College welcomes new faculty members for 2016-17 academic year
SUNY New Paltz is pleased to announce the appointment of 30 new full-time faculty in advance of the fall 2016 semester.
“I am so happy to welcome this impressive group of faculty to SUNY New Paltz,” said Provost Lorin Basden Arnold, also preparing for her first academic year at the College. “In my brief time here, I’ve seen how dedicated and skilled the faculty are, and I am confident that the hiring class of fall 2016 will be no exception. I know that the transition to a new position can be challenging, but also exhilarating, and I have no doubt that our new faculty will embrace the challenge and the opportunity to grow as teachers, scholars, and community members. We look forward to supporting and celebrating them in their success.”
Please join us in greeting the following new full-time faculty members:
Ouadie Akaaboune (Business – Accounting) was born and raised in Fes Morocco and moved to the U.S. at the age of 18. He earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii and a master’s degree from Southern Illinois University, where he is currently completing his doctoral studies. His research focuses mainly on defining a role for cost accounting in environmental management from a conceptual, endogenous and exogenous perspective.
Patrick Baker (Biology) holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). His interests include the ecology, physiology and conservation of turtles. Most recently, he worked as a consultant in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Kenneth (Ken) Bird (Engineering) holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As an adjunct instructor at New Paltz, he has taught courses including Senior Design Project I, Renewable Energy and Mechatronics. He also contributed to the development of the new minor in Digital Design & Fabrication. Ken has held engineering and management positions at International Business Machines, working on a multitude of electronic packaging assignments in manufacturing, development and customer applications. He is married, has three grown children, and enjoys running and driving his MG roadster in the beautiful Shawangunk Mountains.
Daria Bozzato (Languages, Literatures & Cultures) taught language, literature and cinema classes at UNC-Chapel Hill and Kenyon College prior to her arrival at New Paltz. Daria’s research interests include postcolonial theory, the Mafia motif in contemporary Italian literature and cinema, second-language acquisition and the connections between Luso-Brazilian and Italian literatures.
Eric Brattain (Mathematics) received his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from UC Davis, where he served as director of the Davis Math Circle and coached young students to prepare for math competitions. In addition to teaching in the math department, he also worked with groups of ESL students at Davis’s Center for International Education. His research focuses primarily on problems in probability, mathematical physics and machine learning.
Lydia Bright (Biology) received her Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from the University of Chicago and completed postdoctoral work in an evolutionary genomics lab at Indiana University, Bloomington. Her research focuses on comparative cell biology of Paramecium species of single-celled organisms found ubiquitously in freshwater ponds and lakes. She will be teaching evolutionary and cell biology-related classes at New Paltz. Lydia is also an artist and is engaged in art+science collaborations. She loves to hike, bike and swim.
Cruz Bueno (Black Studies) has received full-time appointment following her service as visiting assistant professor and faculty in residence at Ridgeview Hall. She holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and previously held teaching positions at Siena College, Wesleyan University and Central Connecticut State University. Her teaching and research focus on the web of social forces that produce economic inequality, often at the disproportionate expense of people of color. Cruz is eager to continue applying her economics background to discussions of race, racism and inequality, bridging Black studies, economics and women’s studies, and stimulating intellectual curiosity and agency in her students. Cruz – who is soon to be a first-time auntie – enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, hikes, dancing, and spending time with family, friends and her two dogs (Sarah & Nin, who live at home in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic).
Bobby Hiep Bui (Psychology) earned his Ph.D. from New York University and has held academic appointments at Maria College of Albany and SUNY Delhi. He has worked part-time as a psychologist at The Fieldston School in New York City for the past five years. Bobby’s interests include interior design, mid-century modern architecture, fitness and spending time with his two pups.
Lizabeth Cain (Early Childhood & Childhood Education) recently completed her Ed.D. at Binghamton University, where she also taught undergraduate and graduate courses. Her research and teaching interests include democratic classroom practices and principled teacher resistance. She loves camping, hiking and getting out on the water in small, people-powered boats.
Nicole Carr (Black Studies) earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Miami, where she also lectured in English and Africana Studies. Her research interests include African American literature, Caribbean literature, Women’s Studies and Pop Culture.
