"Spider Silk on Twig" Copyright © 2014 John S. Farnsworth
biographical sketch
John S. Farnsworth
jfarnsworth@scu.edu
Current and Past Positions
Education and thesis titles
Ph.D University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland 2015
Coves of Departure: Field Notes from the Sea of Cortez
MLA Stanford University, Stanford, California 2007
What does the Desert Say? A Rhetorical Analysis of Desert Solitaire
MFA Antioch University, Los Angeles, California 1999
Footnotes: An Annotated Romance
BA College of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico 1975
Fellowships
Recent Awards
Recent Refereed Publications
Farnsworth, J.S. “The Condor Question Revisited.” Minding Nature, Journal of the Center for Humans and Nature. Vol.8 No. 2 (May, 2015)
Farnsworth, J.S., and L. Baldwin, and M. Bezanson. 2014. “An Invitation for Engagement: Assigning and Assessing Field Notes to Promote Deeper Levels of Observation.” Journal of Natural History Education and Experience 8: 12-20.
Farnsworth, J.S., and C.D. Beatty. 2012. “The journal’s the thing: teaching natural history and nature writing in Baja California Sur.” Journal of Natural History Education and Experience 6: 16-24.
Farnsworth, J. S. “What Does the Desert Say?: A Rhetorical Analysis of Desert Solitaire.” Interdisciplinary Literary Studies: A Journal of Criticism and Theory. Fall 2010: Volume 12 Number 1.
Farnsworth, J. S. “When University Presidents Become Tree Huggers: A Report from the Field.” (Book Chapter) Climate Neutral Campus Report, Second Edition. Kyoto Publishing/American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. 2010
Relevant Professional Activities
Recent Invited Presentations
“A New Approach to Sustainability Across the Curriculum” presented to both the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference and the annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2015
“Is the California Condor Worth Saving?” (Colloquium) Masters in Environmental Science Program, San Jose State University, 2014
“The Lone Ranger: Integrating the Environmental Humanities into a Science-based Department.” Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences Conference, 2012
“When Santa Clara Dogs Go Bad: An Ecocritical Look at Jack London’s Most Feral Protagonist.” National Endowment for the Arts “Big Read,” Co-sponsored by the Santa Clara City Library Foundation, the de Saisset Museum, and the California Legacy Project. 2011
jfarnsworth@scu.edu
Current and Past Positions
- Senior Lecturer in Environmental Studies & Sciences, Santa Clara University, 2012–Present
- Lecturer in Environmental Writing and Literature, SCU, 2007-2012
- Adjunct Lecturer in English and Environmental Studies, SCU, 2005-2007
- Writing Instructor, Cañada College, Division of Humanities, 2004-2005
Education and thesis titles
Ph.D University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland 2015
Coves of Departure: Field Notes from the Sea of Cortez
MLA Stanford University, Stanford, California 2007
What does the Desert Say? A Rhetorical Analysis of Desert Solitaire
MFA Antioch University, Los Angeles, California 1999
Footnotes: An Annotated Romance
BA College of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico 1975
Fellowships
- Faculty Fellow: Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2009-2012 (one of two inaugural fellows).
- Research Fellow: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, SCU, 2004-2006
- Art of the Wild Fellow: Squaw Valley Community of Writers & the Creative Writing Program of the University of California at Davis, 1998 & 1999 (two one-year fellowships).
Recent Awards
- Advanced Teaching and Technology Grant (SCU internal grant) $1,500, 2015
- 2105 Santander Foundation Doctoral Research Grant, £2,000, 2014
- Roelandts Grant for SCU Gone Wild (Co-PI) $9,325, 2014
- Sustainability Research Initiative grant for SCU Gone Wild (SCU internal grant) $7,200, 2014
Recent Refereed Publications
Farnsworth, J.S. “The Condor Question Revisited.” Minding Nature, Journal of the Center for Humans and Nature. Vol.8 No. 2 (May, 2015)
Farnsworth, J.S., and L. Baldwin, and M. Bezanson. 2014. “An Invitation for Engagement: Assigning and Assessing Field Notes to Promote Deeper Levels of Observation.” Journal of Natural History Education and Experience 8: 12-20.
Farnsworth, J.S., and C.D. Beatty. 2012. “The journal’s the thing: teaching natural history and nature writing in Baja California Sur.” Journal of Natural History Education and Experience 6: 16-24.
Farnsworth, J. S. “What Does the Desert Say?: A Rhetorical Analysis of Desert Solitaire.” Interdisciplinary Literary Studies: A Journal of Criticism and Theory. Fall 2010: Volume 12 Number 1.
Farnsworth, J. S. “When University Presidents Become Tree Huggers: A Report from the Field.” (Book Chapter) Climate Neutral Campus Report, Second Edition. Kyoto Publishing/American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. 2010
Relevant Professional Activities
- Board of Editors, Journal of Natural History Education and Experience, 2015-present
- Provost’s Faculty Associate for Curriculum Development and Transformation, 2013-present
- Chair, Senior Lecturer Promotion Committee, SCU College of Arts and Sciences, 2013-present
- Co-Director, Santa Clara Gone Wild, 2013-present
- Director, Penstemon Project for Sustainability Across the Curriculum, 2007-present
- Faculty Director in Residence, CyPhi Residential Learning Community, 2006-present
- Project Scholar, California Legacy Project, 2009-2013
- Member, SCU Lecturers’ Caucus, 2009-2012 (Chair in 2011-2012)
- Member, Academic Guidance Advisory Group, American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, 2007-2009
- Member and Lead Writer, Curriculum Working Group, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2006-2009
Recent Invited Presentations
“A New Approach to Sustainability Across the Curriculum” presented to both the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference and the annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2015
“Is the California Condor Worth Saving?” (Colloquium) Masters in Environmental Science Program, San Jose State University, 2014
“The Lone Ranger: Integrating the Environmental Humanities into a Science-based Department.” Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences Conference, 2012
“When Santa Clara Dogs Go Bad: An Ecocritical Look at Jack London’s Most Feral Protagonist.” National Endowment for the Arts “Big Read,” Co-sponsored by the Santa Clara City Library Foundation, the de Saisset Museum, and the California Legacy Project. 2011
