A message from Provost Jerold Hale:
As we begin the fall semester, we celebrate not only the return of our students but also the significant achievements of our colleagues. At UTC, we honor the outstanding accomplishments of our faculty, many of whom have achieved tenure or promotion. We are privileged to serve alongside such a distinguished faculty body and invite you to join me in congratulating them. UTC is committed to fostering the intellectual growth of both students and faculty. Our development grants support high-value proposals for scholarship, research, and creative activity, while professional development leaves offer periods of renewal and reflection away from regular duties, benefiting faculty on their intellectual journeys.
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Ruth S. Holmberg Grants for Faculty Excellence
From left: Jannatul Ferdoush, Tyler Oberheim, Jared Pienkos, Reetesh Ranjan, Sean Richards, Kathryn Taylor
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. Each Holmberg recipient will receive up to $5,000 in funding to support their proposal. The recipients of the Holmberg Grants for 2024-2025 are given below, along with their funded proposal’s title.
- Dr. Jannatul Ferdoush, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science; Project Title: Potential Therapeutics Against Cancer via Understanding Overexpression of Taf2
- Dr. Tyler Oberheim, Assistant Professor, Counselor Education; Project Title: Substance Use Patterns in College Students with ADHD
- Dr. Jared Pienkos, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics; Project Title: The Synthesis of Tunable Ruthenium Molecular Squares and Analysis of Electron-transfer within these Squares
- Dr. Reetesh Ranjan, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Proposal Title: Numerical Investigation of Fundamental Features and Efficient Modeling of High-Speed Wall-Bounded Turbulent Flows
- Dr. Sean Richards, Professor, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science; Proposal Title: Proposal for Training in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Apply Cutting-Edge Metabolomics in Women’s Health Research
- Dr. Kathryn Taylor, Assistant Professor, Department of History; Proposal Title: Censors and Readers in Early Modern Italy
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The Alexander and Charlotte Guerry Professorships
Guerry Professors (from left) John Swanson, Loren Hayes, Mengjun Xie, Nagwan Zahry, Rahul Bhosale
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 five new faculty members as Guerry Professors:
- Dr. John Swanson, Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Loren Hayes, Professor, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science
- Dr. Mengjun Xie, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
- Dr. Nagwan Zahry, Associate Professor, Department of Communication
- Dr. Rahul Bhosale, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical 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.
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UC Foundation Professorships
UC Foundation Professors (from left) Karen Babine, Jared Pienkos, Chandra Ward, Prashant Srivastava, Raga Ahmed, Marissa McElrone, Noah Lasley
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. Karen Babine, Associate Professor, Department of English
- Dr. Jared Pienkos, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Dr. Chandra Ward, Associate Professor, Department of Social, Cultural and Justice Studies
- Dr. Prashant Srivastava, Associate Professor, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Dr. Raga Ahmed, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering
- Dr. Marissa McElrone, Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance
- Professor Noah Lasley, Associate Professor University Archivist, Library
Each faculty member above receives a $2,500 increase to their base salary, graciously supplied by the UC Foundation.