Beth Clark-Gareca (TESOL) has taught English and Spanish in a variety of contexts (community college ESL and Spanish, university-level ESL, K-5 pull-out ESL, among others). She received her Ph.D. from New York University in 2013 and joined the faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University, as a full-time lecturer. Beth loves to teach English and conduct teacher professional development internationally, having worked in Wuhan, China, Surabaya, Indonesia, Santiago, Dominican Republic, and in several Argentinian cities during a Fulbright-supported experience. She is delighted to be joining the faculty of SUNY New Paltz and looks forward to working with everyone.
April Coughlin (Special Education) has worked as a high school teacher in New York City for six years. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Inclusive Education with a focus on Disability Studies at Syracuse University. April has been a paraplegic and wheeler for 31 years after a car accident at the age of six. She volunteers at rehabilitation centers speaking to newly spinal cord injured (SCI) individuals and provides support and guidance post-injury. She also co-leads a women’s SCI support and empowerment group and has done research in the area of women with spinal cord injuries and their experiences with sexuality, identity and relationships. Her doctoral studies focused on disability, access and equality, specifically looking at the self-reported lived experiences of high school students with physical disabilities in New York City public schools. April is committed to increasing awareness and education about the need for physical access and inclusion for students with disabilities.
Merci Decker (Communication) received her Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Politics, and Society from the University of Memphis in 2015. Prior to coming to New Paltz, she was a visiting assistant professor of rhetoric at Northern Illinois University and a lecturer at Wayne State University in Detroit. Her research interests include radical rhetoric, argumentation strategies of marginalized groups and the intersection between environmental discrimination and organizational communication.
Terry Gipson (Communication) earned his MFA from Penn State University and is a former New York State Senator and Director for MTV Networks. Terry recently served as adjunct professor in the Communications Department at Marist College.
Cheryl Goettsche ’01 (Communication Disorders) received her Bachelor’s degree from SUNY New Paltz in 2001 and her Master’s degree from The College of Saint Rose in 2004. She has worked in a variety of settings including hospitals, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, preschool, telepractice, travel therapy and academia. Cheryl’s interest in Speech Pathology was sparked when her son, then 4 years old, was diagnosed as a person who stuttered.
Sariva Goetz (Theatre Arts) is a lecturer in musical theatre who has taught at American University, New Jersey City University and Westchester Community College. A music director, keyboardist, conductor and orchestrator of more than 25 years working experience, she was assistant conductor and keyboardist for the original Broadway production of Les Miserables. Other Broadway credits include Aladdin, Sister Act, Mamma Mia, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Dirty, Miss Saigon, City of Angels, Secret Garden, Once on This Island and Sweeney Todd. Sariva holds an MA from New York University.
Noura Hajjaj (Communication) has taught as an adjunct faculty member in communication and Arabic cultural studies at Marist College, Western Connecticut State University, The College of Saint Rose and Dutchess Community College. Prior to her immigration to New York in 2003, she worked at schools affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon. Noura currently serves as an executive board member at New York State Communication Association and is assisting in planning the next annual convention of the Eastern Communication Association.
Andrew Horvitz (Sociology) earned a Ph.D. from the University at Albany. His areas of specialization include politics, culture, consumption, technology and globalization. During and after his graduate education, Andrew worked as an adjunct instructor and professor at several public and private colleges in New York. He has also held several positions with government, private and non-profit organizations, performing research, public and client relations and staff management and training.
Andrea Kantrowitz (Art Education) is an artist, researcher and educator who has lectured and given workshops internationally on art and cognition. She holds a B.A from Harvard University, a MFA in painting from Yale and an Ed.D. in art education and cognitive studies from Teachers College, Columbia University. As director of Columbia’s Thinking through Drawing Project, she organized a series of international symposia that explored practical educational and trans-disciplinary applications of drawing practices in light of recent cognitive research. She taught foundation drawing at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and art education at Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and was a teaching artist in the New York City public schools for many years.
Edwin L. Knox (Business – Management) earned his Ph.D. in Business Management-Entrepreneurship from Morgan State University. He has taught courses at New York Institute of Technology Graduate School and Long Island University, and has held managerial and administrative positions at Essex County College, Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York and Florida A&M University. He has also worked as a logistics officer for the U.S. Marine Corps. Additionally, Knox is a management consultant focusing on entrepreneurial start-ups and small business development, with a strong interest in world cultures.
