New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
College of Architecture & the Arts
College of Arts & Sciences
College of Business Administration
College of Education
College of Engineering & Computer Sciences
School of Journalism & Mass Communication
School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
College of Law
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
College of Nursing & Health Sciences
Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work
University Libraries
College of Architecture & the Arts
Malik Benjamin – Instructor
School of Architecture
Malik Benjamin holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University and
Masters in Architecture degrees in Urban Design and Computing and Design from the
University of Miami. During the last four years, Benjamin has served as Assistant to the
Director and Special Projects Manager at FIU’s School of Architecture. He was also an
Adjunct Instructor at FIU, and served as a member of the Board of Directors of Dance
Now!
Barry Bernhardt – Instructor and Associate Program Director
School of Music
Barry Bernhardt, Associate Director of Bands and Director of Marching Bands, has
worked as a University Band Director for nearly three decades at universities around the
country including California State University-Long Beach, Stephen F. Austin State
University, and Southeast Missouri State University. He has served on the production
staff for Bowl Games of America since 1990, and annually writes the halftime shows for
the Orange, Gator, Sugar, Alamo, Champs Sports, Liberty, and Holiday Bowls for the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Maria Marino – Instructor
Department of Communication Arts
Maria Marino earned a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Education at Northwestern State
University of Louisiana, and completed an M.S. in Mass Communication at Florida
International University. Over the last five years, she held positions including
Instructional Designer/E-Consultant and Coordinator of Education Media/Communication
at FIU. She also teaches speech communication and cultural communication courses to
FIU undergraduates.
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Daniel Mitan – Instructor
Department of Theatre
A former walk-on quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes football team, Daniel Mitan holds
a B.S. in Communication from the University of Miami, along with an M.F.A. in Theatre
Performance from the University of Florida and a M.S Ed. from the University of
Southern California, where he focused on teaching and curriculum. He is currently
pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Miami, and developed and teaches the FIU online
courses Theatre Appreciation and Introduction to Filmmaking.
Grzegorz Nowak – Assistant Professor
School of Music
Grzegorz Nowak comes to FIU from London, where he is the Principal Associate
Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His recordings with this orchestra
include symphonies of Mendelssohn and Schumann, and the upcoming releases include
symphonies of Dvorak and Shostakovich as well as complete symphonies of Brahms
and Tchaikovsky. He began his international conducting career by winning the first prize
at the Ernest Ansermet Conducting Competition in Geneva and all the special prizes,
including the Grand Prix Patek Philippe, Rolex Prize, Swiss Prize, and the American
Patronage Prize. He received the Europäische Förderpreis für Musik for the European
Musician of the Year in Basel, and was honored with the Distinguished Teacher Award
during his tenure as Professor at the Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and the
University of Alberta bestowed the title of Honorary Professor upon him. Mr. Nowak has
conducted some of the world’s finest orchestras, and has performed with many of the
most widely respected soloists of our time.
Larry Ousley - Instructor
School of Music
Larry “Jamie” Ousley has been one of the most in-demand bassists in South Florida
since he moved to Miami in 1998 to attend graduate school at the University of Miami.
He subsequently completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Bass
Performance, and continues to perform and teach both locally and internationally. Mr.
Ousley has performed with numerous renowned artists and at a variety of international
jazz festivals and locations, as well as for many celebrities, dignitaries, and heads of
state.
Eric Peterson – Instructor
School of Architecture
Eric Peterson graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology,
and went on to earn a Master of Architecture at the University of Florida. He received
numerous fellowships and awards from that institution, including the Delores Auzenne
Graduate Scholars Fellowship, the SOA Graduate Teaching Fellowship, the Academic
Excellence Prize, and the NCARB First Prize. His work has been published in leading
magazines and journals in his field, and he has served as Curator at several exhibitions.
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Kristopher Willis – Instructor
Department of Communication Arts
Kristopher Willis earned his B.A. from Arkansas State University in Speech
Communication and Theater Arts and his M.A. in Public Communication from California
State University—Chico. He comes to FIU from Appalachian State University (North
Carolina) where he was the Co-Director of Debate for the past four years. Willis has a
distinguished record as a national award-winning debater, including debating for Team
USA (1998). The teams he has coached have won numerous national awards. His
research interests lie in the areas of argumentation, political communication, social
movements, rhetorical theory, and mass media.
Mariam Willis – Instructor
Department of Communication Arts
Mariam Willis earned her B.A. and M.A. from Arkansas State University in Speech
Communication & Theatre Arts, with a minor in general business. She has taught at the
high school, community college, college, and university levels. Most recently, she was
Co-Director of Debate Appalachian State University, where she conducted faculty
workshops on strategies for promoting critical discussions through curriculum design and
pedagogy. Willis is interested in international/intercultural communication,
interdisciplinary curriculum design, and community building through the arts.
