Miriam L. Wallace is Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Illinois-Springfield, and Professor of English. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College (BA) and the University of California, Santa Cruz (MA/PhD) in Literature. As a proud liberal arts graduate, she advocates for the value and impact of academic study, art making and performance, public presentations, and study abroad—noting their impact on self-confidence, intellectual curiosity, and personal and professional growth.

Brandon Barclay Derman is Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, in the School of Integrated Science, Sustainability and Public Health, part of the College of Health, Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Springfield. Dr. Derman received his Ph.D. in Geography (with additional specialization in Sociolegal Studies) from the University of Washington. Professor Derman specializes in environmental politics, law, policy and justice, with an emphasis on climate change.

Dr. Richard Gilman-Opalsky’s teaching and research focus on the history of political philosophy, Continental and contemporary social theory, Marxism, capitalism, autonomist politics, postmodern philosophy, critical theory, global social movements, and feminist philosophy.

Dr. Gilman-Opalsky earned his Ph.D. in Political Science at The New School for Social Research (2006). His M.A. (The New School for Social Research) and B.A. (Hofstra University) are in Philosophy.