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Tenure and Promotions
Tenure
- Dr. Amir Alakaam, Associate Professor, Health and Human Performance
- Dr. Christopher Acuff, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Karen Babine, Associate Professor, Department of English
- Dr. Edward Brudney, Associate Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Angel Collier, Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Dr. Stephan Davenport, Associate Professor, Department of Accounting
- Dr. Christopher Hansen, Associate Professor, School of Education
- Dr. Fang Yu Hu, Associate Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Hamdy Ibrahim, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Max Jordan, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
- Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu, Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Technology
- Dr. Eun Young Kim, Associate Professor, School of Professional Studies, Division of Interior Architecture and Design
- Dr. Seong Dae Kim, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Technology
- Dr. Francesca Leasi, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science
- Dr. Mohammad Mahtabi, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Professor Dunstan McNutt, Associate Professor, Department of Research and Public Services
- Dr. Erin Melhorn, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
- Dr. Deborah Mullen, Professor, Department of Management
- Dr. Lloydia Murillo, Associate Professor, School of Education
- Dr. Jared Pienkos, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Dr. Cindy Poole, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
- Dr. Amber Roache, Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Dr. Reetesh Ranjan, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Erin Ryan, Professor and Department Head, Department of Communication
- Dr. Junrong Shi, Associate Professor, School of Professional Studies, Division of Social Work
- Dr. Jeremy Strickler, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Khalid Tantawi, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Technology
- Dr. Frank Tudini, Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
- Dr. Chandra Ward, Associate Professor, Department of Social, Cultural and Justice Studies
- Dr. Yingfeng Wang, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
- Dr. Michael V. Williams, Professor and Director of Africana Studies, Department of History
Promotion to Associate Professor
- Dr. Christopher Acuff, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Karen Babine, Associate Professor, Department of English
- Dr. Edward Brudney, Associate Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Angela Collier, Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Dr. Stephan Davenport, Associate Professor, Department of Accounting
- Dr. Christopher Hansen, Associate Professor, School of Education
- Dr. Fang Yu Hu, Associate Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Hamdy Ibrahim, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Max Jordan, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
- Dr. Eun Young Kim, Associate Professor, School of Professional Studies, Division of Interior Architecture and Design
- Dr. Francesca Leasi, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science
- Dr. Mohammad Mahtabi, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Professor Dunstan McNutt, Associate Professor, Department of Research and Public Services
- Dr. Erin Melhorn, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
- Dr. Lloydia Murillo, Associate Professor, School of Education
- Dr. Jared Pienkos, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Dr. Cindy Poole, Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
- Dr. Reetesh Ranjan, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Amber Roache, Associate Professor, School of Nursing
- Dr. Junrong Shi, Associate Professor, School of Professional Studies, Division of Social Work
- Dr. Jeremy Strickler, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Khalid Tantawi, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Technology
- Dr. Chandra Ward, Associate Professor, Department of Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies
Promotion to Professor
- Dr. David Giles, Professor, Department of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science
- Dr. Gale Iles, Professor, Department of Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies
- Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu, Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Technology
- Dr. Deborah Mullen, Professor, Department of Management
- Dr. Frank Tudini, Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
- Professor Christina Vogel, Professor, Department of Art
- Dr. Kim Wingate, Professor, School of Education
- Dr. Dalei Wu, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
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Professional Development Leave for 2024-2025
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 2024:
- Emily Thompson, MSI, Department of Public and Research Servies
On leave Fall 2024:
- Dr. Mbakisya Onyango, Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering
- Dr. Monica Garoiu, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
- Dr. Sean Richards, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
- Dr. Md R. Alam, Department of Finance and Economics
- Dr. Steven Symes, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Dr. Cathy Scott, School of Professional Studies
- Dr. Carmen Jimenez, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
- Dr. Marcus Mauldin, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Michelle Evans, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Hannah Wakefield, Department of English
On leave Spring 2025:
- Dr. Deanna Beasley, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
- Dr. Jared Pienkos, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Dr. Navid Aghakhani, Department of Management
- Professor Heath Schultz, Department of Art
- Dr. Jennifer Stewart, Department of English
- Dr. Erika Schafer, Department of Music
- Dr. Joshua Hamblen, Department of Chemistry and Physics
- Dr. Barry Kamrath, School of Education
On leave during the 2024-2025 academic year:
- Dr. Saeid Golkar, Department of Political Science and Public Service
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Promotions for Non-Tenure Track Faculty
Promotion to Associate Lecturer
- Professor David Norman, Associate Lecturer, Department of Communication
- Professor Bailey Payne, Associate Lecturer, Department of Health and Human Performance
- Professor Adam Wolcott, Associate Lecturer, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Dr. Brandee Strickland, Associate Lecturer, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
- Professor Angelique Gibson, Associate Lecturer, Department of Communication
- Professor Randy Golson, Associate Lecturer, Department of Communication
- Professor Mark Buzbee, Associate Lecturer, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
- Dr. Stephen Quinlan, Associate Lecturer, Department of English
- Professor Steven Layne, Associate Lecturer, Department of Management
- Professor Erin Hungenberg, Associate Lecturer, School of Education
Promotion to Associate Professor of Practice
- Dr. Carolyn Padalino, Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Physical Therapy
Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor
- Dr. Paula Jo Peters, School of Nursing
- Professor Harlee Milligan, School of Professional Studies-Social Work
Promotion to Senior Lecturer
- Tina Benkiser, JD, Department of Accounting
- Professor Russell Helms, Department of English
