Deborah Thien,  Professor of Geography completed her Ph.D. at the University of Edinburgh, UK as a recipient of a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship. She received her MA from The University of Northern British Columbia, Canada, and she was also an international exchange scholar at Massey University, New Zealand. In both research and teaching, Dr. Thien explores the intersections of gender, place and culture, with a special interest in feminist and emotional geographies.   Dr. Thien serves as an editor for two academic journals: Emotion, Space & Society and cultural geographies and she has authored numerous publications. 

Since her arrival at CSULB 2006, Dr. Thien has maintained a commitment to student success, as undergraduate advisor, graduate advisor, and supervisor for several theses and directed studies.  She is an advocate of maximizing student educational experience, whether through local activities or studying abroad.