College of Arts and Sciences
African American studies
Ana Monteiro-Ferreira, of Philadelphia, Pa., assistant professor of African American Studies. Previously, Monteiro-Ferreira was a teaching assistant in the department of African American Studies at Temple University. She received both her doctorate and master’s degree in African-American Studies from Temple University. She also received a master’s degree in women’s studies from Universidade Aberta in Lisbon Portugal; and her bachelor’s degree in Anglo-American studies from the University of Coimbra, in Portugal.
Art
Jason DeMarte, of Starkville, Miss., assistant professor of art. Previously, DeMarte was an assistant professor of photography at Mississippi State University from 2005-2010. He also was a visiting assistant professor of photography at the University of New Mexico from 2008-2009. DeMarte received a master of fine arts in photography from the University of Oregon, and a bachelor of fine arts in photography from Colorado State University.
Jason Ferguson, of Moscow, Idaho, assistant professor of art. Ferguson was an assistant professor at the University of Idaho from 2007-2010 before joining Eastern Michigan. He also taught at Pennsylvania State University during 2006-2007 and at the University of Delaware from 2004 to 2006. He received a master of fine arts degree, specializing in sculpture, from the University of Delaware, and a bachelor of fine arts degree from Towson University.
Biology
Katherine Greenwald, of Columbus, Ohio, assistant professor of biology. Previously, Greenwald was a postdoctoral researcher at Ohio State University and the Ohio Division of Wildlife from 2009-2010. She received her doctorate in evolution, ecology and organismal biology from Ohio State University, and a bachelor’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Brown University.
Margaret Koopman, of Baton Rouge, LA., assistant professor of biology. Koopman previously worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Louisiana State University from 2008-2010 and has worked as a field botanist at the Grand Canyon National Park and the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit. She has a doctorate in systematic botany from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor’s degree in botany from Northern Arizona University.
Chemistry
Jamie Scaglione, of Ann Arbor, Mich., assistant professor of chemistry. Scaglione was most recently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan from 2007-2010, and an adjunct instructor of chemistry at the Henry Ford Community College from 2009-2010. She received her doctorate in chemical biology from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO., and a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Evansville.
Communication, media, and theatre arts
Howard Cass, of New York, N.Y., assistant professor of communication, media and theatre arts. Previously, Cass was music director for Ideation Productions, a New York musical theatre production company from 2000-2010. He also is a pianist, composer, arranger and vocal coach, and was a pianist and composer-in-residence for the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra from 1990-2009. He received his doctorate, master’s degree and bachelor’s degree, all in music, from the Julliard School.
English
Amanda Allen of Edmonton, Alberta, assistant professor in the Department of English Language & Literature. Previously, Allen was an instructor at the University of Alberta from 2009-2010 and specialized in adolescent literature. She received her doctorate from the University of Alberta, and her master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in English from York University.
Robert Halpern, of San Francisco, Calif., assistant professor of English language and literature. Previously, Halpern was a visiting faculty member at the San Francisco Art Institute from 2007-2010. He received his doctorate in literature from the University of California – Santa Cruz, and a bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State College.
Geography and Geology
Todd Grote, of Meadville, Pa., assistant professor of geography and geology. Before joining Eastern, Grote was a visiting assistant professor at Allegheny College from 2007-2010. He received his doctorate in geology from West Virginia University, a master’s degree in geo-environmental studies from Shippensburg University, and a bachelor’s degree in environmental analysis and planning from Frostburg State University.
History and philosophy
Jesse Kauffman, of Mountain View, Calif., assistant professor in history & philosophy. Previously, Kauffman was a fellow in the Introduction to the Humanities program at Stanford University from 2007-2010. He received his doctorate and master’s degree in history, both from Stanford University, and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Tomoyuki Sasaki, of Kalamazoo, Mich., assistant professor of history and philosophy. Before joining Eastern, Sasaki was a visiting assistant professor at Kalamazoo College from 2009-2010. Her specialty area is modern Japanese history. She received her doctorate in history from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in Japanese language and culture, and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Kobe City University of Foreign Studies in Kobe, Japan.
Music and dance
Amy Knopps, of Athens, GA., assistant professor of music & dance. Previously, Knopps was an instructor and visual designer for the Redcoat Marching Band and other band positions at the University of Georgia from 2007-2010. She received her master’s degree in wind conducting from the University of Kansas, and a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Theresa Merrill, of Portland, Ore., assistant professor of music and dance. Before joining Eastern, Merrill was assistant professor of music therapy at Marylhurst University in Oregon from 2004-2006 and 2007-2010. She received her doctorate in music education/therapy from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in music therapy from British Columbia Open University.
Physics and astronomy
David Pawlowski, of Ann Arbor, Mich., assistant professor of physics and astronomy. Before joining Eastern Michigan University, Pawlowski was a research fellow at the University of Michigan from 2009-2010. He received his doctorate in atmospheric and space physics, and a master’s degree in space sciences from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in physics from the University of Utah, and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Bradley University.
Political science
Nitya Singh, of Athens, GA., assistant professor of political science. Before joining Eastern, Singh was an instructor in the department of international affairs at the University of Georgia from 2007-2010. She received her doctorate in political science and international affairs from the University of Georgia, and a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree from Lucknow University in India.
