Malia Piper is an Assistant Director in the Poorvu Center’s Teaching Development and Initiative team. In her role, she supports instructors at all levels in continuing to grow and refine their teaching practices. As a Kanaka ʻŌiwi or Native Hawaiian, Malia is committed to the use of indigenizing methodologies and critical self-reflection, both on the level of individuals and systems. Bringing together her expertise in critical pedagogies and Classical literature, Malia’s educational development and teaching practices center around how we construct, nuance, and hold multiple narratives in tension. She has co-developed a framework of effective and equitable teaching with her colleague, Joshua Abreu and has designed and led several workshops on these topics, including facilitating constructive conversations on challenging topics and decolonizing the classroom. She has been at Yale since 2023.
Malia earned her Ph.D. in Classical Studies at the University of Michigan and her B.A. in Classics at the University of Washington. She worked at UM’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching as a Graduate Student Instructional Consultant. Her teaching experience includes online and in-person classes, including Latin language courses and large Classics lecture courses, including Greek Mythology and the Ancient Roman World.
Outside of Yale, Malia appreciates learning more about Connecticut’s many communities through visiting new towns, farmers markets, and thrift and antique stores. She also enjoys crafting (embroidery, sewing) and spending time outside (beach-combing, walking).