A message from Provost Jerold Hale:
At the start of the fall semester, we celebrate not just the return of students to our classrooms but also the accomplishments and milestones of returning colleagues across campus. UTC makes good on its promise as an academic institution when we foster the intellectual growth of students and faculty members.
Development grants and professional development leave are essential to our ongoing commitment to the members of the faculty body. Through its grants, UTC underwrites and elevates high-value proposals for scholarship, research, or creative activity. With professional development leaves, our University recognizes that periods of renewal and reflection, away from the pressures of semester classes and committee service, will benefit a faculty member on their intellectual journey.
The faculty members below have recently been recognized for excellence with professorships unique to our University. Please join me in congratulating them on their appointments
The Alexander and Charlotte Guerry Professorships
For over 60 years this university has awarded Guerry Professorships to tenured faculty who have distinguished themselves nationally through teaching, research, scholarship and other significant contributions to their respective fields. This year we welcome two new faculty members as Guerry Professors:
- Dr. Donald Reising–Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering
- Dr. Dalei Wu–Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Each faculty member holds a Guerry Professorship for five years and receives a $10,000 stipend each academic year, to support continuation and expansion of their work.
Guerry Professors Donald Reising, left, and Dalei Wu
UC Foundation Professorships
The UC Foundation continues its support for faculty each academic year with a new class of faculty members honored with UC Foundation Professorships. These selective awards are made to exceptionally productive junior faculty on the tenure track. This year’s recipients are:
- Dr. Chris Acuff–Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Julia Cummiskey–Assistant Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Vahid Disfani–Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering
- Dr. Kevin Doyle–Associate Professor, School of Professional Studies – Division of Counselor Education
- Dr. Nilesh Sah–Associate Professor, Department of Finance and Economics
- Dr. Morgan Smith–Associate Professor, Department of Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies
Each faculty member above receives a $2,500 increase to their base salary, graciously supplied by the UC Foundation.
From left: UC Foundation Professors Chris Acuff, Julia Cummiskey, Vahid Disfani, Kevin Doyle, Nilesh Sah, Morgan Smith
Ruth S. Holmberg Grants for Faculty Excellence
The Ruth S. Holmberg Grants support faculty members who have demonstrated the potential and ability to function at a higher level of scholarship, engage students in addressing problems of contemporary importance through research efforts, or work with tenured faculty or the administration in building innovative curriculum. The recipients of the Holmberg Grants for the 2023-2024 year are given below, along with the title of their funded proposal.
- Dr. Rahul Bhosale–Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering; Proposal: Computational Thermodynamic Modeling of Mixed Metal Oxide Driven Solar Thermochemical H2O Splitting Cycle
- Dr. Kristen Jennings Black–Associate Professor, Department of Psychology; Proposal: Barriers to Resources that Support Workers’ Mental Health
- Dr. David Giles–Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science; Proposal: Making Seafood Safe Food: Collaborative Research Integrating Microbiology, Applied Chemistry, and Aquaculture
- Dr. Emma McDonell–Assistant Professor, Department of Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies; Proposal: The Quinoa Bust: The Making and Un-Making of an Andean Miracle Crop
- Dr. Mohammad Mahtabi–Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Proposal: Toward High-Quality, Defect-Free 3D Printed Parts
Each Holmberg recipient will receive up to $5,000 in funding to support their proposal.
From left: Rahul Bhosale, Kristen Jennings Black, David Giles, Mohammad Mahtabi, Emma McDonnell
Professional Development Leave for 2023-2024
The following faculty have been granted leaves for the coming academic year, to permit them a period of respite from traditional university life, a time when they may focus on the pursuit of their research, scholarship, or creative works.
On leave Summer 2023:
- Professor Carolyn Runyon, Department of Collection Services, UTC Library
On leave Fall 2023:
- Dr. Thomas Balazs, Department of English, CAS
- Dr. Karen Casey Casebier, Department of Modern & Classical Languages and Literature, CAS
- Dr. Lani Gao, Department of Mathematics, CAS
- Dr. Hope Klug, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, CAS
- Dr. Lingju Kong, Department of Mathematics, CAS
- Dr. Andrew McCarthy, Department of English, CAS
- Dr. Elizabeth Myers, Department of Physical Therapy, CHEPS
- Dr. Christina Policastro, Department of Social, Cultural and Justice Studies, CAS
- Dr. Valerie Taylor, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, RCOB
- Dr. Annie Tracy Samuel, Department of History, CAS
On leave Spring 2024:
- Dr. Joshua Davies, Department of Modern & Classical Languages and Literature, CAS
- Dr. David Giles, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, CAS
- Dr. Ahmet Kule, Department of Social, Cultural and Justice Studies, CAS
- Dr. Edwin Murillo, Department of Modern & Classical Languages and Literature, CAS
- Dr. Michael Thompson, Department of History, CAS
On leave during Summer 2024:
- Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien Oden, School of Professional Studies, CHEPS
On leave during the 2023-2024 academic year:
- Dr. Kody Cooper, Department of Political Science and Public Service, CAS
- Dr. Irina Khmelko, Department of Political Science and Public Service, CAS
- Dr. Marcia Noe, Department of English, CAS
