By Michelle Gibbs, Xin Qin and Ashley Hopkins are among the 34 new faculty members Long Beach State welcomes this fall 2024 academic year.
Despite the differences in their respective departments of theatre arts, journalism and computer science and engineering, they each share an excitement about their future with the university.
As the university’s new assistant professor and co-head of theatre studies, Gibbs said her role as an educator is something she has really loved growing into.
Gibbs’ education in the field includes a bachelor’s degree in theatre performance from Western Michigan University, a master’s degree in drama from the University of Irvine as well as a graduate certificate in performance studies and doctorate in theatre from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Between Gibbs’ master’s and doctorate degree, she pursued a career as an actress for seven years.
“As a black woman, I was not willing to sacrifice to go to Hollywood,” Gibbs said. “I didn’t believe at the time that those spaces were healthy for anyone, let alone for Black women.”
Since that experience, Gibbs said she has utilized her skills to do good in the world. She believes theatre, through its study, practice, performance and ways that it evokes emotions and connects people, is the opportunity to do just that.
“It’s really important to me to create community-based ways to engage with students that help them bring their best selves to any space,” Gibbs said. “Not just rehearsal, even outside of the walls of the institution.”
This fall semester, Gibbs is teaching the courses Theatre History 1 and Theatre Protest and Social Change. Gibbs said she is impressed with the way the students have demonstrated kindness to make her feel welcome and that her colleagues’ love for the field of theatre is infectious to her.
“I’ve always wanted to be the professor I never had when I was in undergrad,” Gibbs said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do that and really help shape and inspire what healthy relationships look like.”
Qin’s experience in the field goes back to her hometown of Shanghai, China, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in computer science at Shanghai Tech University. From there, she spent her last year of undergrad at Berkeley’s Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) Lab and completed her doctorate in computer science at the University of Southern California.
Despite just starting in August, 27-year-old Xin Qin has already made history on campus as the youngest assistant professor in the Computer Science department. Photo credit: Julia Goldman
Now as an assistant professor, Qin is teaching Search Engine Technology and Concepts of Computer Science Theory. She is also conducting research on safety for Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) and will be conducting surveys for the department soon.
“Currently, I am observing the AI and determining if it is safe or not, monitoring it,” Qin said about her research. “After all this monitoring, we want to work on how to help the system improve. We call it CPS with learning enabled components.”
She first wishes to ensure students’ success by helping them pursue what they want. For her own ambitions, Qin said she wants to do great research with the goal to self-evolve CPS so the system can improve by itself.
“I think everyone can be a cutting edge leader in their field right now, so we should keep that in mind,” Qin said. “Please join in doing research with me. I am open to interdisciplinary collaborations and anyone who wants to combine their insights with multiplayer gaming to computer science.”
If you are interested in working in research with Xin Qin, you can email her at xin.qin@csulb.edu.
Now arriving from Augusta University in Georgia, Hopkins enters the Long Beach community with familiarity, excitement and what they say is a permanent smile on their face.
Sitting in their new office, CSULB welcomes Ashley Hopkins as an assistant professor for the Department of Journalism. The shelves and walls of Hopkin’s office are lined with numerous figures, posters and memorabilia of Drag Queens, which Hopkin said they are a huge fan of. Photo credit: Julia Goldman.
“I just love it here. I love the vibe, how it’s laid back, I just love everything,” Hopkins said. “Before I moved here, this is where I vacationed because this is where all the good drag was.”
Their education includes a bachelor’s degree in media arts and design from James Madison University, a master’s degree from Northwestern in magazine journalism and a doctorate in philosophy in journalism from Ohio University.
Hopkins is a first generation college student who worked throughout all of their degrees– both within the journalistic field and in the broader workforce. While they were in their doctoral program, Hopkins said they taught classes, did dissertations on data mining and privacy concerns and worked as a fry cook in the kitchen of an Irish pub and bar.
“I lost my mother at that time and she’d be really proud to know I’m here right now because she knew that was the dream,” Hopkins said.
As a professor teaching the courses News Writing and Ethics and Media and Research Methods this semester, Hopkins said they are looking to foster a relationship of openness and support between students.
“I want to help inspire a passion for the news and for reading between the lines, with an emphasis on media literacy,” Hopkins said. “Especially today, when there’s kind of a bastardization of the word ‘news’ and what it means.”
Since arriving at Long Beach, Hopkins said they have seen the Aquarium of the Pacific and that they look forward to exploring different bike trails.
“It’s important to me, as a queer person, that I found my community here. I want to spend the rest of my life here,” they said.
