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Americ Azevedo, Lecturer
International & Area Studies Teaching Program (Peace and Conflict Studies)
College of Engineering (Technology and Leadership Studies)
 
University of California, Berkeley
101 Stephens Hall, MC 2306 
 Berkeley, CA 94720
phone: 510-423-5137
http://americ.berkeley.edu
 americ@berkeley.edu

Overview

Americ Azevedo focuses on building a more human world in this age of technology. He currently lectures for both the College of Engineering, and International and Area Studies Teaching Program, at the University of California, Berkeley. Areas of interest and teaching include: Meditation, Engineering Ethics, Non-violence, , Comparative Religion, Technology and Culture, Physics and Mysticism, Business and Wisdom, Leadership, Socratic Teaching, Re-engineering Education, Virtual Community Development. Leads one week meditation mini-retreats at Graduate Theological Union; and, summer meditation program at Berkeley City College. 

Azevedo’s teaching career began by creating and teaching a course on “Mysticism and Science” in the Philosophy Department at San Francisco State University, with the inspiration and encouragement of Dr. Jacob Needleman. He has presented talks related to the confluence of the “two worlds,” (bringing the broader views from philosophy, religion, culture and society, into the fields of science, business, and technology) to diverse groups, in, and out of, academia. He taught philosophy and religion at San Francisco State University and Dominican University of California; information systems, leadership, management and finance at Saint Mary’s College of California, Golden Gate University, University of San Francisco, and John F. Kennedy University.  He started teaching at the University of California, Berkeley in 2000.

His consulting career spans duties as acting CEO during technology company reorganizations, development of e-learning systems for universities and companies, database management, website development, and contractor management services. He is architect and co-founder of the CyberCampus at Golden Gate University (now serving over 2000 students and 90 faculty per semester).  He was Director of the Innovation Center at Golden Gate University and Senior Consultant with Collegis, an academic technology management company. He is the developer of several virtual communities, and held the first podcast class at UC Berkeley, in Fall 2005.

Americ Azevedo holds a M.A. in Philosophy from San Francisco State University, and a B.A. in Philosophy from University of California, Irvine.

Courses

Courses at University of California, Berkeley:
  • Case Studies in Engineering Ethics. Engin 130AC.  Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010.
  • Theory and Practice of Meditation. PACS 94, Fall 2007 to Spring 2010. (every semester)
  • Introduction to Nonviolence. PACS 164A, Fall 2008, Summer 2009, Fall 2009
  • Nonviolence Today. PACS 164B. Spring 2009, Spring 2010.
  • Religion, Peace and Conflict. (Formerly Peace on Earth, Golden Rules, and the World's Religions, PACS 84, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008
  • Time, Money, and Love in the Age of Technology, Engineering 24, Sec. 1 -- Fall 2005 to Fall 2008 (every semester)
  • Introduction to Computers Engineering 110 (formally IDS 110 until Spring 2007) -- Fall 2000 to Fall 2008 (every semester)
  • Introduction to Networked Applications and Computing Information Systems 106 (IS C106) / Engineering 111 (E C111) David Messerschmitt & Americ Azevedo -- Fall 2001 & Spring 2002
    • Courses at other universities (a partial list):
  • Meditation (mini-retreats). Graduate Theological Union (Pacific School of Religion)
  • Meditation: Theory and Practice. Berkeley City College 
  • Spirituality and Leadership, Saint Mary's College
  • Eastern Philosophy and Religion, Dominican University of California
  • Introduction to Philosophy, Indian Valley Colleges & Chabot College
  • Mysticism and Science, San Francisco State University

  • Management Information Systems, Golden Gate University
  • Knowledge Management, Golden Gate University
  • Database Management Systems, Golden Gate University
  • Internet Start up Finance, Golden Gate University
  • Introduction to Economics, John F. Kennedy University
  • Management of Organizational Change, John F. Kennedy University
    • Courses under development:
  • Leadership, Dialogue, and Actualization
  • Ancient Wisdom & Contemporary Business Leadership
  • Mysticism and Physics

