Pine - Spring 2014 - (Page 13)
COVER
LINKS
FEATURED
Q&A
CONNECTIONS
SPOTLIGHT
I love to watch a good story unfold once I've
asked the right questions (which I don't always
manage to do). I wrote a book, Snap! Seizing
Your Aha! Moments, to describe how our inner
databases can "snap" ideas for us. I have
benefited from the formula I worked up (scan,
sift and solve) quite often.
Q: Forensic science and paranormal
studies make for an interesting juxtaposition of subjects, with the former
enveloped in hard facts and physical
evidence, and the latter often emphasizing the subjective experience.
How do these different approaches
complement each other?
I devoted my dissertation to objectivity and subjectivity, so blending the "hard" sciences with the
soft sciences, or "reality" with the paranormal,
comes easily to me. I like the world to be a rich
place, and my training in philosophy taught me
to put aside my prejudices and be open to the
world. Also, I don't care what people in my various
professions think, because life is short, and I want
to make the most of my go at it. I don't want to be
limited by the frames that fit others. It's very hard
to meet "characters" when you're judgmental, and
that would really cut out a lot of the fun of life.
Q: Do you have any favorite memories
from traveling to promote your books?
I think I had the most fun when I went out for
Piercing the Darkness, because so many people
from the vampire subculture came to see me do a
book talk. I got to dress up in velvet and talk about
being undercover with all these interesting people.
That's the great thing about exploratory writing:
One thing leads to another and often opens up
whole worlds you never knew about.
Q: As a professor of forensic psychology
at DeSales University, you've instructed
classes such as "Psychological Sleuthing"
and "Dangerous Minds: The Psychology
of Antisocial Behavior." What is
your favorite part of educating, and
how do you approach topics that
students might find uncomfortable
or disturbing?
Actually, I think students take my classes
because they're disturbing. I don't really tone it
down, because no one is forced to take those
classes, but I put the disturbing elements into
a clinical context. I also hope it teaches young
people to be more careful. What I like about
teaching is the opportunity to keep learning.
I have to keep up with how teaching evolves,
as well as add new ideas and cases to my
repertoire, so it's a constant challenge.
"And now that I have four graduate degrees,
I can look back and say that my educational experience at
NAU was the best of them all."
nau.edu/alumni
PINE � SPRING 2014 � PG 13
http://www.nau.edu/alumni
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Pine - Spring 2014
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