Man Fung Lam (Special Education) received her master’s degree from Vanderbilt University and is in the process of obtaining her doctorate from the University of Georgia. Man Fung has been a special education teacher and behavior therapist for children with autism spectrum disorders. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, running, trying new foods and visiting family and friends.
Minghui Ma (Business – Marketing) earned her Ph.D. in Marketing at the University of Kansas and was previously a full-time faculty member at Appalachian State University. Her primary research area is quantitative marketing strategy. Minghui joins the School of Business to teach Principles of Marketing and International Marketing.
Shannon McManimon (Humanistic/Multicultural Education) holds a Ph.D. in Culture and Teaching from the University of Minnesota and has taught at the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas and Hamline University. She has also worked in the Department of Research and Evaluation in Learning at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Shannon research has focused on the social and cultural contexts of innovative, equity-focused teaching and learning in diverse settings and conditions. Shannon is an avid knitter and a gardener, who left behind her Minnesota gardens at the height of growing season.
Aaron Nelson (Digital Design and Fabrication in the Department of Art) has served as director of the Makerbot Innovation Center – part of the Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center at SUNY New Paltz – from 2014 to 2016. He holds a BFA from Oklahoma State University and an MFA from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. He has also worked as director of technology and systems administrator at the Fay Jones School of Architecture, University of Arkansas, and taught courses in interdisciplinary digital arts at UMass Dartmouth, University of Arkansas and Penland School of Crafts.
Hyunchul Park (Mathematics) earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013. He has most recently served as visiting assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Xiaoyu Pu (International Business) received her Ph.D. in Management from Rutgers University and taught at SUNY Oswego before coming to New Paltz. Her research focuses on multinational corporation innovation networks, and her areas of instruction include international business, strategic management and principles of management. Besides teaching and research, she is interested in working on assessment, critical thinking and creative course design.
Gleides Rizzi (Special Education) attained her doctoral degree in special education and applied behavior analysis at Ohio State University, and holds a Master’s degree from the City University of New York and a Bachelor’s degree from New York University. Her research, teaching and service interests focus on the use of empirically validated teacher preparation practices to support culturally and linguistically diverse learners in urban and rural settings.
Nadia Sablin (Photography), a native of Russia, earned a BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and an MFA from Arizona State University. Her work in photography investigates the relationship between documentary and fictional storytelling, and has been featured in the New York Times, the Guardian, the Moscow Times, Slate, American Photo and the Financial Times, as well as in solo and group exhibitions across the U.S. She has received the Firecracker Photographic Grant, a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship, a Puffin Foundation Grant and the Peter S. Reed Foundation Grant in Photography. Sablin’s first monograph, Aunties, was published by Duke University Press/CDS in November 2015.
Julie Slivka (Education) has a strong background in literacy education in public schools and in higher education settings. Her research and career focuses on affect theory, embodied languages, play and the intersectionality of art. She has presented papers at a variety of professional conferences, including the International Conference of the Association for the Study of Play, the Ethnographic & Qualitative Research Conference (EQRC) the National Art Education Association (NAEA). Julie also serves on the editorial review board for the Michigan Reading Journal. She enjoys hiking, swimming, art, cooking, spending time with her husband, Kevin, and walks with their dog, Moxie.
Kevin Slivka (Art) worked for the University of Northern Colorado for the past three years, where he designed and taught nine courses for undergraduate and graduate degree programs. His research focuses on cultural difference, Indigenous knowledge(s) and ecological relations of art processes. Kevin serves on the editorial review board for the Art Education Journal and is a recipient of the Harlan E. and Suzanne Dudley Hoffa Dissertation Award in Art Education. He enjoys hiking, swimming, art, cooking, spending time with his wife, Julie, and walks with their dog, Moxie.
Rachmadian (Doni) Wulandana (Mechanical Engineering) received his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. He has served as a lecturer at Wright State University Lake Campus in Celina, Ohio, and as a research scientist at the University of Pittsburgh. His research interests include multiphysics simulation of complex fluids, renewable energy and innovative teaching in engineering education.