A message from Interim Provost Matt Matthews:
As we begin the fall semester, I am pleased to recognize several faculty members who have been honored with new grants and professorships. These awards reflect UTC’s continued investment in scholarship, research and creative work of the highest caliber. Please join me in congratulating these outstanding faculty colleagues.
# # # # #
The Alexander and Charlotte Guerry Professorships
Guerry Professors (from left) Murat Barisik, Jejal-Reddy Bathi and Kristen Jennings Black
For over 60 years, this University has awarded Guerry Professorships to tenured faculty members who have distinguished themselves nationally through teaching, research, scholarship and other significant contributions to their respective fields. This year, we welcome three new faculty members as Guerry Professors:
- Dr. Murat Barisik, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Dr. Jejal-Reddy Bathi, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering
- Dr. Kristen Jennings Black, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
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.
# # # # #
UC Foundation Professorships
UC Foundation Professors (from left) Brooke Epperson, Jannatul Ferdoush, Bart Pushaw, Jessica Taylor, Xiunan Wang and Justin Wymer
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 given to exceptionally productive junior faculty members on the tenure track. This year’s recipients are:
- Dr. Brooke Epperson, Associate Professor, College of Nursing
- Dr. Jannatul Ferdoush, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
- Professor Bart Pushaw, Assistant Professor, Department of Art
- Dr. Jessica Taylor, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Leadership and Learning
- Dr. Xiunan Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics
- Dr. Justin Wymer, Assistant Professor, Department of English
Each faculty member above receives a $2,500 increase to their base salary, graciously supplied by the UC Foundation.
# # # # #
Ruth S. Holmberg Grants for Faculty Excellence
From left: Joshua Hamblen, Loren Hayes, Shaogang Ren, Serkan Varol and Yingfeng Wang
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 members or the administration in building innovative curricula. Each Holmberg recipient will receive up to $5,000 in funding to support their proposal. The recipients of the Holmberg Grants for 2026-27 are:
- Dr. Joshua Hamblen, Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Dr. Loren Hayes, Professor, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
- Dr. Shaogang Ren, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
- Dr. Serkan Varol, Associate Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Technology
- Dr. Yingfeng Wang, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
# # # # #
Tenure and Promotions
Tenure and promotion mark significant milestones in a faculty member’s career, reflecting years of dedicated teaching, scholarship, and service to our students and our university. The path to these achievements asks a great deal: sustained excellence in the classroom, meaningful contributions to one’s discipline, and active engagement with our campus community. We are proud to recognize the following faculty members for their accomplishment.
Promotions for Non-Tenure Track Faculty
- Professor Holly Berkowitz, Department of Research and Public Services, promoted to Associate Professor of Practice
- Dr. Jorge Correa-Londoño, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures promoted to Associate Lecturer
- Professor Todd Dockery, Department of Management, promoted to Associate Lecturer
- Professor Nora Ketron, Department of Collection Services, promoted to Associate Professor of Practice
- Dr. Katherine Ludwig, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, promoted to Associate Lecturer
- Dr. Tessa Mullinax-Baker, College of Nursing, promoted to Clinical Associate Professor
- Dr. Ashley Schilling, Department of Physical Therapy, promoted to Associate Professor of Practice
- Dr. Tahmina Shirmeen, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science, promoted to Associate Lecturer
- Dr. April Summers, College of Nursing, promoted to Clinical Associate Professor
- Professor James Tanner, Department of Communication, promoted to Associate Lecturer
- Professor Billy Weeks, Department of Communication, promoted to Senior Lecturer
- Dr. Cristin Williams, College of Nursing, promoted to Associate Lecturer
Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor
- Dr. Rahul Bhosale, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering
- Dr. Tony Cepak, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Communication
- Dr. Brooke Epperson, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, College of Nursing
- Dr. Jessica Hackathorne, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
- Dr. Kaitlyn Hancock, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Justice
- Dr. Ashley Howell, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
- Dr. Ziwei Ma, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics
- Dr. Emma McDonell, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Geography
- Dr. Sheena Murray, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Finance and Economics
- Dr. Kathryn Taylor, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Xiunan Wang, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics
- Professor Shane Ward, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor, Department of Art
Promotion to Professor
- Dr. Raga Ahmed, Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering
- Dr. Rafayet Alam, Professor, Department of Finance and Economics
- Dr. Leanora Brown, Professor, Department of Finance and Economics
- Dr. Amanda Clark, Professor, Department of Psychology
- Dr. Trevor Elliott, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Professor Natalie Haber, Professor, Department of Research and Public Services
- Dr. June Hanks, Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
- Dr. Liz Hathaway, Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance
- Dr. Carmen Jiménez, Professor, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
- Dr. Seong Dae Kim, Professor, Department of Engineering Management and Technology
- Dr. Will Kuby, Professor, Department of History
- Dr. Ethan Mills, Professor, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Dr. Karissa Rein, Professor, Department of Health and Human Performance
- Dr. Cathy Scott, Professor, School of Professional Studies, Social Work Program
- Professor Emily Thompson, Professor, Department of Research and Public Services
- Dr. Nishani Vincent, Professor, Department of Accounting
- Dr. Yingfeng Wang, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
# # # # #
Professional Development Leave for 2026-27
Professional Development Leave supports a full cycle of faculty renewal: the leave itself, the scholarship, research, or creative work faculty pursue during their time away, and the impact of that work on the trajectory of the faculty member’s career.
Upon return, each faculty member shares the impact and results of their leave through a narrative report. It is these reports that help us highlight faculty accomplishments with the larger campus community through university publications such as Sabbatical Spotlight.
On leave fall 2026
- Dr. Marisa Colston, Department of Health and Human Performance
- Dr. Michelle Deardorff, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Linda Frost, Department of English
- Dr. Loren Hayes, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
- Professor Rebecca Nasadowski, Department of Art
- Dr. Junrong Shi, School of Professional Studies, Social Work Program
- Dr. Prashant Srivastava, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship
- Professor Chantelle Swaren, Department of Collection Services
On leave spring 2027
- Dr. Christopher Acuff, Department of Political Science and Public Service
- Dr. Leanora Brown, Department of Finance and Economics
- Professor Matthew Greenwell, Department of Art
- Dr. Joseph Owino, Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering
- Dr. Heather Palmer, Department of English
- Dr. Thomas Wilson, Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science
On leave during the 2026-27 academic year
- Dr. Jaclyn Michael, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
