Alexander Cohen, Assistant Professor of Political Science, has been appointed Associate Director of Faculty Support at Clarkson’s Institute for STEM Education. He will manage initiatives including the Teaching Circles and Teaching Pairs programs as part of the new role.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Cohen join the STEM Ed team in this role supporting the aims of Clarkson faculty in excellence and responsiveness in teaching,” said Katie Kavanagh, Director of STEM Ed.
Professor Cohen has brought innovations to the programs already, inviting student panelists to participate and share their perspectives on stress. The “Understanding Student Stress During the Pandemic and Beyond” Teaching Circle was held on March 16, with student and faculty participants engaging in a productive and helpful exchange.
Interested faculty can reach out for more information about the benefits of participation and the meeting schedule. If you have questions or you would like to pose a Teaching Circle topic, contact Alexander Cohen at acohen@clarkson.edu. New and returning circle participants are welcome, and can get started by enrolling in the Teaching Circles space in Moodle. Simply click on “Join a Teaching Circle”.
Professor Cohen previously served as assistant professor, program chair, and associate dean at Ashford University. At Augustana College, he served as visiting assistant professor and manager of the Upper Mississippi Center for Sustainability. He also co-founded and acted as a founding director for the nonprofit Live Lead Free Quad Cities, an organization dedicated to eliminating lead poisoning in the Quad Cities region of Illinois.
Cohen’s research interests include the role of gender in the profession, the effect of weather patterns on public opinion, and the pedagogy of active learning and teaching through gaming.
He is the co-author of two books: Gaming the System: Nine Games to Teach American Government through Active Learning and Living with Zombies: Society in Apocalypse in Film, Literature, and Other Media, which explores the impact of zombies on popular culture and what this means during the Anthropocene
He has also published in PS: Political Science and Politics, Journal of Political Science Education, The Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, Midwest Quarterly, Field Methods, Modern Language Studies, and The Social Science Journal, among other publications, academic presentations and invited talks.
Cohen is the recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award, Distinguished Research Award and the Distinguished Institutional Service Award, all from Ashford University.
He received his Ph.D. and master of arts degrees in political science from the University of Iowa, and his bachelor of arts in history and politics from New York University.