Faculty

ChAD faculty

In addition to being committed teachers, Child and Adolescent Development (ChAD) faculty members are active researchers whose work represents a broad range of interests across the discipline of child development. Our staff are focused on helping students achieve their goals.

Faculty directory
Recent faculty highlights

Department Chair

Emily Slusser, Ph.D.

emily.slusser@sjsu.edu
408.924.3752
Sweeney Hall (SH) 201

Faculty Directory

Robin Love, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
robin.love@sjsu.edu

Cara Maffini, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
cara.maffini@sjsu.edu
Listen to Cara's Spotify playlist

Jila Maleksalehi, Ed.D

Lecturer
jila.maleksalehi@sjsu.edu
Listen to Jila's Spotify playlist

Robert Marx, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
robert.marx@sjsu.edu
Twitter: @RbrtMrx
Listen to Robert's Spotify playlist

Ravisha Mathur, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
ravisha.mathur@sjsu.edu

Mary McVey, Ph.D.

Professor
mary.mcvey@sjsu.edu

Danielle Mead, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
danielle.mead@sjsu.edu
Listen to Spotify playlist

Ellen Middaugh, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
ellen.middaugh@sjsu.edu
Twitter: @emiddaugh
Listen to Ellen Spotify playlist

Adam Nilsen

Lecturer
adam.nilsen@sjsu.edu

Teresa O'Donnell-Johnson, Ph.D.

Lecturer
Undergraduate Student Advisor
teresa.o'donnell-johnson@sjsu.edu

Paula Oakes

Lecturer
paula.oakes@sjsu.edu

Jennifer Pearlman

Lecturer
jennifer.pearlman@sjsu.edu

Laura Pirazzi

Lecturer
Undergraduate Student Advisor
laura.pirazzi@sjsu.edu

Amita Shah

Lecturer
amita.shah@sjsu.edu

Maureen Smith, Ph.D.

Professor
maureen.smith@sjsu.edu
Listen to Maureen's Spotify playlist

Meghna Soni

Lecturer
meghna.soni@sjsu.edu

Nadia Sorkhabi, Ph.D.

Professor
Graduate Program Coordinator
nadia.sorkhabi@sjsu.edu
Listen to Nadia's Spotify playlist

Kim Tsai, Ph.D

Assistant Professor
kim.tsai@sjsu.edu
Twitter: @drkimtsai
Listen to Kim's Spotify playlist

Recent Faculty Highlights

Dr. Robert Marx has co-created the "Creating an Inclusive Climate: Queering Our Classrooms & Our Campus" initiative, which offers introductory and advanced trainings at the department and college level around topics like pronouns and vocabulary terms, the hidden curriculum in our classes, and creating opportunities for authentic self-expression.

Dr. Ellen Middaugh earned a $50,000 grant from the Spencer Foundation, which will enable her to kickoff her research study “Civic Media Literacy in a Networked Society: Supporting Mindful Circulation” to a deeper understanding of how youth interact with media online.

Dr. Kim Tsai was featured on the SJSU College of Graduate Studies blog for her support of student Dahyeon Jung while Dahyeon is completing her thesis.

Dr. Robert Marx received the Society for Research on Child Development Small Grant for Early Career Scholars, which will support his current study that examines the support systems of trans and gender non-conforming youth of color and the nuanced ways that families, schools, and communities support these young people.

With the vast majority of K-12 schools beginning the academic school year in a remote teaching and learning environment, KPIX reached out to Dr. Emily Slusser for some expert insights on how parents can best support their children with the adjustment. Watch the interviews on Lurie College blog.

Dr. Janet Bang has joined our department as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Bang received her PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders from McGill University and spent three years as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University.

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