Rate My Professor David Barsky

David J. Barsky serves as Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Mathematics at California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM), a position reflecting his long-standing contributions since joining the faculty in 1995. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Delaware and a Doctor of Philosophy from Rutgers University. Barsky's academic research centers on percolation theory within probability and statistical mechanics. His seminal works include 'Sharpness of the Phase Transition in Percolation Models' co-authored with Michael Aizenman, published in Communications in Mathematical Physics in 1987; 'Percolation in Half-Spaces: Equality of Critical Densities and Continuity of the Percolation Probability' with Geoffrey R. Grimmett in Probability Theory and Related Fields in 1991; and 'Critical Exponents for the Contact Process under the Triangle Condition' in the Journal of Statistical Physics in 2003. These publications have significantly influenced percolation theory, earning citations in authoritative texts such as Geoffrey Grimmett's Percolation and demonstrating his impact on the field.

Barsky has profoundly shaped mathematics education at CSUSM through innovative teaching and program development. He pioneered the university's first complete STEM calculus sequence, designed MATH 101 and MATH 102 as cornerstone courses for diverse student populations, and established the Mathematical Acceleration Program (MAPS), which has supported the success of thousands of students. Additionally, he mentored multiple master's theses, including work on inhomogeneous bond percolation. In administrative capacities, Barsky held roles such as Associate Vice President for Academic Programs, Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Vice President for Research, Director of the Early Start mathematics program, Pre-Baccalaureate Mathematics Coordinator, and Program Director. His service extended to key committees including the Academic Senate, Quantitative Reasoning Task Force, General Education Committee, Budget and Long Range Planning Committee, and New Program Evaluation and Assessment Committee. As a founding member of the CSUSM Sigma Xi chapter, he further advanced scientific discourse. Barsky's exemplary service garnered the President's Outstanding Faculty Award for Service Leadership and the Ernest and Leslie Zomalt Outstanding Service Award, underscoring his multifaceted legacy in teaching, research, scholarship, and leadership at CSUSM.