College of Arts & Sciences
Melissa Baralt - Assistant Professor
Department of Modern Languages
Melissa Baralt comes to FIU from Georgetown University, where she completed her
doctorate in Spanish Applied Linguistics. Her areas of specialization are second
language acquisition, task-based language teaching, and ways to incorporate
technology in language learning. Dr. Baralt’s current research focuses on how increases
in the cognitive complexity of tasks differentially affect face-to face learning and learning
via the computer, how correctional feedback is provided and perceived in the face-toface mode versus the computer, and on social functions of Spanish and English in
bilingual elementary immersion contexts.
Eric Bishop von Wettberg – Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Dr. Eric Bishop von Wettberg is an evolutionary ecologist and conservation geneticist
who studies the adaptations of rare species and wild relatives of crop plants to stressful
soils, such as soils with excess levels of salt, heavy metals, or low levels of nutrients,
water, and light. With support from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes
of Health, Environmental Protection Agency, and a Fulbright Fellowship, he is examining
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
salt tolerance in wild alfalfa from Tunisia, nitrogen uptake in wild relatives of chickpea,
and population genetic processes in several rare species in Florida and the Caribbean.
Kristin Bishop von Wettberg – Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Dr. Kristin Bishop von Wettberg is an evolutionary functional morphologist who
studies the biomechanics of locomotion in mammals. Her current work explores
evolutionary tradeoffs between energetic efficiency and other functional priorities that
drive divergence in walking mechanics in different groups of mammals. She holds a
Ph.D. from Brown University, where she received a Graduate Research Fellowship
and Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from the National Science Foundation,
and completed her postdoctoral training at Duke University and the University of
California, Davis, where she obtained an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biological
Informatics.
Maya Botaghou – Assistant Professor
Department of Modern Languages
Dr. Botaghou was an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of
California Los Angeles in Women's Studies and Comparative Literature from 20082010. She completed her dissertation in Comparative Literature at the University of
Limoges (France). She is working on a book, A Poetics of the Transcultural Subject,
which focuses on the first women writers in Egypt, India, Mauritius, and Algeria. Dr.
Botaghou’s primary research and teaching areas include cultural and cross-cultural
theory, nineteenth and twentieth century literatures and cultures (in Arabic, English,
French, Spanish), gender studies, and postcolonial women writers in French,
English, and Arabic.
Erica Coles – Assistant Scholar and Director
Department of Psychology
Dr. Coles received her B.A. and M.S. in Psychology, as well as her Ph.D. in Clinical
Psychology, from SUNY Buffalo. She is the Clinical Director for the Center for Children
and Families at Florida International University. Her research focuses on behavioral and
combined treatment for ADHD, parent training, and treatment effectiveness of schooland home-based interventions for ADHD.
Karen Derefinko – Research Associate
Department of Psychology
Ms. Derefinko earned a B.A., an M.S., and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the
University of Kentucky. During her studies, she received a number of fellowships and
awards from the University of Kentucky including the Research Challenge Trust Fund
Award and the Charles T. Wethington Fellowship, and was honored with the Cheryl
Wynne Hare Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy. From 2007-
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
2008, she served as Project Manager and Research Assistant at the University of
Kentucky, where she taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Anthony Dick - Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Dr. Dick conducts research in developmental cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis
on the developmental neurobiology of language and executive function. He uses both
behavioral and biological methodologies, and in particular, uses functional magnetic
resonance imaging to explore the developing brain in vivo. Dr. Dick is the author
and co-author of several research articles and book chapters, and has been funded by
the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders to conduct his
research.
Andrea Dulanto – Instructor
Department of English
Andrea Dulanto received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Florida International
University, and her B.A. in Literature & Women's Studies from Antioch College in Ohio. She
currently teaches composition in the Writing & Rhetoric Program with the English
Department, and has also taught creative writing. Areas of interest include the intersection
of feminism and popular culture as well as LGBT issues. Her articles, nonfiction and poetry,
have been published in PopMatters, Feminist Review, Sinister Wisdom, and Court Green.
Caroline Faria – Assistant Professor
Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies
Dr. Faria graduated from the University of Washington with a Ph.D. in Human
Geography in 2009, spending the 2009-2010 year teaching and writing in the Geography
Department at Dartmouth College. Her work focuses on gender, transnational feminism,
and popular expressions of nationalism with a focus on South Sudan and the U.S.based South Sudanese diaspora. Dr. Faria is currently pursuing a research project
examining diasporic use of new media in nationalist efforts, and another study exploring
the intersections of faith and feminism in post-conflict Sudanese development efforts.
Lei Guo - Assistant Professor
Department of Physics
Dr. Guo graduated with a B.S. in physics from Peking University in 1977, and did his
master’s work on neutrino oscillation at Vanderbilt University. From 2000-2002, he was
awarded the SURA (Southeastern Universities Research Association) graduate
fellowship. After earning a Ph.D. in experimental nuclear physics in April 2004, he
became a Postdoctoral Fellow at hall B. Jefferson Lab. In March 2008, he joined the
staff of Los Alamos National Lab to work on heavy-ion collision data collected at
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Dr. Guo was a finalist for both the Nathan Isgur
Fellowship (Jefferson Lab, 2007) and Los Alamos National Lab's Director's Fellowship
(2008).
