Press & Media Center | Soka University of America
Source: http://www.soka.edu/about/press-and-media-center
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:12
Press & Media Center | Soka University of America
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Press and Media Center
Welcome to Soka University of America
About
Visit
Community Relations
Our staff is available to help you set up interviews or find answers to your questions as quickly as possible.
Expert Center
Our experts are available to respond to qualified inquiries from journalists, conference organizers, and more.
On a deadline?
If you are a journalist, please inform us of deadline requests and we will respond promptly.
Shane Barter, PhD
Professor of Comparative Politics
Learning Clusters Coordinator
Dr. Barter focuses on Southeast Asian politics, civilians in war, as well as autonomous areas and conflict resolution.
Interests:
Minorities, Separatism, Indonesia, Conflict Resolution, Southeast Asia, Civil War
George Busenberg, PhD
Associate Professor of Environmental Management and Policy
Dr. Busenberg focuses on environmental policy.
Interests:
Environmental Policy, Environmental Management
Edward M. Feasel, PhD
President
Chief Academic Officer
Professor of Economics
Dr. Feasel is president of Soka University of America.
Interests:
Foreign Aid, Economic Growth, Economic Outcomes and Societal Values
Michael D. Golden, DMA
Professor of Music Composition and Theory
Dr. Golden’s teaching and creative interests include composition and jazz improvisation, music and ecology, and music and peace building.
Interests:
Music and Ecology, World Music, Composition (including computer music)
John M. Heffron, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Educational History and Culture
Dr. Heffron is a development scholar whose focus is the cultural and intellectual history of education nationally and transnationally.
Interests:
US Relations in Asia and the Pacific, Development History, Educational History
Dr. Mazeroll focuses on the behavioral ecology of fishes.
Interests:
Ecology of Amazonian Fishes, Population Genetics, Fish Ecology
Bryan E. Penprase, PhD
Vice President for Sponsored Research and External Academic Relations
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Dr. Penprase is Dean of Faculty and a Professor of Science.
Interests:
Quasar Absorption, Line Spectroscopy, Archaeoastronomy
Seiji Takaku, PhD
Professor of Psychology
Dr. Takaku’s research interests focus on cross-cultural examinations of people’s apology- (and excuse-) giving behavior
Interests:
Cross-Cultural Research on Apology and Forgiveness, Social Psychology
Gail E. Thomas, PhD
Professor Emerita of Sociology
Dr. Thomas is an Emerita Professor of Sociology who specializes in the analysis of higher education.
Interests:
Mentoring and Empowering Youth
Michael Weiner, PhD
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of East Asian History & International Studies
Dr. Weiner is Vice President for Academic Affairs, Interim Dean of Faculty, and a Professor of East Asian History and International Studies.
Interests:
Race, Ethnicity and Migration in Modern and Imperial Japan, Japan’s Minorities
Skip to main content
Press and Media Center
Welcome to Soka University of America
About
Visit
Community Relations
Our staff is available to help you set up interviews or find answers to your questions as quickly as possible.
Expert Center
Our experts are available to respond to qualified inquiries from journalists, conference organizers, and more.
On a deadline?
If you are a journalist, please inform us of deadline requests and we will respond promptly.
Shane Barter, PhD
Professor of Comparative Politics
Learning Clusters Coordinator
Dr. Barter focuses on Southeast Asian politics, civilians in war, as well as autonomous areas and conflict resolution.
Interests:
Minorities, Separatism, Indonesia, Conflict Resolution, Southeast Asia, Civil War
George Busenberg, PhD
Associate Professor of Environmental Management and Policy
Dr. Busenberg focuses on environmental policy.
Interests:
Environmental Policy, Environmental Management
Edward M. Feasel, PhD
President
Chief Academic Officer
Professor of Economics
Dr. Feasel is president of Soka University of America.
Interests:
Foreign Aid, Economic Growth, Economic Outcomes and Societal Values
Michael D. Golden, DMA
Professor of Music Composition and Theory
Dr. Golden’s teaching and creative interests include composition and jazz improvisation, music and ecology, and music and peace building.
Interests:
Music and Ecology, World Music, Composition (including computer music)
John M. Heffron, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Educational History and Culture
Dr. Heffron is a development scholar whose focus is the cultural and intellectual history of education nationally and transnationally.
Interests:
US Relations in Asia and the Pacific, Development History, Educational History
Dr. Mazeroll focuses on the behavioral ecology of fishes.
Interests:
Ecology of Amazonian Fishes, Population Genetics, Fish Ecology
Bryan E. Penprase, PhD
Vice President for Sponsored Research and External Academic Relations
Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Dr. Penprase is Dean of Faculty and a Professor of Science.
Interests:
Quasar Absorption, Line Spectroscopy, Archaeoastronomy
Seiji Takaku, PhD
Professor of Psychology
Dr. Takaku’s research interests focus on cross-cultural examinations of people’s apology- (and excuse-) giving behavior
Interests:
Cross-Cultural Research on Apology and Forgiveness, Social Psychology
Gail E. Thomas, PhD
Professor Emerita of Sociology
Dr. Thomas is an Emerita Professor of Sociology who specializes in the analysis of higher education.
Interests:
Mentoring and Empowering Youth
Michael Weiner, PhD
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor of East Asian History & International Studies
Dr. Weiner is Vice President for Academic Affairs, Interim Dean of Faculty, and a Professor of East Asian History and International Studies.
Interests:
Race, Ethnicity and Migration in Modern and Imperial Japan, Japan’s Minorities