Black Studies Department hires visiting lecturer to join two new full-time tenure-track hires

A third new faculty member has joined the Department of Black Studies this fall.

Bula S. Wayessa, who earned his Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, has been hired as a one-year visiting lecturer of black studies. Wayessa is an Ethiopian citizen with permanent residency in Canada, where he lives with his wife and two children.

Wayessa joins Cruz Bueno and Nicole Carr, two new tenure-track assistant professors in Black Studies in the College’s efforts to rebuild the Black Studies Department faculty ranks after an unprecedented number of retirements and departures 18 months ago.

“Professor Wayessa’s cross-disciplinary research and teaching will serve Black Studies exceptionally well,” said College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean Laura Barrett. “We are delighted that he is able to join us this year.”

In addition to his doctorate, Wayessa earned a graduate diploma as a certified graduate teacher from Jimma University in Ethiopia, as well as a Master of Arts degree in archaeology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a minor in geography, both from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

Wayessa’s past professional positions include serving as a sessional instructor of anthropology and archaeology at the University of Calgary; a lecturer of history and heritage at Jimma University; and a sessional instructor at Destiny Travel Industry College and Ethiopia Adventist College, both also located in Ethiopia.

Wayessa is the author of the book “Ethnographic study of traditional pottery-making artisan women and tuber crop consumption technology in Wallaga, Oromia, Ethipoia,” published by Lambert Academic Publishing. He also authored a published report for the African Diaspora Archaeology Network. Wayessa is the recipient of numerous fellowships and grants, including from the National Geographic Society and the National Geographic Foundation.

When it comes to his teaching interests, Wayessa is passionate about population migration and interactions, with a specific focus on continental and international population movement, among other topics. He is also interested in teaching courses “that examine the interplay among gender, religion and identity as well as race, racism, and marginalization,” according to his curriculum vitae (CV).

Wayessa’s research interests include “the impact of globalization on the livelihood of rural artisan women in Ethiopia,” as well as several other subjects including race and racism both within and outside of Africa; the relationship between African Americans and African immigrants; and precolonial, colonial and postcolonial gender perceptions in Africa, also according to his CV.