About:
Anna G. Aguilera, Ph.D., Full Professor.
I am a plant ecologist and have served as the coordinator of the Biology Department's Environmental Science major since 2012. Currently I also serve as the director of the Honors Program.
Selected Text:
The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet. My book choice reflects my passion for exploring the intersection of environmental justice and environmental crises. I assign this book in my introductory environmental science course to encourage students to examine the social, ethical, and ecological aspects of environmental issues. I am deeply committed to community engagement and incorporate service learning into all of my courses. My research covers a wide range of topics, and I collaborate with students on projects that explore the ecosystem impacts of invasive plant species, the potential of fungi to break down PFOS chemicals, lichen abundance and diversity as bioindicators for air quality, and the use of pollinator eDNA in ecological studies. I assign this book in my introductory environmental science course to encourage students to examine the social, ethical, and ecological aspects of environmental issues.
The Intersectional Environmentalist by 
About:
Full Professor
About: Kyong Eun Oh is a Professor and the Director of the Ph.D. program in the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at Simmons University. She joined the Simmons SLIS faculty in Fall 2013. She studies how people manage and organize their files and how people interact with information in everyday life. Dr. Oh teaches information organization and doctoral statistics courses.
Selected Text:
Oh, K. (2017). Types of personal information categorization: Rigid, fuzzy, and flexible. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 68(6), 1491-1504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/asi.23787
I selected this article because it is fun to read and relatable for anyone who has digital files on their devices. It also introduces you to Personal Information Management, which is one of the many fascinating research areas in Library and Information Science.
About:
Dr Saha has 14+ years of experience as an independent researcher and professor in academia. Her research focuses on medicinal, environmental, and nanomaterial chemistry. She is passionate about undergraduate (UG) research, mentoring, science education, and empowering women to thrive in STEM fields. She is the faculty lead of SURPASs and the director of the NASA-supported DREAM mentoring program at Simmons University. She represented Simmons’ STEM initiatives and NASA award-winning at the White House, in Washington D.C. in 2023. She was the recipient of Simmons' Excellence in Research in 2024 and the winner of the prestigious Hall of Fame Faculty Award by the Board of Regents University System of Georgia in 2021.
Selected Text:
Engaging Undergraduate Students in Authentic Research in the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory Course. Arpita Saha, Leah Williams, Engaged Student Learning: Essays on Best Practices in the University System of Georgia, Volume 3, 2021
I deeply value UG research and nurturing creative minds early on via engaging in a Coursed-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). This book chapter of mine illustrates how to elevate the research experience for all students of all levels via introducing innovative CURE in a traditional UG curriculum.
About:
Leah Hart Tennen, MSW, MPH, LICSW, Director of Student Support, Professor of Practice.Tennen joined the SocialWork@Simmons team during its launch in July 2014 as the program’s first academic advisor. She teaches SWO-461: Best Practices in Group Work, SWO-462: Advanced Group Work, and SWO-455: Human Sexuality and Social Work Practice.
Outside of Simmons, Tennen is a teacher and clinical consultant for Girls’ LEAP, a self-defense and empowerment program for Boston-area girls. Before coming to Simmons full time, Tennen was the mikveh center director at Mayyim Hayyim Community Mikveh and Education Center. Tennen has also facilitated groups for Isis Parenting, Weight Watchers, and Marathon Physical Therapy. Tennen was the manager of the group mentoring department and a field instructor at the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. She has been a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the International Association for Social Work with Groups (IASWG) since 2004 and served on the IASWG-Massachusetts chapter’s board of directors for eight years.
Selected Text:
Fierce Desires: A New History of Sex and Sexuality in America by Dr. Rebecca L. Davis.
Rationale:
Dr. Davis is a lifelong friend from camp who has been inspiring me to be a better human and feminist since we met. Her areas of expertise & research are the intersection of sex, history and religion, and this new book is a comprehensive overview that is of vital importance for everyone, but particularly Social Work students! This book is about to be a part of "SWO-455, Human Sexuality for Social Work Practice".
Fierce Desires by