Welcome CCS Marine Science Faculty Max Czapanskiy, CCS Biology Faculty Cristine Donham, and 2024-25 CCS Art Fellow Lyra Purugganan

October 22, 2024
L to R: CCS Marine Science Faculty Max Czapanskiy (top), CCS Biology Faculty Cristine Donham (bottom), CCS Art Fellow Lyra Purugganan
L to R: CCS Marine Science Faculty Max Czapanskiy (top), CCS Biology Faculty Cristine Donham (bottom), CCS Art Fellow Lyra Purugganan

The College of Creative Studies (CCS) is excited to welcome Cristine Donham and Max Czapanskiy as new faculty members, along with Lyra Purugganan as the Art Fellow for the 2024-25 academic year.

Max Czapanskiy joins the CCS Marine Science major and the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management. His research combines software engineering with ecology to advance open and reproducible science, focusing on bio-logging data and ecoinformatics to explore animal physiology and behavior. Max’s work, particularly on marine species like baleen whales, aims to understand how animals interact with their environments. He earned his Ph.D. in biology from Stanford University, with previous degrees in Geographic Information Systems and computer science. His research has been featured in prestigious journals such as Nature Communications and The Journal of Experimental Biology.

Cristine (Cristie) Donham joins the CCS Biology major and the UCSB Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB). Cristie specializes in biology education research. She is passionate about helping all students thrive in college, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. Her research focuses on how sense of belonging in the classroom contributes to student persistence and academic success as well as quantifying cognitive engagement and linking it to student learning outcomes. Cristie earned her undergraduate degree in microbiology from CSU Long beach and her masters and PhD in Quantitative and Systems Biology focusing on immunologic development from UC Merced. She also co-founded the RadioBio podcast, which aims to promote scientific literacy by making complex biological concepts accessible and engaging for a general audience, aiming to bridge the gap between scientists and the public.

Lyra Purugganan joins CCS as the 2024-25 CCS Art Fellow. An interdisciplinary artist based in Santa Barbara, Lyra explores themes of selfhood and intersecting identities through sculpture, installation, and craft. Their work, shaped by their upbringing between the Philippines and the United States, challenges traditional material boundaries by exploring the uncategorizable complexities within familiar forms. This approach reflects the fluidity of diasporic identity and the ongoing process of self-determination. Lyra holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking from Ohio State University and a Master of Fine Arts from UC Santa Barbara.

The College welcomes Cristine Donham, Max Czapanskiy, and Lyra Purugganan to the CCS community!