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Haiyan Jiang – Assistant Professor
Department of Earth & Environment
Dr. Jiang's research interests include studying clouds and precipitation associated with
tropical cyclones from satellite and aircraft platforms, as well as using large-scale model
reanalysis data to understand the environmental effects on hurricane rainfall and
intensity changes. Her research has been funded by NASA with a total budget of nearly
a million dollars. She is a recipient of the NASA New Investigator Award, which is an
award for young scientists working in the earth science field. Professor Jiang earned a
B.S. in Atmospheric Physics from Nanjing Institute of Meteorology in China, an M.S. in
Atmospheric Remote Sensing from the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences
and a Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Utah.
Joseph Lichter – Instructor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Dr. Lichter’s expertise is in molecular biology techniques, such as DNA cloning, PCR,
mutagenesis, and directed evolution; and protein expressions, purifications, kinetics, and
biophysical characterizations. His research specializations include protein chemistry,
molecular biology, and analytical biochemistry. Dr. Lichter graduated from Florida State
University with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Chemistry, and earned a Ph.D. in Biological
Chemistry from Emory University. After working as a Forensic Consultant at Robbins,
Tunkey, Ross, Amsel, Raben & Waxman, P.A., he took a position as a Research
Associate in the Department of Chemistry at Emory University.
Shih-Yuan Liu – Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Dr. Liu’s research interests focus on synthetic organic/organometallic chemistry with
emphasis on developing molecules of importance in biomedical research and materials
science. After earning his 1st Diploma from the Vienna University of Technology in 1977,
he went on to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in
1997, and completed his postdoctoral studies there in 2006. Prior to his FIU
appointment, Dr. Liu served as an Assistant Professor of Organic, Organometallic, and
Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Oregon.
Lindsay Malloy – Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Dr. Malloy received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine, and conducted
postdoctoral work at the University of Cambridge (UK) with training in developmental
psychology and legal psychology. Her research centers on children's disclosure of
traumatic or negative experiences; investigative interview techniques; children's memory
and suggestibility; and children's/adolescents' involvement in the legal system as
victims, witnesses, and defendants. Her research has been funded by the NSF and the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Office of Child Abuse and Neglect),
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
and recognized by the American Psychology Law Society (Dissertation Award) and the
International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (Junior Academic Award).
Ryan Meldrum – Assistant Professor
Department of Criminal Justice
Dr. Meldrum received his Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida State
University. His area of expertise centers on the influence of parents and peers in relation
to involvement in delinquent and criminal behavior. Among other areas of inquiry, his
current research investigates the extent to which individuals accurately perceive the
delinquent behavior of their peers. His recent publications have appeared in such
journals as the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, Youth Violence and
Juvenile Justice, the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and the Journal of
Contemporary Criminal Justice.
April Merleaux – Assistant Professor
Department of History
Dr. Merleaux will be teaching twentieth century U.S. history at FIU. Her research focuses
on the cultural politics of sugar production in the U.S. and its empire in the early
twentieth century. Her research interests encompass histories of commodities,
immigration, food, and comparative ethnic studies. She completed a Ph.D. at Yale
University in American Studies, where she was awarded research fellowships from the
Lamar Center for the Study of Frontiers and Borders, the Program in Agrarian Studies,
and the Yale Center for International and Area Studies.
Ulrich Oslender – Assistant Professor
Department of Global & Sociocultural Studies
Dr. Oslender is a political and cultural geographer with a regional interest in Latin
America. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in Scotland with a Ph.D. in 2001.
His research interests lie in the fields of political and cultural geography, including the
geographies of social movements and spaces of resistance; political ecology, and in
particular, in tropical rainforest environments; Afro-Colombia and cultural politics of
blackness in Latin America; geopolitical discourses on development; and displacement
and terror. His research has been funded through a number of competitive grants and
fellowships, most notably two separate Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)
grants and a three-year Marie Curie International Fellowship financed by the European
Union.
William Pelham - Professor
Department of Psychology and Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Dr. Pelham’s Summer Treatment Program for children with ADHD, which has been
recognized by the American Psychological Association (APA) and CHADD (Children and
Adults with ADHD) as a model program is widely recognized as the state-of-the-art in
treatment for children and adolescents with ADHD. Dr. Pelham is a Fellow of the APA
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
and the American Psychological Society, and past President of the Society of Child
Clinical and Adolescent Psychology (SCCAP), the International Society for Research in
Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, and the Professional Group for Attention Deficit
and Related Disorders. He is a past recipient of the CHADD Hall of Fame award and the
SCCAP Career Achievement Award. Dr. Pelham earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
from SUNY at Stony Brook.
Shannon Pruden – Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Dr. Pruden's primary research interests lie at the intersection between developmental
psychology, cognitive science, linguistics, and education. Employing a variety of
methodologies and age groups, her research focuses on the development of early
language abilities with an emphasis on the growth of children’s spatial language and
spatial cognition. Specifically, she has been examining which factors influence
children’s early language development, such as the role of cognitive, biological, and
environmental factors, including early conceptual knowledge, child gender, and
socioeconomic status. Dr. Pruden has published 13 papers and has presented at more
than 20 national and international conferences.
