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Kurt Olson

Pronouns: Him/His
Title: Professor - Sociology
Department: Business, Behavioral & Social Science
Office: CAT 107
Unit: MJC

Biography

Professor Olson holds a BA in Sociology from UC Davis, an MEd with an emphasis in cross-cultural teaching, a California teaching credential in social science, and an MSc in Sociology and Globalization from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland, UK). Professor Olson is also the founder of the award-winning master's swim club, which serves the Modesto community and is hosted on campus at the Dave Ashleigh Aquatic Complex.
Professor Olson was a high school and college All-American swimmer and water polo player at Davis Senior High (yolo county), Modesto Junior College, and UC Davis. He was raised in Davis, California, and was the head coach for the DHS boys swim team. His father was a professor of Social Science, and his mother worked as a Human Resources director for Newport Beach and Woodland, CA. His sister Valerie is a full-time professor of Medical Anthropology at UC Irvine. His other sister, Hillary, brokers loans for 501(c)(3) organizations and women-run businesses. 


Information

Professor Olson is full-time in the Business and Behavioral Sciences, teaching online and large lecture face to face classes in Sociology- Professors Olson's area of specialization is in deprivation and food/health behavior with particular interests in values, tastes and dispositions. Much of the theoretical underpinnings of sociology lend themselves to the exploration of schemata development in the health sciences and it is in this area that Professor Olson pursues research to help disadvantaged populations overcome challenging determinants of health and well-being. Time restraints, access to and knowledge of health services and practices should not be relegated by education level or socio-economic status (SES).

Professor Olson is also involved with applied and theoretical advancement of "gamification" as a pedagogical tool. In particular, measuring the role and/or effectiveness of varying modalities of play as a method for synthesizing class content and curricular goals. 

Professor Olson has also authored and released a bullying prevention video game (Yozgoo) with Clemson University. This game has been released nationally through the safe and humane schools program. 

Professor Olson has written course curriculum and is teaching Soc 400 (medical sociology) for the new Respiratory Care Therapy baccalaureate program in the Allied Health division at MJC.


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