September, 2011
New Faces, Trading Places and Retirements
SAN LUIS OBISPO -- New faces are popping up all over the college this fall. Twenty COSAM faculty and staff members retired since last spring, and the college added 12 new employees.
Who’s new?
Faculty members: Vardha Bennert, Luis Reyes (Physics); Sandra Clement, Kristin Hardy, Sean Lema (Biological Sciences); Alan Kiste, Gregory Scott and Shanju Zhang (Chemistry and Biochemistry); Robert Easton (Mathematics); and Julie Herron and Elizabeth Meyer (School of Education). Scroll down to see their photos, education and research interests below.
Several departments also have new professors in the “Department Chair” seat. Professor Kevin Taylor now chairs the Kinesiology Department. Former chair Camille O’Bryant has returned to full-time teaching. Professor Nilgun Sungar is now the chair of the Physics Department, with former chair Matt Moelter returning to full-time teaching.
SOE Interim Dean Robert Detweiler
As part of its ongoing merger with the College of Science and Mathematics, the School of Education is now being led by Interim Dean Robert Detweiler. Detweiler was formerly president of CSU Dominguez Hills before retiring to San Luis Obispo County; he served as Cal Poly’s Interim Provost from 2004 to 2006. Since then he has continued teaching part-time in Cal Poly’s History Department. The position of Dean of the School of Education will report to COSAM Dean Phil Bailey.
The Dean’s Office has two new faces: Budget Analyst Emi Youngquist (formerly with the Biological Sciences department) and Faculty/Staff Analyst Jessica Douglas. Dean’s Assistant and Student Analyst Harriet Ross is still with the office, and Sharon Arnold is now the college Personnel and Resource Analyst. Ellen Calcagno, formerly of the Forestry and Natural Resources Management Department, is now the budget analyst for the Biological Sciences Department, replacing Youngquist.
College Staff: The Advising Center added two new professional advisors this summer. Staffing the center along with Director Kristie Weddige and Administrative Coordinator Becky Westmoreland will be Michelle Macintyre and Meghan Farrier-Nolan. Both joined the office in July. New staff in COSAM department offices include Carly Eggleston (Mathematics), Kathleen Lanigir (Physics), Melody Pietsch (Statistics), and Kristina Wong (STRIDE). Rob Brewster joined the technical staff in the Biological Sciences Department.
Who retired?
Associate Dean Dane Jones retired from his administrative position this fall, but will continue teaching chemistry part-time through the university’s FERP (Faculty Early Retirement Program).
Other Retiring professors included Steven Agronsky (Math); Dave Keil and Michael Yoshimura (Biological Sciences); John Goers (Chemistry & Biochemistry); Richard Saenz and Ronald Zammit (Physics); and Bonnie Konopak, Donald Maas, and George Petersen (School of Education). Retiring staff included Analysts Pam Parsons and Rhonda Walker (Dean’s Office); Lynne Nagahara (Liberal Studies); Peggy Smith Anderson and Pat Repasi (School of Education).
Keep up with Cal Poly professors through COSAM’s department web sites – all easy to find on the COSAM home page: www.cosam.calpoly.edu.
New Faculty & Their Backgrounds
Physics
Professor Vardha Bennert
Ph.D., Physics and Astronomy
(2005), M.S. (2002), B.S., Physics
(1999), Ruhr-University, Bochum,
Germany. Postdoctoral Research:
UC Riverside (2005-08); UC Santa
Barbara (2008-11).
Research Interests:
Astrophysics, Active Galactic Nuclei,
Black Hole Mass Scaling
Relations and their Evolution,
Galaxy Interactions and Mergers.
Physics
Professor Luis Reyes
Ph.D., Physics, University of
Maryland (2007), B.S. Physics,
Universidad de los Andes,
Bogata Columbia (2001).
Postdoctoral studies: University
of Chicago (2007-11).
Research Interests:
Particle astrophysics.
Biological Sciences
Professor Sandra Clement
PhD, Microbiology,
Michigan State (2004).
BS Biology, Doane College (1995).
Postdoc, Colorado and UC San Diego
(2005-2011).
Research Interests:
Post-transcriptional and
post-translational
regulation
of gene expression
by cell signaling
pathways in mammalian cells
Biological Sciences
Professor Kristin Hardy
Ph.D., Marine Biology, University of
North Carolina, Wilmington (2009).
B.S. Neuroscience Tulane University
(2003). Research Interests:
Environmental physiology of
marine
invertebrates, Metabolic effects of
intracellular and environmental hypoxia,
Molecular and physiological adaptations
to stress in crustaceans, Comparative
muscle physiology and energetics,
Evolution of behavior in crustaceans
Biological Sciences
Professor Sean Lema
Ph.D., M.S., Animal Behavior, UC Davis
(2004, 2001). B.S. Evolution and Ecology,
UC Davis (1999). Assistant Professor,
University of North Carolina,
Wilmington (2008-2011).
Research Interests: Environmental
endocrinology, Behavioral ecology of
marine and freshwater fish, Evolution of
developmental and behavioral plasticity,
Endocrine disruption by chemical
pollutants, Integration of phenotypic
plasticity into new approaches to conservation
Chemistry
Professor Alan Kiste
Ph .D. Chemistry and Education
(2009), University of Michigan
M.S., Macromolecular Science
and Engineering (1995)
M.A. Education (1998)
University of Michigan.
B.S., Chemistry,
Calvin College (1993);
Research Interests:
Development of new methods
for analyzing
chemistry
students' learning.
Chemistry
Professor Gregory Scott
Ph.D., Physical Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana
(2011)
B.S., Chemistry,
Concentration in Computer Science,
Davidson College, North Carolina (2004).
Teach for America,
Brownsville, Texas (2004-06).
Research Interests: Characterization
of nanomaterials via scanning
probe microscopies.
Identification of
the relationships among
morphological,electrical,
and optical properties
of nanomaterials.
Chemistry
Professor Shanju Zhang
Ph.D., Polymer Chemistry
and Physics,
Jilin University, China (1998)
Post-doctoral study in Polymers,
University of Cambridge,
UK (2002-06)
B.S., Polymer Chemistry,
Jilin University, China (1993)
Specialties: polymers and coatings.
Research Interests:
Optoelectronic Macromolecules,
Semiconducting Nanomaterials:
Polymer Nanocomposites:
Mathematics
Professor Robert Easton
Ph.D., Mathematics,
Stanford (2007)
Postdoctoral Research:
University of Utah
(2007-2011)
B.S. Mathematics,
University of Michigan (2002)
School of Education
Professor Julie Herron
Ph.D., Curriculum and
Instruction, Utah State
(2007)
M.A,. Education,
San Diego State (2002)
B.A., Communications
Disorders and Sciences,
Spanish, University of
Oregon (1996)
Assistant Professor,
Elementary Mathematics
Education, College of Education,
University of Alabama
(2007-2011).
Specialties: culturally relevant
word problems,
School of Education
Professor Elizabeth Meyer
Ph.D., Education, McGill University,
Montreal (2007)
M.A. Education,
University of Colorado (1997)
B.A. French Language
and Literature, Tulane (1992)
Assistant Professor of Education,
Concordia University. Montreal
( 2009-2011)
Specialties: gender in education,
effects of bullying in education.