August 22, 2005 Intercom: Convocation Kicks Off the 2005-06 Academic Year

President Rodney Mabry made remarks concerning the state of the university, new faculty members were introduced and awards were presented at UT Tyler’s 2005-06 Academic Year Convocation Monday, Aug. 22.

Employee service awards and the following faculty awards were presented:

New faculty members introduced include:

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Barbara Airulla, assistant professor of art
Ph.D. – Ohio State University
Former Position: art instructor, Columbus College of Art and Design

Ali Azghani, associate professor of biology
Ph.D. – Texas Woman’s University
Former Position: assistant professor of medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center

Andrew Bargen, assistant professor of political science
M.A. – University of Iowa
Former Position: teaching assistant, University of Iowa

Blake Bextine, assistant professor of biology
Ph.D. – Oklahoma State University
Former Position: post doctoral researcher

Dewane Hughes, assistant professor of art
M.F.A – Montana State University
Former Position: assistant professor, Missouri Southern State College

Deborah Koslover, assistant professor of mathematics
Ph.D. – University of California, Irvine
Former Position: research assistant, University of California-Irvine

Agim Kukeli , assistant professor of economics
Ph.D. - Colorado State University
Former Position: visiting assistant professor, Mesa State College

Kazem Mahdavi, chair and professor of mathematics
Ph.D. – Binghamton University
Former Position: professor, SUNY Potsdam

Brenda Ross, assistant professor of English as a second language
M.A. – University of Minnesota
Former Position: graduate teaching assistant, Penn State University

Chantel Roussel-Zuazu, assistant professor of Spanish
Ph.D. – Texas Tech University
Former Position: lecturer, University of Texas at Tyler

Jason Smee, assistant professor of chemistry
Ph.D. – Texas A&M University
Former Position: post doctoral fellow, Colorado State University

Alisa White, chair and associate professor of journalism
Ph.D. – University of Tennessee
Former Position: associate professor and graduate advisor, University of Texas at Arlington

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Isaura Flores, assistant professor of management
Ph.D. – University of Houston – ITESM
Former Position: visiting assistant professor of management, associate director, Hispanic and Latin America research program, University of Texas at Tyler

John Hansen, professor of technology
Ph.D. – University of Minnesota
Former Position: associate dean and chair, University of Houston

Mathew Lindsey, assistant professor of management
Ph.D. (ABD) University of North Texas
Former Position: graduate student, University of North Texas

Mark Miller, professor of technology
Ph.D. – Texas A&M University
Former Position: chairman and professor, Texas A&M Kingsville

Bruce Runyan, assistant professor of accounting
Ph.D. – Texas A&M University
Former Position: assistant professor, Berry College

Sandra Solomon, assistant professor of accounting
Ph.D. (ABD) – Arizona State University
Former Position: graduate student, Arizona State University

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY

Wade Fish, assistant professor of special education
Ph.D. – University of North Texas
Former Position: special education teacher, Mesquite Independent School District

Arlene Horne, director of sponsored research
Ph.D. – University of New Mexico
Former Position: professor, New Mexico Highlands University

John Lamb, lecturer of curriculum and instruction and educational foundations
M.Ed. – Mississippi College
Former Position: math teacher, West Oktibbeha County High School

Robert Stevens, chair and professor of curriculum and instruction and educational foundations
Ed.D. – University of Massachusetts
Former Position: professor, Georgia Southern University

Eric Stocks, assistant professor of psychology and counseling
M.A. – University of Kansas
Former Position: assistant instructor, University of Kansas

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCES

Sumit Ghosh, professor and chair of computer science
Ph.D. – Stanford University
Former Position: Hattrick chair and professor of information systems engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology

James K. Nelson, Jr., Brazzel professor and chair of civil engineering
Ph.D. – University of Houston
Former Position: chair and professor, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Western Michigan University

Jeffery R. Shenefelt, assistant professor of mechanical engineering
Ph.D. – Mississippi State University
Former Position: assistant professor, York College of Pennsylvania

Narayanan Subramanian, assistant professor of computer science
Ph.D. – University of Texas at Dallas
Former Position: assistant professor, Hofstra University

COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Cheryl Cooper, assistant professor of health and kinesiology (Tyler Campus)
M.S.N. – Texas Woman’s University
Former Position: RN supervisor, Smith County Public Health District, Tyler, TX and adjunct faculty for health and kinesiology; nursing, University of Texas at Tyler

Lori Dickson, senior lecturer of nursing (Longview Campus)
M.S.N. – University of Phoenix
Former Position: CEO, Checkpoints in Healthcare Consulting, LLC, Tyler, TX

Kara Lee Jones, senior lecturer of nursing (Tyler Campus)
M.S.N. – University of Texas at Tyler
Former Position: RN field nurse, Jordan Health Services, Tyler, TX

Virginia Kimmeth-Buell, senior lecturer of nursing (Palestine Campus)
M.S.N. – College of New Rochelle
Former Position: faculty, Trinity Valley Community College

Jo Anne Kirk, senior lecturer of nursing (Tyler Campus)
M.S.N. – University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Former Position: staff education coordinator, Cooper County Memorial Hospital and Clinics, Boonville, MO

Judy Kraft, senior lecturer of nursing (Palestine Campus)
M.S.N. – University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Former Position: nursing instructor, Tyler Junior College

Ronna R. Morrison, senior lecturer of health and kinesiology (Tyler Campus)
M.S. – University of Texas at Tyler
Former Position: clinical consultant, Berkeley HeartLab, Inc., Berkley, CA

Miguel Naváez, assistant professor of health and kinesiology (Tyler Campus)
M.S. – Michigan State University, Doctoral Candidate Michigan State University
Former Position: teaching assistant, Michigan State University

Mary Frances Skeels, senior lecturer of nursing (Tyler Campus)
M.S.N. – University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Former Position: assistant professor, Lamar University

Theresa Steele, senior lecturer of nursing (Longview Campus)
M.S.N. – University of Texas at Tyler
Former Position: nurse educator, Good Shepard Medical Center, Longview, TX

Katherine R. Strout, lecturer of nursing (Tyler Campus)
B.S.N. – University of Texas at Tyler
Former Position: nurse recruiter/skills lab coordinator, University of Texas at Tyler

Katherine Lynn Wieck, visiting professor of nursing (Tyler Campus)
Ph. D. – Texas Woman’s University at Houston, FAAN
Former Position: CEO; Management Solutions for Healthcare, Katy, TX