this problem now.” 

Learn more about the SFSU School of Design. 

Creative Writing major Theresa Thompson promotes literary excellence to children

A San Francisco State University student who has passed down her love of literature and language to her children is now paying it forward to the next generation. Theresa Thompson recently established her own nonprofit organization in honor of her late son, Marcus Angelo Bryant, while entering San Francisco State last year in her late 50s. 

We Theresa’s Kids is a nonprofit promoting literary excellence in middle and high school-age children from underserved areas by teaching them to read, write and understand poetry. The nonprofit provides free classes at public libraries throughout the Bay Area. 

“Our hope is that they seek higher learning, so we want to show them that the library is their sanctuary,” said Thompson, a Creative Writing major and Education minor. Her goal is to become a middle-school teacher in the Oakland Unified School District. 

“Young people struggle in middle school, and I want them to know that someone cares,” she said. “I want them to know that school is a safe place — that you can pour your emotions out on paper, and I won’t judge you.” 

At SFSU, Thompson has landed a work-study position with the Marian Wright Edelman Institute, which promotes early literacy in underserved areas of San Francisco. 

“It has taught me so much about working with young people,” she said. “It’s preparing me for what’s to come. These are all pivotable moments that I’m experiencing at San Francisco State.” 

Thompson keeps a home full of books, sharing her lifelong love for reading and vocabulary in her five children (and, now, nine grandchildren). Bryant was not only an avid reader, but also taught himself Swahili and three dialects of Spanish. He was planning to enter community college before his death in 2023. 
 
“Marcus was the joy of the family, the one who made everyone laugh,” Thompson said. “He was very proud of his home life.” 

Bryant was also an organ donor. Shortly after his memorial service, Thompson wrote poems and a class paper about his sacrifices and channeling her pain, and is writing a fantasy-fiction short story titled “The Sword of Seraphims: The Marcus Angelo Chronicles.” She is now an ambassador for Donor Network West, the organ procurement organization for Northern California and Northern Nevada. 

“I refuse to allow my grief to make me a slave, so I’m going to repurpose my pain and turn it into something else,” she said. “And Marcus repurposed himself. He lost his life, but he saved five lives. And the one thing I’ll never forget is that his heart and one of his lungs went to the same person.” 

Learn more about the Creative Writing Department.

SFSU Fine Arts Gallery showcases findings from grant-funded Office for the Study of the Ordinary 

In these extraordinary times, we can learn something by stepping back and exploring the ordinary. At San Francisco State University, about 100 students led by an artist-in-residence have investigated the everyday, creating new works of art in a “fake” department called The Office for the Study of the Ordinary.  

A culminating exhibition in the SFSU Fine Arts Gallery showcases the processes, artifacts and printed material compiled over the past year by 150 overall participants. “Objects of Inquiry: The Office for the Study of the Ordinary” is on display Saturday, Feb. 22 – Saturday, April 5. Admission is free. 

“Bureaucracy and art seemingly wouldn’t mesh. Put them together and something weird comes out,” said Liz Hernández, the Harker Artist-in-Residence at SFSU, a position made possible by the Harker Fund at the San Francisco Foundation. “The ordinary can be extraordinary if you shift your focus.” 

Hernández worked alongside students in their classes for one to two weeks at a time to create collaborative art projects. Supplied with lab coats, magnifying glasses and measuring tape, students strolled the campus and took pictures of their observations. They created ID cards with fictional job titles for themselves: fantastical daydreamer, termite enthusiast, dust collector and so on.

Photo by Liz Hernández

Student Nanako Nirei has contributed an acrylic drawing for a large-scale comic about SFSU’s mascot, depicted as a fictional character named Al the Gator. Nirei is enrolled in the Art 619 “Exhibition Design” course that is responsible for installing and promoting “Objects of Inquiry.” 

“This is the first time I’ve been part of a big show,” she said. “I’m honored being in it and helping put everything up.” 

Upon entry to “Objects of Inquiry,” visitors are greeted at a reception desk assembled with old furniture from campus storage. They are then led on a self-guided tour highlighted by a false tale involving student protests against inhumane treatment of an alligator housed on the SFSU campus. (For the record, this never actually happened; fakeness and subversion are hallmarks of Hernández’s art). Hernández created a life-sized sculpture of an alligator with angel wings, laying on a stretcher.   

“I wanted to show the legacy of student-led protests at SF State. I was surprised that so many students didn’t know about it,” Hernández said. “I like to tell stories to the world through fiction in a way that doesn’t damage anyone, but gets you to think.” 

