Steve Torrente, PhD

contact storr@hey.com

social scientist, project manager, engineer

Research and Communication

The key skills I developed over 15 years of academic work are developing and preseting new ideas to peers in written work and conference presentations, and reliably communicating complex ideas to non-experts. I learned how to replace the personal engagement of face-to-face teaching with highly interactive assignments in asynchronous online classes. I have thorough training in social science research and have subject matter expertise in ethics, state formation and failure and international conflict.

Academic Positions

• Instructor, Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU) 2016-2023
• Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) 2015-2016
• Joseph P. Harris Fellow, University of Kansas (KU) 2014-2015
• Graduate Research Assistant, University of Kansas (KU) 2013-2014
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Kansas (KU) 2011-2013
• Graduate Research Assistant, The New School 2009-2010

Courses Taught

• PSC 3050 Political Theory (MSU)
• PSC 2230 International Relations (MSU)
• PSC 1020 Political Systems and Ideas (MSU)
• PSCI 170 Democracy as a Political Idea (UNK)
• PSCI 373 Ancient Political Thought (UNK)
• PSCI 377 Political Inequality (UNK)
• POLS 301 Introduction to Political Theory (KU)

Publications

• "Beyond Just War: Jan Patočka's Solidarity of the Shaken." Telos No. 181 (Winter 2017)
• "Virtues and Capabilities." (with Harry D. Gould) in The Oxford Handbook of International Political Theory, edited by Chris Brown and Robyn Eckersley. Oxford, 2018.
• "Extraordinary Rendition." Legislating Morality in America: Debating the Morality of Controversial U.S. Laws and Policies, edited by Donald P. Haider-Markel. ABC-CLIO publishing, 2019.

Project & Production Management

Before my academic career, I worked primarily in a number of roles in emerging and dynamic industries. I supervised a shift of e-book production editors when it was an emerging technology, and later worked in prototype and short-run production. In these positions I learned to adapt quickly to technology and market changes while keeping focused on production outputs.

Production Positions

• E-book Production Shift Supervisor, netLibrary (2000-2001). Oversaw 6-8 teams of book production and QC editors converting books to e-books. Responsible for production targets while implementing frequent process changes. Test and evaluate new hires weekly, conduct performance reviews
• Prototype Project Manager, Protogenic Inc. (2005-2008) Manage rapid prototype and short-run production jobs for a wide variety of industries. Responsible for client satisfaction and account development, fast estimates, and timely completion. Navigate the sometimes diverging goals of the business, clients, and production teams so everyone achieves the desired result. Exceeded KPIs and was bonusable every quarter.

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