Joseph P. Bassi
Adjunct Lecturer, Master of Defense and Strategic Studies
Dr. Joseph P. Bassi (Lt. Colonel, USAF Retired) is an (online) adjunct lecturer at the National Security Studies Institute at UTEP and has taught in the Master of Defense and Strategic Studies Program since Fall 2015. He retired as an assistant professor of arts and sciences at Embry Riddle Aeronautical Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é/Worldwide programs in 2017.
Dr. Bassi has a Ph.D. in History of Science at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Santa Barbara; he also has graduate degrees in Meteorology from Penn State, Astrophysics from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Colorado, and History from the George Washington Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. While doing his Ph.D., Dr Bassi was a Guggenheim pre-doctoral fellow in Space History at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. He specialized in the history of modern US space and atmospheric sciences.
A retired US Air Force officer with twenty-six years of active duty, he had many space-related assignments at various points in his military career. After retirement from active service, Professor Bassi served as a space policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense while working for the Aerospace Corporation.
The courses he teaches:
Intro to US National Security (DSS 5300) and Future of War (DSS 5320)
Where his passion comes from:
I had a 26-year career in the US Air Force, and have a long interest in national security issues. It is one of my “things!”
His proudest accomplishment as an online instructor:
I think I have developed a good style for reaching out to students to make online less “distant” and robotic, and therefore to make online a more personal experience.
On what makes a successful online student:
Two things—hard work and interest in the subject. This is especially true for graduate students.
One piece of advice he has for his students:
Simply, read all the class instructions and instructor communications, ie syllabus, class announcements, etc. I am amazed how often I get students asking me questions that are answered in the guidance or that I have posted on.