Jessica Robb – Assistant Scholar and Director
Department of Psychology
Dr. Robb completed her undergraduate degree at Ohio University and received her M.A.
in Psychology and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Buffalo. She
serves as a Research Assistant Professor and Director of Outreach for the Center for
Children and Families (CCF) at FIU. Dr. Robb’s areas of specialization are training and
dissemination of evidence-based practices in children’s mental health, the cost of mental
health disorders, and the impact of children’s mental health disorders on families. She is
the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award from Department of Psychology at the
University of Buffalo.
Heidi Scott – Assistant Professor
Department of English
Dr. Scott specializes in literary ecocriticism - a relatively new field that looks at the
intersections between literature and the environment. She has a strong academic
background in ecological science, with a B.S. in Biology and graduate experience in
scientific ecology, as well as a Ph.D. in English literature. She is particularly interested in
Romantic and Victorian perspectives on nature and the changing environments of early
industrialism. Dr. Scott has published eight scholarly articles and was awarded the Wylie
Dissertation Fellowship by the University of Maryland.
Jamie Theobald – Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Dr. Theobold’s research centers on how animals acquire and use information from their
sensory systems, particularly how insects use vision to guide flight. He earned his Ph.D.
at the University of Washington in Seattle. Subsequently, he worked as a National
Science Foundation (NSF) international postdoc in Sweden, examining how bees collect
pollen in the dark. His current research for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at
UCLA focuses on flies and the visual information they use to perform exquisitely fast and
accurate flight maneuvers.
Nicholas Vagnoni – Instructor
Department of English
Nick Vagnoni received his M.F.A. from FIU, and currently teaches Writing and Rhetoric I
and II, with an emphasis on exploring the writing process and the connections between
thought, speech, and written communication. He frequently serves as a mentor for
graduate teaching assistants, and has also helped develop his program's hybrid Writing
and Rhetoric courses. While at FIU, he has also served as a creative writing instructor,
as well as a graduate consultant in the Center for Excellence in Writing. He is a founding
member of The Miami Poetry Collective.
Sean Walsh - Instructor
Department of Politics and International Relations
Dr. Walsh received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Florida. His area
of expertise is in political philosophy, and his research focuses on ancient and
contemporary political thought. He has published several peer-reviewed articles, and
received awards for Best Graduate Student Paper and Best Graduate Student Teacher
from the Department of Political Science at the University of Florida. He was also
honored with the Calvin A. Van der Werf Award, which is the highest graduate teaching
award at UF.
Wei Wang – Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics
Dr. Wang received his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Science and
Technology of China, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Brown
University. His research interests lie in the area of numerical analysis of partial
differential equations and scientific computing. In particular, he is interested in
computational fluid dynamics, reacting flows and shock waves; high order numerical
methods for conservation laws, especially discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method, WENO
method and spectral methods; and multiscale methods for solid mechanics and quantum
semiconductor device simulation.
Patricia Warman – Faculty Administrator
Department of English and Center for Excellence in Writing
Patricia Warman graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in English
Writing and from Florida International University with an MFA in Creative Writing. She
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
has held positions including Graduate Writing Consultant at the Center for Excellence in
Writing at FIU; Poetry Editor at Silver of Stone, an online literary magazine; and Adjunct
Instructor at FIU’s English Department. Ms. Warman has made numerous presentations
at conferences throughout Florida, and has published poetry and book reviews.
Daniel Waschbusch – Professor
Department of Psychology
Dr. Waschbusch earned his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin, and his master’s and
doctoral degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. He began his career in 1998 at
Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he was promoted from Assistant to
Associate Professor. He moved to the University at Buffalo – SUNY in 2005 and joined
FIU in 2010. Dr. Waschbusch has published numerous scientific articles and book
chapters, and has held federal and local grants from the U.S. and Canada. He received
the New Researcher Award from the Canadian Psychological Association in 2001 and
the Killam Junior Professor Award from Dalhousie University in 2004.
Jeffrey D. Wells – Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Jeffrey D. Wells received his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago,
an M.S. in Entomology from Washington State University, and a B.A. in Zoology from the
University of Washington. His research program includes death investigation methods,
particularly those focused on insect evidence and estimating time since death, and
forensic DNA analysis. His work has been funded by NSF and NIJ. Dr. Wells is a Fellow
of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and past President of the North
American Forensic Entomology Association. He was a member of the National Institute
of Justice sponsored Technical Working Group for Education and Training in Forensic
Science, which established the guidelines by which forensic science academic programs
are now accredited.
College of Business Administration
Ruth McEwen – Professor and Director
School of Accounting
Dr. McEwen recently served as the Associate Dean, Dean of Accreditation and
Administration, and Professor of Accounting for the Sawyer Business School at Suffolk
University in Boston. She successfully led the efforts at Suffolk for initial accounting
accreditation and maintenance of AACSB accreditation for both business and
accounting in 2004. Dr. McEwen taught graduate financial accounting at the
intermediate and doctoral levels for more than 20 years, and has consulted with the
Financial Accounting Standards Board, where she was deeply involved with the FASB’s
Codification Project. Dr. McEwen is the author of numerous articles that have been
widely published in premier journals in the accounting field. She also authored two
Bureau of National Affairs Portfolios and a book entitled, “Transparency in Financial
Reporting: IFRS versus US GAAP”. Dr. McEwen was named Graduate Professor of the
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Year in 2002 and held a visiting appointment at Maastricht University from 2003-2010.