Collaborating with students has been the most rewarding part of Hernández’s residency, she says: “I’ve learned so much from the students. There are small moments of tenderness and vulnerability. I’d never expect students to open up that way.” 

An opening reception for “Objects of Inquiry” will be held Feb. 22, 1 – 3 p.m. Regular hours for the Fine Arts Gallery are Tuesdays – Fridays, noon – 4 p.m. 

Learn more about the SFSU School of Art. 

Works by Marcelo Potosí honor the Indigenous peoples of the San Francisco Peninsula 

Two years ago while attending San Francisco State University, Marcelo Potosí was reading an email from one of his instructors about an opportunity from the San Francisco Arts Commission and decided to apply. Now he is one of four artists featured in the commission’s Art on Market Poster Series devoted to the original peoples of the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Potosí’s six posters, titled “The Future of the Ramaytush Ohlone,” are on display at 15 Muni bus shelters on Market Street between Seventh and Steuart streets through Friday, Feb. 28. Each poster centers a figure against a backdrop that depicts historical and cultural locations in San Francisco, enhanced with native plants and animals. The designs also include silhouettes inspired by historical paintings of the Ramaytush Ohlone, accompanied by text reflecting the Indigenous tribe’s cultural values and aspirations. The Ramaytush Ohlone tribe comprises the Native peoples of the San Francisco Peninsula. 

“Marcelo Potosí’s artwork beautifully and masterfully intertwines the rich cultural history of the Ramaytush Ohlone with visionary ideals for the future,” said Ralph Remington, director of cultural affairs for the San Francisco Arts Commission. “Through his striking poster designs, Potosí honors the deep-rooted legacy of the Ohlone peoples, while urging us to envision and reimagine a future grounded in respect for the land, its original stewards and the environment.” 

Pocket Opera collaboration brings Animation students into new film adaptation of Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’ 

The COVID-19 quarantines of 2020 forced educators and artists alike to work in new and creative ways. One such collaboration involving San Francisco State University’s School of Cinema just recently enjoyed its debut. “A Pocket Magic Flute” is an animated film adaptation of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” produced by the Pocket Opera company of San Francisco. It is a finalist for the Digital Excellence in Opera Award from Opera America. 

Nicolas A. Garcia, artistic director of the San Francisco Pocket Opera, conceived the film project and garnered funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Opera America. He contacted SFSU Cinema Professor Martha Gorzycki to get students involved. Gorzycki (MFA, ’02), the director of the University’s Animation Program, mentored five student interns who worked on pre-production and production: Estrella Torres, Jacqueline “Rosie” Nares, Alex Wood, Madeline Ko and Jessie Plascencia. 

“It really helped me understand how the pipeline of production works in animation,” said Nares (B.A., ’22), now a library media assistant at an elementary school in Stockton. “I already had a bit of an idea just because I’m a huge animation fan. But being firsthand, I got to try a little bit of everything. Working in background, character and prop design, I was able to figure out where I fit in the pipeline, too, because it is my dream is to work in the industry.” 

Torres (B.A., ’21) helped create storyboards and design characters and props. She says working on “A Pocket Magic Flute” was a pivotal moment for her. 

“It gave me my first real opportunity to step into the animation world and feel confident in my skills,” Torres said. “When Martha reached out to me specifically because of my talents, it was such an honor. It gave me the encouragement I needed to believe in myself and my abilities as an artist. The class she created was small, with only five students, and I felt so fortunate to be one of them. 

“The experience not only helped me grow as an artist, but also reinforced my love for animation as a medium for storytelling,” added Torres, now an instructional aide for middle-school students with disabilities in Brentwood. “I’m truly excited to see how it resonates with audiences and how it might inspire others.” 

Shawneé Gibbs (B.A., ’02) and Shawnelle Gibbs (B.A., ’02) are the lead producers, screenwriters and animation directors on “A Pocket Magic Flute.” The siblings comprise a powerhouse team, writing scripts for cartoons for many of the major studios and networks. Miriam Lewis (MFA, ’12) is the lead costumer. They all attended the world-premiere screening, held in the August Coppola Theatre at SFSU on Sept. 25. 

“A Pocket Magic Flute” has brought together numerous arts organizations, including the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Oakland Youth Symphony, Sacramento Youth Symphony and Sirnare Animation Studio in Kenya. 

“A Pocket Magic Flute” is now traveling to classrooms of fourth to eighth graders, accompanied by a curriculum and appearances by the artists in person. 

