Course Credits and References

Dana Kristan (BA, MA) has a BA in sociology and an MA in public policy and education. She is a passionate writer as well as a dedicated and attentive writing instructor with over 20 years of online teaching experience. She also completed related coursework in special education covering the use of needs assessments and systematic instructional designs to match teaching practices and learning objectives with learner needs, a core component of the systematic instructional methodologies that dominate special education practice today. She also monitored the educational programs for adults with severe disabilities in New York City before joining Universal Class in managing, developing, writing, and instructing online classes to better serve students' basic needs. Her passions include writing, journaling, music, cultural studies, and history. 

Dr. Bret Staples (BA, MS, Ph.D.) is a highly motivated, personable scientific professional with multiple college degrees and a successful 34-year track record of scientific research and publications. After completing his Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, he became a research chemist for the US Department of Energy. Dr. Staples has authored professional papers in scientific journals and reviewed other scientists’ publications and has performed scientific research in solution chemistry. Dr. Staples is extraordinarily talented in proofreading and editing journal publications, online course curriculum, as well as a strong knack for quickly mastering technology – using and programming computers since 1964.