Celebrating Dr. Laura Edles: Congratulations on your retirement!

December 18, 2023

After 23 years of services, Dr. Edles retired in the fall of 2023, leaving behind a legacy of passion, commitment, and excellence. As she transitions into this new chapter of her life, we took the opportunity to ask Dr. Edles a few questions as she reflected on her time at CSUN. Thank you for your service, Dr. Edles! You will be greatly missed. 

What are you going to miss about teaching at CSUN?

Prepping for class– figuring out how to present a particular concept to students, and then having it work!– and students saying things like, “I never realized that before”.  

What are your best memories about your years at CSUN?

Every so often a student will tell you years later about something you said that altered their life course. That’s very special. 

What is your favorite subject to teach and why?

Sociological theory, particularly theoretical logic because for me education revolves around  learning how to think.  Theories are not “right” or “wrong”; they are supported– or not.  The ultimate in theory is being “the best explanation in light of what is known”.  So my hope is that throughout their life, whether students are talking about complex politico-moral issues such as abortion; established theories such as evolution by natural selection; or conspiracy theories such as QAnon, they are able to ask themselves, “How does this explanation compare and contrast to other explanations of the same phenomena?” “Is this the ‘best explanation in light of what is known’?” “What do we ‘know’, and how do we know it?”  Social issues are by definition complex, and I love teaching students how to think open-mindedly, logically and multidimensionally.

What are your plans for retirement?

I have a lot of hobbies. I play in a women’s tennis league and I love ocean swimming, traveling and reading.  But my main new post-retirement gig is helping take care of my new granddaughter.  That’s a real joy.