“This was a local and international collaboration of diverse teams of scholars and artists coming together remotely to produce a 20-minute animated film,” Gorzycki said. “One of the primary goals of this project is to educate youth and especially BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and People of Color] youth on collaborative and creative career possibilities in the performing arts, fine arts and media arts.”  

Learn more about the SFSU School of Cinema. 

The Political Science Department offers a public course every four years analyzing issues in the presidential election  

As lies, misinformation and deepfakes pervade political discourse, San Francisco State University’s course analyzing the presidential election is more important than ever. Established 20 years ago, the course features panel discussions with experts from the San Francisco State faculty on a different topic every session. Members of the general public may also attend. Admission is free. 

To attend any class session, please RSVP via the University Development website. 

Learn more about the SFSU Political Science Department. 

‘Postcards to Hitler’ author Bruce Neuburger is inspired by his brave, defiant grandfather  

As a former farmworker, cab driver and teacher, Bruce Neuburger has seen a lot. But it is nothing compared to what his grandfather experienced in the Holocaust. It is told in Neuburger’s new book, “Postcards to Hitler: A German Jew’s Defiance in a Time of Terror” (Monthly Review Press/NYU Press). 

During the Nazi regime, Neuburger’s grandfather, a German land investor, distributed anonymous postcards to his neighbors to warn them of Adolf Hitler, only to be arrested by the Gestapo and subjected to a sham trial and brutal murder. 

At San Francisco State University, Neuberger (B.A., ’86; M.A., ’95) was a triple major in History, Spanish and La Raza Studies (now Latina/Latino Studies). He is now retired from teaching English as a second language at City College of San Francisco and adult schools.

Why did you decide to attend San Francisco State? 

I liked the atmosphere here. To be honest with you, I was fearful of coming back to school. I was already in my 40s and I thought, I’m going to feel like a fish out of water here. It’s going to be all these young people, and I’m going to be this old guy. But I came back here; it wasn’t true. There were a lot of older folks like me in their 40s and beyond that, so I felt comfortable. 

Can you recall a moment as a student at San Francisco State that had a significant impact on your life? 

I had some really good teachers. Did you know about Professor [Isidro] Mauleón? At the end of the class, he would invite the students to come and have a meal at a Basque restaurant down on Broadway. We’d have these elaborate meals for hours.  

So I remember that meal. I don’t remember too many meals in my life. I remember that one. 

Learn more about SFSU’s History Department, Spanish Program and College of Ethnic Studies. 

German-language video about ‘Postcards to Hitler’

Funded by a California State University grant, the 12-unit pilot program is designed to diversify the field of art handling 

Dawn-Elissa Fischer creates awards in honor of scholar Marcyliena Morgan, civil rights attorney Walter P. Riley 

Extending an academic family tree to today’s students and future generations, a professor at San Francisco State University has created two scholarships for students.  

With two generous donations to San Francisco State, Anthropology Professor Dawn-Elissa Fischer has established the Marcyliena Morgan Scholarship and the Walter P. Riley Radical Change Scholarship. Both awards are eligible exclusively to SF State students. 

Fischer created the awards to respectively honor Morgan, a Harvard University professor and renowned scholar of hip-hop, and Riley, an Oakland civil rights attorney and activist. Both Morgan and Riley have each fought injustices and opened doors with global impact. 

“Dr. Marcyliena Morgan and Walter Riley are revolutionaries in their own distinct ways,” Fischer said. “Their steadfast efforts have brought about widespread recognition for activists and hip-hop artists as organic intellectuals with integrity.”

With both awards, students will gain opportunities to meet mentors, join professional networks and establish their own. As a faculty member, Fischer says that mentorship is critical to engender success in students, particularly those from underrepresented groups without equitable access to professional networks. She learned the value of networking from mentors like Morgan, but also through her personal academic family tree: Fischer’s parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were all educators. 

“There are so many layers and roles that faculty play in helping students build scholarly community,” Fischer said. “In my family, it comes from a Historically Black College and University tradition, and it recognizes structural factors that often block access for talented individuals to plug into success networks,” Fischer added. “And when that happens, society loses.” 

In residency made possible by the San Francisco Foundation, Liz Hernández will create fictional research office on campus 

San Francisco State University’s School of Art has named Liz Hernández as the Harker Artist-in-Residence, a 12-month appointment in which she will create a “fictional research organization” on campus, The Office for the Study of the Ordinary. 

The residency is made possible by the Harker Fund at the San Francisco Foundation. Established by Ann Chamberlain in 2005, the fund awards grants to nonprofit organizations underwriting residency and project support for artists working in public practice and environmental interdisciplinary studies.