    •

    Talks and Workshops

  • Nonviolence, Environmental Protection and Personal Transformation. Berkeley Summer Institute for the Global Generation, August 11, 2009.
  • Being Wired, Being Human, keynote speech, Binary Being: Staying Human in the Computer Age, July 26-29, 2007.
  • Monthly Community Dialogues, Including: Cultivating Stillness in a Crazy World, Dialogue for Healthy Communities, Techno-stress and the Laws of Change, Realizing True Wealth, Elephant Pharmacy, Berkeley, CA. 2006-2008.
  • Humble Greatness, Philosophers Forum, Berkeley, April 9, 2005.
  • Spirituality in the Workplace, Diocese of Sacramento, April 25, 2004.
  • Realizing True Wealth, ProSearch, Oakland, CA. December 11, 2003.
  • Here, There & Now: The Extended Learning Community, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Washington D.C., November 5, 2002.
  • Increasing Return on Investments in Education, Training and Teamwork with Online Socratic Dialogue, Bay Area ITEC, August 29-30, 2001, Oakland Convention Center.
  • Improving Education with Online Socratic Dialogue, Return on Investment: can your community pay the bills? -- A public online think tank - July 19 through 27, 2001.
  • Dynamic Integration of Large Live Classroom Lectures, Streaming Media, and Text based Student Feedback, University of California, Berkeley, California, March 7, 2001.  For the Berkeley Multimedia Research Center.
  • Computer's Don't Teach and Learn -- People Do!, The Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, February 23, 2001.
  • Socratic Online Method, PACE (Professional Association of Computer Educators), San Francisco, California, November 9, 2000.
  • The Art of War in Cyberspace,  Asian Business Association, June 21, 2000.
  • Virtual Learning Community Creation, Young Presidents' Organization, Irving, Texas. November 4, 1999.
  • The Knowledge Transfer Network,  Independent Colleges of Northern California, San Francisco. October 1999.
  • Delivery of Classes Through Web Enhanced Modalities (assisted by Dr. Tom O'Neil, Academic Vice President, Golden Gate University) for Third Annual Learning on the Internet Conference, Santa Rosa Junior College, April 9, 1999.
  • Virtual Communities & Distance Learning, for KaosPilot University. April 9, 1998.
  • Working With Faculty To Develop Internet-Based Curricula; and, The Use of GroupWare To Enable Faculty and Students To Interact Time and Location Independent, for the Regional Trustee Workshops on Technology Issues, Raritan Valley Community College (April 10, 1997) and Camden County College (April17, 1997).
  • Socrates Knowledge Transfer System, Learning in the 21st Century conference at City College of San Francisco Office of Contract Education and Workplace Learning and Resource Center. April 16th, 1997.
  • Internet Based Courseware, Distance Learning Symposium: Learning Without Limits at Camden Country College, Blackwood, New Jersey. April 5th, 1997.
  • The REAL Virtual University at Golden Gate University, CAUSE Conference, San Francisco, Dec. 4th and 5th, 1996.
  • Is the Internet Good for Society and Organizations?  Presentation organized by Azevedo and his students with industry leaders and the President of Golden Gate University. 1995.
  • Existentialism, Zen, and the Earth, New American Place, San Francisco, March 5, 1989.
  • Leadership as a Philosopher-Executive, American Philosophical Association, March 24, 1989 in Berkeley, California.
  • "Philosophers Forums" founded and conducted by Azevedo. Socratic dialogues on great ideas such as human existence, being and time, what is knowledge, free will and destiny. 1980-1994
  • Other venues include: Stanford University, World Public Forum, Institute for Applied Psychology, Cultural Integration Institute, Whole Life Expo, Theosophical Society, and Spirit of America Rock Concert. (Groups varied in size from 5 to 50,000 people.)

    • Publications

    Books
    Articles
  • "Reflections on Dynamic e-Learning Environments". with Elena Paparizou, Department of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley and Jean-Pierre Protzen, Department of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley. Presented at International Conference on Teaching and Learning with Technology in Art Design and Communication. University of the Arts, London. September 14-16, 2005
  • "Realizing True Wealth". in What is True Wealth: How Do We Create It.  Edited by Verna Allee & Dinesh Chandra. Indigo Press, New Delhi. 2004
  • "Buddha Drinks Tequila; Jesus Smokes Cigars?!" 2003 [audio]
  • "Being Wired Can Be Very Human". CyberCampus News. Summer 1997
  • "Techno-Stress & The Good Life". Connections. Spring 1995
  • "Business and the Good Life". Michael Scott Studios Digital Media Productions, Pleasanton CA. 1994, 2004 [audio]
  • Computers Don't Teach -- People Teach: The Socrates Online Method. 1998 [web]
  • "Living the Truth". Footsteps. October 1992

  • "The Importance of Philosophy to Business".  Bay Area Business Magazine. 1985
    • Columns (Newspaper, Radio, Blog)
  • "Philosopher-at-Large". Blog. 2006 to present
  • "Ruminations". The Berkeley Post. 1986-1987
  • "Philosopher's Notebook". Lifestyle Magazine. 1982-1983
  • "Pelican Papers". Earthstar Radio on KEST and KFAX, San Francisco. A weekly audio opinion column. 1981-1982
  • "Backwash". The Newporter News. 1970

    • Media Coverage

  • "Time, money, and love in the age of technology: New freshman seminar plumbs the philosophical depths of digital living." Engineering News, College of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley. Feb. 20, 2006. Vol. 77, no. 6S
  • "Pod Class". NBC-11 Bay Area televison. Aired on 11:30 p.m. news show on February 17, 2006, during Winter Olympics. Includes scenes and interviews of Azevedo and students. Focused on the use of podcasting as a technological help for study at UC Berkeley.
  • The iPod Took My Seat: As college professors post lectures online, they're seeing a rise in absenteeism. A low-tech response to no-shows: more surprise quizzes. Los Angeles Times, January 17, 2006, front page.
  • Podcasts Put Lecture in the Palm of Students’ Hands. The Daily Californian, Sept. 29, 2005
  • Online lecture a virtual hit at UC-Berkeley, East Bay Business Times, Sept. 9, 2002.
  • Virtual Socrates, Berkeleyan, May 1, 2002.
  • Building a Conversation with 500 Students, Syllabus Case Study,  July 2001, page 10.
  • "Cyberteacher: Adventures in Learning".  Connections (Spring 1996).
  • Business and Philosophy. KCBS radio with author and philosopher, Dr. Jacob Needleman.

    • Fellowships and Awards

  • Freshman & Sophomore Seminars - Blue Award 2009.  University of California, Berkeley.
  • 2005-2006 Mellon Innovation Funds for development of a "Portable Audio Studio"
  • Mellon Faculty Institute on Undergraduate Research Fellow, 2004
  • Distinguished Teaching Award, 1997, Golden Gate University.
  • Golden Apple Award, 1995, for teaching, Golden Gate University.
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