Marilyn Dudley-Flores PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Dr Dudley-Rowley has taught, among other classes, globalisation and social change at Sonoma State University and sociological methodology at Erskine College. She retains a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of South Carolina. Among over 20 publications, she is co-author of the article “The culture of elitism in the American intelligence community and the transnationalization of jihad” that appeared in the textbook Culture Clash/Media Demons (Chelsea House, 2004). [Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Studies, Sociology]

Thomas Gangale ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Mr Gangale holds a Masters degree in international relations from San Francisco State University and a Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California. He is the author of two books published by Praeger, a leading U.S. publisher: one regarding the international law of outer space and the other suggesting reform of presidential nominations in the U.S. His proposals regarding presidential nomination were anthologised in Points of View: Readings in American Government and Politics. His research also includes the history of human space exploration and its impact on popular culture. [Political Studies, Physics, History]

‘Atolomake Helu ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MUSIC AND SPANISH LANGUAGE

Ms Helu is regarded as the most accomplished operatic vocalist in the Kingdom of Tonga, having performed overseas in, among other venues, Sydney and Auckland town halls. She also holds a Bachelor degree from the University at ‘Atenisi Institute and a certificate in Spanish language from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid. [Music Theory, Spanish language]

Mårten Runquist PROFESSOR OF LIFE SCIENCES

Dr Runquist holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Stockholm. He recently completed a two-year position as assistant research fellow at the University of Otago, investigating cell development. He has published over a dozen articles on biochemistry, including articles this past decade in Neuroscience, European Journal of Neuroscience, and Journal of Epithelial Biology and Pharmacology. [Biology, Chemistry, French language]

‘Opeti Taliai PROFESSOR OF PACIFIC STUDIES

[Anthropology, Pacific Studies]

Firitia Velt ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS

Mr Velt holds a Master degree in physics from Leiden University in the Netherlands. Several pamphlets of his regarding regional song, dance, and astronomy have been published in the Pacific. [Mathematics]

VISITING FACULTY

Robert H. Beck VISITING PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS

Mr. Beck holds an M.Ed. in Educational Psychology and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington in Seattle. He taught Economics for ten years at North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He is retired from public service and currently serving 'Atenisi and the Kingdom of Tonga as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer. He is revamping the 'Atenisi Economics curriculum to better correspond with courses at the leading New Zealand and Australia universities, and is developing a critical thinking course that will be required of all incoming 'Atenisi university students. [Economics]

ADJUNCT FACULTY

Lose Miller-Helu LECTURER OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION AND LITERATURE AND TONGAN LANGUAGE

Ms Miller-Helu holds a Bachelor degree in linguistics from Victoria University and a diploma in tertiary teaching from the Wellington Institute of Technology, both in New Zealand. She recently received a seed grant from Creative New Zealand to film the biography of ‘Atenisi's late founder, Dr ‘I. Futa Helu. [Tongan language]

Giulio Masasso Paunga DISTINGUISHED ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS

Dr Paunga is former minister of Tonga's Ministry of Labour, Commerce, and Industries, with key responsibility for championing the Kingdom‘s admission to the World Trade Organisation. He was previously Mambusho Scholar at Daito Bunka University in Japan, where he received a Ph.D. in economics. He is fluent in Japanese, as well as Tongan and English.

CONSULTING FACULTY

Nada Matas-Runquist PROFESSOR OF LIFE SCIENCES AND FRENCH CULTURE

Dr Matas-Runquist holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Oxford University. She is currently on leave as senior lecturer at the Institut Universitaire de Technologie at the University of Avignon in France. A scholar of French culture in addition to life science, she retains a diploma in French language and civilisation from the University of Montpellier in France. [French language]