Women’s and gender studies
Elizabeth Currans, of Williamsburg, Va., assistant professor, Women’s & Gender Studies. Prior to joining Eastern, Currans was visiting assistant professor for the Women’s Studies Program at The College of William and Mary in Virginia from 2008-2010. Her research interests include civil religion and political belief; public protest and activism; and intersections of race, gender and sexuality. Currans earned her doctorate in religious studies and feminist studies from the University of California–Santa Barbara, a master’s degree in folklore and women’s studies from the University of Oregon, and a bachelor’s degree in English and women’s studies from Colorado State University.
World languages
Koji Tanno, of Portland, Ore., assistant professor of world languages. Tanno worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Washington from 2001-2009 and specializes in bilingualism and second language acquisition. Tanno has a master’s degree in Japanese linguistics, and a master’s degree in geophysics from the University of Washington, and a bachelor’s degree in geophysics from Binghamton University.
College of Business
Accounting and finance
Thomas Lechner, of Salt Lake City, Utah, assistant professor of accounting and finance. Prior to joining Eastern, Lechner was a lecturer at the University of Utah from 2005-2010. He received his doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a master’s degree in economics from Iowa State University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Carleton College.
David Wozniak, of Eugene, Ore., assistant professor of accounting and finance. Previously, Wozniak was an instructor at the University of Oregon from 2006-2010. He received his master’s degree in economics from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia; and separate bachelor’s degrees in economics and in commerce, from the University of Calgary.
College of Health and Human Service
Health promotion and human performance
Thomas Cieslak II, of Kimberly Wis., assistant professor in the School of Health Promotion & Human Performance. Cieslak previously was a visiting research associate at the Center for Spectator Sport Security Management at the University of Southern Mississippi during 2008-2009. His primary expertise is in the area of sport safety and security management. He received his doctorate in sports and exercise management from Ohio State University, his master’s degree in sports administration and his bachelor’s degree in sport and exercise science from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Julie Jahn, of Mesa, Ariz., assistant professor in the School of Health Promotion & Human Performance. Prior to joining Eastern, Jahn was a graduate teaching/research assistant at Arizona State University from 2007-2010. She received her master’s degree in physical education from the University of Northern Iowa and her bachelor’s degree in exercise & sport science/physical education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Megan Rickard, of Toledo, Ohio, assistant professor in the School of Health Promotion & Human Performance. Previously, Rickard was a health education lecturer at Wayne State University from 2008-2010. She received her doctorate in health education from the University of Toledo, a master’s degree in health education and behavior from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in community health education from Western Michigan University.
Health Sciences
Irwin Martin, of Ann Arbor, Mich., associate professor in the School of Health Sciences. Martin previously was acting executive director of the Drug Information Association from 2003-2005, a consultant for pharmaceutical regulatory affairs from 2000-2002 and vice president of international regulatory affairs for the Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research Division of Warner-Lambert Co from 1999-2000. He received his doctorate and master’s degree in zoology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental studies from Brandeis University.
College of Technology
Computer technology
David Dobrzykowski, of Holland, Ohio, assistant professor of computer information systems. A former health care executive, he was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Toledo from 2000-2010 before returning to work on his doctorate. His research interests include supply chain management, information technology and healthcare. Dobrzykowski received his master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Toledo.
School of engineering technology
John Reposa Jr., of Terre Haute, Ind., assistant professor in the School of Engineering Technology. Before joining Eastern, Reposa was an associate professor in construction management at Indiana State University from 2007-2010 and taught construction management at Missouri State University from 2002-2007. He received his doctorate in civil engineering and a master’s degree in construction management from Florida Institute of Technology, a bachelor’s degree in civil & environmental engineering from the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering from Roger Williams College.
Steven Webber, of Redford, Mich., assistant professor in the School of Engineering Technology. Before joining Eastern, Webber worked for S3 Architecture in Farmington, Mich., from 2009-2010 and at Hobbs Black Architects in Ann Arbor from 2007-2009. He has a master’s degree in architecture, and separate bachelor’s degrees in architecture and in interior architecture, all from Lawrence Technological University.
School of technology studies
Guy Downs, of Ypsilanti, Mich., assistant professor in the School of Technology Studies. Downs was a lecturer in Eastern Michigan’s technology program from 2008-2010. He received a master’s degree in economics from Eastern Michigan University, a master’s degree in English from the University of Colorado and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Eastern Michigan University.
University Library
William Marino Jr., of Champaign, Ill., instructor in the University Library. Marino previously was a graduate assistant in instructional technology & design, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during 2009-2010. He received a master’s degree in library & information science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a master’s in classics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a bachelor’s degree in theater from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Karen Rogers-Collins, instructor in the University Library. Previously, Rogers-Collins was a senior e-content acquisitions specialist at ProQuest Information and Learning in Ann Arbor from 2009-2010. She also worked as a senior adviser and librarian for Pfizer, Inc., from 2001-2008. She received a master’s degree in library and information science from Wayne State University and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Eastern Michigan.
