Meet Matt Lamb, ACC’s new Government faculty member!

What inspired you to apply to teach at Austin Community College?

I wanted to work somewhere that has a strong commitment to teaching. Teaching government, I believe, is something where you can have an impact on all students regardless of their major or profession. The diversity of the student body also attracted me to ACC. Getting to work with students from myriad backgrounds is one of the greatest things about being a college instructor.

What are you currently teaching?

GOVT 2305: Intro to American Government

Tell us about your educational background.

I have a BA in Government and History, as well as an MEd in Higher Education Administration from UT Austin. I have a MA and PhD in Political Science from Rice University.

How do you keep up to date in your field?

At the moment, Twitter has proven to be one of the easiest ways to stay informed of both current events and research in the field. I really hope that changes soon.

What book would you recommend that everyone read?

Hard to narrow it down to one. If you’ve already read “Bless Me, Ultima”, by Rudolfo Anaya, I’d recommend another Anaya work, “Albuquerque”. He’s a good introduction to Chicano fiction. Other than that, probably anything by Kurt Vonnegut. He is always purposefully irreverent, but his writing style is deceptively simple. “Slaughterhouse-Five” is what he’s most known for, but I prefer “Mother Night” or “Sirens of Titan.”

How do you create a classroom culture that intentionally welcomes and supports students from different racial/ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds?

I try to make my class a place where students can feel free to express themselves. I always encourage students to speak up, whether verbally in class or in their written work. Sometimes students are afraid of saying something wrong, or something that is controversial. To which I always respond that differences of opinion and exposure to different points of view are a part of government and politics. It’s exactly the sort of thing we should be doing in class.

Welcome Matt to ACC!

Post a comment below or email Matt Lamb at gary.lamb@austincc.edu.