University of Astoria Faculty

Athletics Department

Bernard Atterly Wrestling & Rugby Coach Coach Atterly is not the kind of coach who screams, rants and raves. He does have a powerful voice, though, and has no problem being heard across the rugby field or mat. He's a fairly young man himself, but makes a point of quickly establishing his authority, and never trying to be someone's friend rather than coach. Common Locations: University of Astoria (Athletics Center, Athletics Fields)

Vanya Simonson Cross Country Coach, Art Teacher Though Coach Simonson also teaches sculpture, she is primarily the cross country coach. She's got a somewhat bohemian outlook on life, enjoying all of her classes. She is also quite fond of the Forestry Zone, the patch of woods near the university with many trails that she coaches cross-country on. Common Locations: University of Astoria (Athletics Center, Forestry Zone), Kaffe

Mathematics Department

Shemar Davis GSA Associate Sponsor, Professor of Mathematics Professor Davis is known as one of U of A's most demanding. His classes have a reputation as some of the hardest, and he expects either excellence or failure. Fortunately, he chooses TA's who are especially capable at supporting struggling students. When his son came out as transgender in his early teens and began transitioning, Shemar became a staunch supporter of gay rights, but his personal research and consulting schedule keep him from participating in the GSA regularly. Formerly a professor at Columbia University, he and his wife Felicity moved to Astoria, at his insistence, from New York when the U of A launched, but his two children remain in private school in the city. They have struggled to adjust to the move, and Felicity's frequent trips to the East Coast have led to rumors that their marriage is strained. Also an ardent jazz musician, Shemar performs both locally and in Portland as his schedule permits.

Science Department

Heidi Popoff Professor of Physics, "The Bandit" (UofA newspaper) Faculty Co-Sponsor Professor Popoff believes in a more practical, hands on learning process and her courses have a major emphasis on group projects and lab assignments. Classes are used for questions and answers and troubleshooting of projects, but a great deal of her coursework requires lab time and a greater deal of homework than other courses. She is prone to unusual whimsy and is very fond of building her own rockets and fireworks, of which both pursuits are highlighted course projects each term in her entry level physics classes. Her excitable nature and uncontrolled gleeful regards to combustibles has earned her the nickname of the "Mad Scientist" from students. She is also a self admitted crazy cat lady and book hoarder. She is married to a dwarf named Kenny who works as an orderly at the Columbia Memorial Hospital.