Our Team
MARK AMEN, Academic Director
amen@cas.usf.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Tel. 813-974-6912
Mark Amen received his Ph.D. in Political Science from The Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland in 1978. He has been at USF as a faculty member in the Department of Government and International Affairs since 1982. His research interests include issues of globalization and political economy, globalizing cities, governance and finance/credit, and theories of international relations. Dr. Amen teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in political economy, international relations theory, the European Union, and globalization. Since coming to USF, he has served as Director of the International Studies Program (1990-93), Chair of the University's Liberal Arts Committee (1991-1993) and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences (1993-2001). Outside of work, Mark enjoys playing golf, biking, classical music, movies and traveling.
THOMAS CRISMAN, Patel Professor of Environment
tcrisman@cas.usf.edu
Curriculum VitaeTel. 813-974-5134
Dr. Thomas Crisman's distinguished career includes serving as a Visiting Professor, Research Scientist or Instructor at universities in Uganda, Finland, Denmark and Zimbabwe. In addition, Dr. Crisman held the post of President of the Florida Academy of Sciences. He is on the International Cooperation Committee for the Society of Wetland Scientists and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Freshwater Ecology. Dr. Crisman received his Ph.D. in Zoology-Limnology from Indiana University.
He has authored or co-authored more than 140 journal articles, book chapters, technical reports and other scientific publications. Dr. Crisman's expertise has been sought by various governmental and intergovernmental bodies. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the fields of limnology and wetland science, he has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors. At the Patel Center, Dr. Crisman will pursue projects concerning the management and ecology of aquatic ecosystems in the tropics and subtropics with an emphasis on the Mediterranean Basin, Latin America and Africa.
REBECCA LEE HARRIS, Assistant Academic Director
rharris@cas.usf.eduTel. 813-974-6906
Rebecca Lee Harris joined the Center in January 2002. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from George Washington University. Prior to joining the Patel Center for Global Solutions, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, DC. Her research interests include agricultural policy, rural development and issues of sustainable development.
BESSIE SKOURES, Special Assistant to the Executive Director
bskoures@cas.usf.eduTel. 813-974-1256
Bessie Skoures joined the Patel Center as Special Assistant to then-Executive Director Betty Castor. Previously, she was Deputy Director of the Term Member Program at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. Prior to that, she worked at Human Rights Watch in New York and Brussels. She also served as an Adjunct Instructor at USF during Fall 2006. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her M.A. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver. She is fluent in French and Greek.
LINDSEY BREWER, Research Assistant
ldbrewer@mail.usf.eduResumeTel. 727-237-3727
Lindsey Brewer received her Associate in Arts Degree (A.A.) from St. Petersburg College in Tarpon Springs, FL in 2008. Currently, she is scheduled to graduate in May 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from USF. Lindsey has been active in the department helping with numerous research projects including ground-penetrating radar surveys for the geo-physics lab and marine invertebrate collection and sorting in the paleo-ecology lab. She was awarded a paid internship with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for the 2009 fiscal year collecting data for a state-wide evapotranspiration study. Her undergraduate thesis project and research interests include carbon and nitrogen stable isotope biogeochemistry on marine invertebrates. Lindsey's outside interests include hiking, biking, scuba diving and travel.
BRIAN MADIGAN, Research Assistant
bmadigan@mail.usf.edu
Brian Madigan received his B.S. from Northern Michigan University after double majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science. Currently, he is working towards his MBA focusing on Sustainable Business Practices. Brian has worked and studied in some of the most threatened ecosystems in the world and passionately believes in sustainable economic growth and reform. Most recently, Brian studied the economic impacts of desertification in the Sahel region of Western Africa.