Douglas Yacek, PhD, ’17
Douglas Yacek (PhD, 2017)
Douglas Yacek is currently a postdoctoral research fellow and lecturer at the Leibniz University Hannover, Germany, where he has a dual appointment in the Leibniz School of Education and Institute for Special Education. Doug graduated from the Philosophy and History of Education doctoral program in the Summer 2017 with a dissertation entitled Transformative Education: A Philosophical Inquiry. During his time at OSU, Doug was named a graduate fellow of the Center for Ethics and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and published several articles on topics ranging from Friedrich Nietzsche to the ethics of arming teachers. In 2018, Doug published his first book (with Mark Jonas) entitled Nietzsche’s Philosopy of Education with Routledge.
Doug is convinced that the PHE doctoral program is responsible for 99% of the success he has had so far in his career and is the best of its kind in the country. Being a philosopher, he is not concerned about the actual empirical validity of this conviction (though of this he also convinced), but has deduced it from the incredible experience he had in the program. Coursework was stimulating and challenging, offering an excellent basis for publications, conference presentations and other projects during doctoral studies. Professors of the program were always ready to support students with these projects — often they would reach out themselves about joining them on a publication or applying for a relevant grant. Their mentorship concerning the dissertation was superb, as they were careful to find the right balance between guiding its conception and allowing students the freedom to develop their own ideas. And the Department of Educational Studies was able to offer multiple opportunities for financially supporting travel to conferences and the dissertation writing process. If you are considering OSU for your doctoral studies, Doug hopes you reach out to him for more insider knowledge of its ins and outs.