She earned her doctorate from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Louis Melbourne – Instructor
Department of Management and International Business
Louis Mebourne earned his M.B.A. from FIU with a certificate in International Business.
Prior to joining FIU in a teaching capacity, Melbourne spent almost 30 years in the
property and casualty insurance industry, primarily engaged in loss control consulting.
He teaches undergraduate courses in International Business and International
Management. Three times he has received the FIU Adjunct Faculty Award for
Excellence in Teaching.
Anastasios Moysidis – Instructor
Department of Finance and Real Estate
Anastasios “Tasos” Moysidis brings his career experience in financial planning and
treasury operations. Having taught each year at FIU since 1992, Tasos has seen many
crossings and encouraged the creation of many new bridges. Professor Moysidis uses
case studies to build his students’ analytical and critical skills and provides the support to
let his students work as a team, as they will in the workplace, and they appreciate the
opportunity to become actively engaged in their education as they become financial
professionals. In 2008, he received the FIU Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence in
Teaching.
Dileep Rao – Clinical Professor
Department of Management and International Business
Dr. Rao was the Vice President of one of the largest development finance institutions in
the U.S. He has financed over 450 businesses and managed five turnarounds, and
consults in business and economic development. He was also the Entrepreneurial
Finance columnist for Forbes.com and an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the
Carlson School of Management. Dr. Rao has written nationally acclaimed business
reference books including Business Financing: 25 Keys to Raising Money (NY Times
MBA Series), Handbook of Business Finance & Capital Sources (AMA, NY), and
Bootstrap to Billions (uEntrepreneurs.com). He holds two engineering degrees and a
Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota.
College of Education
Joy Blanchard – Assistant Professor
Department of Leadership and Professional Studies
With a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science
degree in Sport Administration from Florida State University, Joy Blanchard brings to FIU
her academic and research interests in liability issues in the college setting, including
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
those related to student welfare and student-athlete behaviors. From 1998-2001 she
was a Melvin D. Hardee Center for Women in Higher Education fellow while she
completed her master’s degree. Dr. Blanchard also is an elementary school and French
language teacher.
Yoel Camayd-Freixas – Professor
Department of Leadership and Professional Studies
Yoel Camayd-Freixas received his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Boston College
together with a Psi Chi National Honor Society Research Award. He comes to FIU from
the School of Community Economic Development at the Southern New Hampshire
University where he served as Chair of the M.A. and Ph.D. programs, and Founding
Director of the Applied Research Center. His instructional experience involves teaching
courses in research design, survey research methods, evaluation research methods,
and advanced dissertation seminars. He has concentrated a significant portion of his
efforts on designing effective doctoral programs.
Eva Frank – Instructor
Department of Teaching and Learning
Eva Frank holds an M.S. in Physical Education from FIU and received a B.S. in Sports
Medicine from Valdosta State University. She currently serves as the Head Athletic
Trainer to the athletes of the Miami FC professional soccer team, and was the Head
Athletic Trainer at Pembroke High School while a graduate assistant at FIU. Frank also
is personally involved in sports, particularly sailing. She is a volunteer for the Miami
Shake-A-Leg program and a member of the Coconut Grove Sailing Club.
Cindy George – Instructor
Department of Leadership and Professional Studies
Dr. George earned her B.S. in Psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham,
her Master of Science in Counseling at Barry University, and her Ph.D. in Counseling
with a specialization in Marital, Couple and Family Therapy. She has been a Guest
Lecturer at the College of Arts and Sciences and at the School of Humanities and Social
Sciences at Nova Southeastern University, and has served as Adjunct Faculty in the
Department of Counseling at Barry University’s School of Education.
Gwyn Senokossof – Assistant Professor
Department of Teaching and Learning
Gwyn Senokossof comes to FIU from the University of South Florida in Tampa, where
she earned a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A., all focused on early childhood education. After more
than 12 years as an elementary school teacher, Dr. Senokossof pursued her graduate
studies, focusing her research on reading, and educating children with psychological
disorders. She has published at least six refereed articles, as well as presented at
dozens of professional meetings. In 2003, she received the Excellence in Teaching
Award from USF’s College of Education, where she taught graduate and undergraduate
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
courses on reading, literacy, writing, phonics and vocabulary in the elementary and
intermediate education settings.
Lynn Yribarren – Instructor
Department of Teaching and Learning
Dr. Yribarren received her terminal degree in Curriculum and Instruction from FIU with a
focus on reading education. She has directed much of her research and training on
adolescent reading, and teaches Content and Methods of Teaching Literacy in Schools,
as well as Developmental Reading. She has also researched factors that affect students’
reading performance.
