Meet Ken Rogerson

Ken Rogerson, a lecturer in public policy at Sanford School of Public Policy, has been at Duke for 12 years.

What I do at Duke is: I am a faculty member in the Sanford School of Public Policy. I act as the director of the undergraduate studies and teach classes for the Sanford School. I specialize in topics like international communications and internet politics and policy.If someone wanted to start a conversation with me, they should ask me about: Where I work and what I do there. They should ask that because it tells you a little bit about me and the way I'd answer would tell you a little bit about my personality.If I had $5 million, I would: I'd get it all in unmarked 5s and 10s and keep it all stuffed under my mattress to prepare for any ensuing invasions.My first ever job was: I was a dish washer at a steak restaurant in Provo, Utah. The scariest part of the job was when cooks would throw dirty kabob skewers toward me and scream "Heads up!"My dream job is: The last stand, inside viola player in the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.I'm a semi-professional violist, and I was never good enough to actually make it a profession, but I still love performing in a group, not as a soloist. Performing with a classical music orchestral group gives me an adrenaline rush like almost nothing else.The best advice I ever received was: "Don't let what you see other people do change the kind of person you know you can be." I heard that from a Sunday school teacher when I was about 16-years old.What I love about Duke is: I love the people I meet here and their ability to accept me for who I am. Even when they get to know me, they are still my friends.When I'm not at work, I like to: Play computer games with my son. We like "Age of Empires."If I could have one superpower, it would be: I would want X-Ray vision because then I could get a job with the Transportation Security Administration and not use body scanner machines.Something most people don't know about me is: I speak fluent Italian. I lived in Italy for two years of my life, and I love Italian food and cooking.  I was also the faculty advisor for Duke in Venice last summer. It was a great refresher course. I got to speak lots of Italian again while I was there.