“Academia is a Mess, but There is Still Hope,” with professor Chris Ferguson

True Thirty with Joey Dumont

Chris Ferguson is an American psychologist who serves as a professor and co-chair of psychology at Stetson University in Florida. He previously served as an associate professor of psychology and criminal justice at Texas A&M International University.

Ferguson holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Central Florida. He has clinical experience with juvenile justice populations as well as conducting evaluations from child protective services. In 2013 he was given a Distinguished Early Career Profession Award, and in 2014 he was named a fellow of the American Psychological Association.

In addition to his academic work, he was published a historical mystery novel entitled Suicide Kings, and more importantly, he plays in a Pink Floyd cover band called “Gods of Avalon.” He lives in Orlando with his wife and young son.

I invited the professor on the show to discuss a recent piece he authored for Quillette called “Stuck in the Middle (of Academia), academia is a mess, but there is still hope.” In it, he talks about topics like suppressed speech, sacred dogma, and its effect on education, online mobs, the attack on academic freedom, and what it's like to be a tenured university professor today.

I hope you learn as much as I did from Christopher.

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