College of Engineering & Computer Sciences
Anna Bernardo-Bricker – Instructor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Professor Bernando-Bricker completed her B.S. in Chemistry at Universidad Simon
Bolivar in Venezuela, and recently earned her Ph.D. at the University of Miami. Her
research interests include molecular characterization of aerosol particles; chemical
stability of molecular markers; chemical factors that control regional transport of air
pollutants; and method development and quality assurance in order to ensure that the
data generated from extensive monitoring studies is scientifically valid, and therefore can
be reliably used in air quality assessments.
Faisal Kaleem - Instructor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Faisal Kaleem’s areas of expertise include electronic commerce, management
information systems, database systems, information security, object-oriented analysis
and design, and steganography. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from NED
University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan, and an M.S. in Electrical
Engineering from FIU, where he is currently a Ph.D. candidate in that discipline.
Professor Kaleem is a Microsoft Certified Trainer with skills in computer networking,
programming, and database design, and also has key industry standard information
security certifications.
Ayman Morad – Instructor
Department of Construction Management
Dr. Morad earned his B.S. from Kuwait University, his M.S. from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, and his Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University. From 1997-2010, he was President of Management Consultants
International, Inc. Prior to that, he held positions including Technical Program Director at
the Center for Advanced Management Programs and at Saudi Arabia and Project
Management Systems, both in Kuwait, and served as a faculty member in the
Department of Construction Management at FIU.
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Wallied Orabi – Assistant Professor
Department of Construction Management
Dr. Orabi is Assistant Professor in the Department of Construction Management. He
holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cairo University; an M.S. in Construction
Engineering from American University in Cairo; and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the
University of Illinois. Dr. Orabi’s research focuses on developing robust multi-objective
decision support systems for building and renewing sustainable and resilient civil
infrastructure systems and critical buildings. He has been recognized with numerous
merit-based honors and awards, including the Best Paper Award from the ASCE Journal
of Construction Engineering and Management.
Sharan Ramaswamy – Assistant Professor
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Ramaswamy earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Iowa.
His research interests include heart valve tissue engineering, cartilage tissue
engineering, MRI-based methods for monitoring tissue engineered constructs,
computational predictive modeling in engineered tissue growth studies, bioreactor
design/development, and cardiovascular biomechanics. He is currently the Principal
Investigator on a four-year scientist development grant from the American Heart
Association. In the six months since he joined FIU, he was awarded a competitive seed
grant (RESEED 2010) from the College of Engineering and Computing, and also
received a cash grant from the Collaborative Technology Innovation Program (CTIP) at
the Biomedical Engineering Department.
Andres Tremante – Instructor
Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
A native of Venezeula, Dr. Tremante received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with
a focus on Energy Conversion Science from the Ecole National Superieur d’Arts et
Metiers in Paris. Prior to coming to FIU, Dr. Tremante was professor and head of the
Mechanical Energy Conversion Laboratory at the Universidad Simon Bolivar in Caracas,
Venezuela. He has presented and published extensively on oil production engineering
and pump systems.
School of Journalism & Mass Communication
Jose Alejandro Alvarado – Instructor
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
A specialist in Latin American/Spanish-language media, advertising and public relations,
Dr. Alvarado earned his Ph.D. in International Studies from the University of Miami. He
has managed accounts such as Master Card, Merck, Proctor & Gamble, and others
while a VP and Media Strategist for Porter Novelli, and written and edited television
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
programming and print work for the Univision Network, ZDNet Latin America and CBS
Telenoticias. Dr. Alvarado also gained extensive government experience having served
in the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Advisor to the General Director of the
National Security and Research Center in Mexico City, in addition to other governmental
posts.
Juliana Fernandes – Assistant Professor
Department of Journalism and Broadcasting
Dr. Fernandes holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communication and an M.A. in Political
Communication from the University of Florida, and a B.A. in Journalism from
Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Brazil. Her research interests include affective
impact of advertising, effects of advertising repetition, effects of time perspective on
voting behavior, and international political communication. Her research has been
published in the American Behavioral Scientist, Mass Communication & Society, and in
several book chapters in edited collections.
Sigal Segev – Assistant Professor
Department of Advertising and Public Relations
Sigal Segev earned a B.A. in Political Science and Arabic Language from Tel Aviv
University, an M.S. in Advertising and Public Relations from FIU, and a Ph.D. in
Communications from the University of Leicester. Before joining the faculty at FIU, she
worked as a Marketing Communications Director for Surf Communication Solutions, as
well as a Public and Community Relations officer for the Consulate General of Israel in
Miami. Professor Segev’s research interests relate to consumer behavior from a
multicultural perspective, branding, multicultural communication, and the interface
between integrated communications and public diplomacy.
Moses Shumow – Assistant Professor
Department of Journalism and Broadcasting
Moses Shumow comes from the doctoral program in the School of Communication at
the University of Miami. He is currently researching the work of immigrant journalists
within the growing Venezuelan community in Miami in order to explore issues of
international media, globalization, culture, the sociology of journalism, and transnational
migration. Prior to returning to academic life in 2007, Professor Shumow worked for
nearly a decade in documentary production, and was a member of production teams for
nationally broadcast programs on PBS, Discovery Networks, History Channel, and
National Geographic, among others.
