Chas Firestone East
Chas Firestone East is an interdisciplinary scholar and teacher who writes on the intersection of philosophy and poetry in the Middle Ages. His doctoral dissertation examines Dante’s philosophy of identity by utilizing the author’s strong foundations in hylomorphic thought to confront several puzzles about the maintenance of identity from the beginning to end of human life (and beyond). East has held multiple fellowships with the Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning, including as a Teaching Consultant and a Senior Teaching Observation Fellow, and with the Office of Academic Affairs as an Academic Administration Fellow. Dedicated to bringing the canon to life in new ways in the classroom through inclusive teaching and active learning, his favorite teaching experience at Columbia has been as a TA and discussion section leader for Dante’s Divina Commedia.