ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú

Robert T. Whipple, MA², Ed.D. NCSP

Academic and NCRP Background

Since 1995, I have served as a lecturer at ÌÇÐÄlogoÈë¿Ú (CSUDH), anchoring a multifaceted career rooted in conflict resolution, education, and public service. My academic work is deeply informed by over 30 years of practical experience, spanning teacher union collective bargaining, robust dispute resolution casework, military service, and my ongoing practice as a school psychologist and special education consultant in rural Alaska. My current courses include Research Methods and Interpretation (NCR507), Labor Conflict (NCR533), and Capstone (NCR591).

My background is rooted in military service. I served in the US Army as a Food Inspector (1986–1990) and in the California National Guard as a Combat Engineer (1990–1998). During this time, I was stationed in Iwakuni, Japan, and deployed to both the Los Angeles Riots (1992) and a Bangladesh Peacebuilding mission (1993).

My academic journey into dispute resolution began uniquely: I discovered the Behavioral Science Program in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution while attending a series of Grateful Dead concerts at CSUDH in 1990. I went on to earn two Master of Arts degrees from the university—one in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (1994) and another in Computer-Managed Instruction (2000). I later earned a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California (2004), followed by post-graduate work at Eastern Washington University, which led to my credential as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (2013).

In my dispute resolution casework, I have completed over 3,000 online business-to-consumer mediations for SquareTrade (2003–2007). I have also dedicated significant time to community, volunteer, and professional leadership roles within the field, serving as:

• Mediator, Humboldt Mediation Services, CA (1991–1993)
• Mediator, Los Angeles City Attorney's Office Dispute Resolution Service, CA (1993–2005)
• Negotiation Team & Board Member, Compton Education Association, CA (1994–2005)
• Mediator, Board Member, & Board President, Peninsula Dispute Resolution Center, WA (2005–2011)
• Elected Member, Hooper Bay City Council & Vice Mayor, AK (2017–2022)
• Negotiation Team and Board Member, Lower Yukon Education Association, AK (2012–2026)

My teaching philosophy is grounded in andragogy, learner autonomy, and applied behavioral science. I design flexible, choice-based coursework that allows graduate students to tailor their learning paths, selecting from an applied menu of skill builders—such as artificial intelligence labs, mixed-method research, role plays, and human subjects training—to match their specific professional goals. My research and personal interests reflect this same spirit of continuous learning and curiosity. They span conflict analysis, labor relations, and online dispute resolution (ODR), as well as utilizing generative AI to develop visionary curricula. Outside of my professional roles, I am an active participant in massive open online courses (MOOCs) and enjoy exploring improv role-plays, world music pedagogy, and ethnomycology.