Weiriu Wang – Assistant Professor
Department of Advertising and Public Relations
Weirui Wang received her Ph.D. from the College of Communications at the
Pennsylvania State University in August 2010. Previously, she earned her M.A. in
Communication Studies from Virginia Tech University and her B.A. in Journalism from
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Dr. Wang’s primary research areas include health
communication and new media. In particular, she is interested in investigating how
Internet use transforms health information seeking and medical decision making
School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Joseph Cilli – Instructor
Information Technology and Director of Distance Learning
Joseph Cilli earned a Master of Science degree in Information Technology from the
University of Miami in 1995 and has worked in the information sector since. As the
Director of Distance Learning for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management,
Cilli is well-positioned to teach undergraduate and graduate courses such as ECommerce for the Hospitality Industry and Travel and Tourism Technology.
College of Law
Nilda R. Pedrosa – Assistant Dean
Development and External Affairs
Nilda Pedrosa received a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from FIU and a J.D. from
the New England School of Law. For 8 years she served in the Executive and Legislative
branches of the federal government, at the U.S. Department of State and in both
Chambers of the United States Congress. Her policy work has focused on Immigration
Reform, Trade and Foreign Policy with an emphasis on Latin America. She is a frequent
speaker and lecturer on Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Ms. Pedrosa currently
serves as a Member of the Third District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating
Commission and also served two terms on the 11th Circuit Judicial Nominating
Commission.
Noah Weisbord – Assistant Professor
Noah Weisbord is a leading expert on the crime of aggression and individual criminal
responsibility for illegal wars. He assisted diplomatic delegations with drafting the
definition of the crime, and in June 2010, adding it to the statute of the International
Criminal Court. He earned undergraduate degrees in science and social work and law
degrees in common and civil law from McGill University, and also holds masters degrees
in social work and law from McGill University and Harvard Law School. Professor
Weisbord is currently completing his Doctor of Juridical Science at Harvard Law
School. Prior to joining FIU, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Duke Law School.
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Nelson Adams – Professor and Director
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
A board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Adams serves as Chairman of the
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jackson North Medical Center, the first
African-American to receive such an honor. He is President and Chairman of Access
Health Solutions (AHS), a managed care company. Under his leadership, the company
has grown from humble beginnings to serving more than 94,000 beneficiaries with 525
healthcare providers. Dr. Adams was the first African-American Chief of Staff at North
Shore Medical Center in Miami. After earning his undergraduate degree at Howard
University and his medical degree at Meharry Medical College, he completed his fouryear residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Emory University in 1982.
Diana Barratt – Assistant Professor and Director
Department of Neurology
Dr. Barratt is a board-certified neurologist, with a subspecialty certificate in sleep
medicine from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She earned
her Master’s degree in Public Health from Harvard University, and her medical and
undergraduate engineering degrees from the University of Florida. Dr. Barratt, whose
research interests include hyperbaric oxygen, is the recipient of the Herbert Wertheim
College of Medicine Aesculapius Award for Service, an award for research in hyperbaric
medicine, and a fellowship from the American Association of University Women.
Pablo Calzada – Associate Professor
Department of Humanities, Health and Society
Dr. Calzada earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at Nova Southeastern
University in 1993. He completed his internship at the U.S. Navy at the Naval Hospital,
Jacksonville, Florida, and his residency as a civilian at the St. Vincent’s Medical Center
in Jacksonville in 1999. Dr. Calzada earned a Master of Public Health degree at the
University of South Florida. In 2001, he became Clinical Assistant Professor at the
University of Florida College of Medicine, and later joined the faculty at the Department
of Family Medicine at Nova Southeastern University.
Karin Esposito – Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Esposito earned her M.D. as well as her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology from the University of Miami. She is the former Associate Chief Medical Officer
for Mental Health at Jackson Health System in Miami, and previously served as
Associate Training Director for the psychiatry residency at Jackson Health
System/University of Miami. Her research and clinical interests have focused on anxiety,
depression, and obesity. She also has a strong interest in clinical and research ethics,
having served as an IRB Vice-Chair and participated in the design of translational
research training programs.
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Yolangel Hernandez Suarez – Associate Professor and Associate Dean
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Graduate Medical Education
During her distinguished career, Dr. Hernandez Suarez has built bridges between
academia and the community to create value for patients and students alike. After
attending Swarthmore College and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,
she trained in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.
Dr. Hernandez Suarez holds a Master of Business Administration with specialization in
Health Administration and Policy from the University of Miami School of Business. She
has taught students at Barry University and at the University of Miami Miller School of
Medicine, and was a physician leader in the Jackson Health System.
Cheryl Holder – Associate Professor and Program Director
Department of Humanities, Health and Society
Since 1987, Dr. Holder has worked in medically underserved communities in Miami
Dade County in various capacities. She supervised the University of Miami’s family
medicine residents at Jackson Memorial Hospital during their internal medicine rotation
from 1987-1994. She also served as Medical Director to the largest community health
center in the Jackson Health System from 1990-2009, and in September 2009, joined
FIU’s College of Medicine Division of Family Medicine. Dr. Holder completed her
undergraduate education at Princeton University, her medical education at The George
Washington University School of Medicine, and her internal medicine training at Harlem
Hospital in New York. She has received numerous awards, including the Robert Wood
Johnson Community Health Leader Award in 1995, and was recognized by Success
Magazine as one of the leading African-American Women in Healthcare in South Florida
in 2008.
