Curtiss Takada Rooks

Dr. Rooks earned his B.A. in 1979 with a double major in Economics and Asian Studies (honors) from Dartmouth College. He received his M.A. in Public Policy from Trinity College in 1982 and his Ph.D. in Comparative Culture from the University of California, Irvine. In 1996, he was a University of California Regents Fellow. Prior to his appointment at LMU, Dr. Rooks was a tenured assistant professor in Asian American Studies at San Jose State University. His research interests include applied community-based research focusing on cultural competency in community health and ethnic community development. Current projects include a cultural assessment of Japanese and African American senior care-giving needs and community partnerships in chronic disease needs assessment in the Samoan community. A second research trajectory focuses on Asian American multiracial identity and diversity.