Anthony Japour – Associate Professor
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
As an infectious diseases physician-scientist in the late 1980’s through 1996 at Boston’s
Beth Israel-Deaconess Hospital at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Japour researched the
molecular mechanisms HIV-1 drug resistance and their clinical significance in HIV/AIDS
patients. In addition, while at Harvard, he worked on the development of surrogate
markers in HIV/AIDS for use in clinical research protocols while also developing AIDS
medications. Dr. Japour continued his work at Abbott Laboratories in HIV drug
development, and helped bring an antiretroviral drug from Phase I through Phase III
FDA approval in 2000. Most recently, Dr. Japour has been consulting on strategic
planning, public health policy, education, and research for preventive medicine and
emerging infectious diseases such as Avian Influenza and HIV/AIDS.
Pedro Lopez – Professor and Department Chair
Department of Ophthalmology
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Dr. Lopez’s research and clinical practice center around vitreoretinal diseases and
surgery within ophthalmology. One of his greatest research accomplishments was
discovering VEGF- a growth factor within choroidal neovascularization in age- related
macular degeneration – and suggesting that its inhibition could be useful in the treatment
of this blinding condition. Avastin and Lucentis, the current standards of care for wet
macular degeneration, were developed as a result of Dr. Lopez’s publication, which is
still the fourth most cited article in Investigative Ophthalmology. A native of Cuba, Dr.
Lopez graduated from Harvard University with an A.B. in Biochemical Science, and
earned his medical degree at the University of Miami School of Medicine, where he was
the first student to graduate with a perfect academic record.
Dietrich Lorke - Professor
Department of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology
Dr. Lorke studied medicine at the Universities of Bonn (Germany), Montpellier (France)
and Heidelberg (Germany), where he received his medical degree, followed by a Dr.
med. from the University of Tübingen (Germany) and a Ph.D. in Anatomy from the
University of Hamburg (Germany). His research focuses on developmental
neuroanatomy. Recently, he has worked on the blood-brain barrier, analyzing the
passage of oxime-type cholinesterase reactivators into the central nervous system. Dr.
Lorke was awarded a scholarship from the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes in
1974, and received the Leonardo-da-Vinci Award for the Arts and Sciences and the Dr.
Martini Award for his research on neurogenesis. He was also named Teacher of the
Year at Hamburg University.
Juan M. Lozano - Professor
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Dr. Lozano is a pediatrician with an M.D. from the Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, where
he also completed his residency in pediatrics, and later also earned a Master’s of
Science in Clinical Epidemiology from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. His
research interests lie in the areas of clinical pediatrics (mostly in the fields of acute
respiratory infections, pneumonia, and bronchiolitis), acute diarrhea and neonatology,
and more recently, in the field of knowledge translation (accelerating the uptake of health
research results by practitioners and policy makers). His primary areas of expertise
include clinical research methodology and acute respiratory infections.
Suzanne Minor – Assistant Professor
Department of Humanities, Health and Society
Dr. Minor earned a B.S. at Florida State University and an M.D. at the University of
Miami School of Medicine, and completed her training at the University of Miami/
Jackson Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. From 1999-2010, she
served as as Resident Physician as Jefferson Reaves Senior Health Center, and as
Attending Physician at the Urgent Care Center and North Dade Health Center at
Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Minor has contributed her medical expertise to a variety
of public service organizations, and has taught medical students and residents at Florida
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
State College of Medicine, the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Family
Medicine Residency Program, and at University of Miami School of Medicine.
Jorge Mora – Assistant Professor
Department of Humanities, Health and Society
Dr. Mora received his M.D. degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and a
Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. Prior to completing
his medical training, he worked with the Harvard AIDS Institute and François-Xavier
Bagnoud International on issues related to health care access, HIV/AIDS, and health
and human rights in India, Colombia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Later, he joined the
University of Texas, where he was Program Manager for the NIH sponsored Community
Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS at the Houston AIDS Research Team. In 2007,
Dr. Mora completed his Family Medicine Residency at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in
Florida, and subsequently joined Broward General Hospital in Broward and the Veterans
Administration Medical Center in West Palm Beach.
Manuel Peñalver – Professor and Department Chair
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Peñalver obtained his M.D. from the University of Miami School of Medicine in 1977,
and completed his gynecologic oncology fellowship training at the University of
Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center. He joined the faculty of the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Miami Medical School, where he
became Chairman in 1999. Dr. Peñalver was named Doctor of the Year by Baptist
Hospital Surgical Services for 2007, and has received numerous awards for teaching
excellence. His work has been published in a long list of peer review journals, textbooks,
and chapters. He is a member of numerous professional societies, and has made many
presentations at local, national, and international meetings.
Eneida Roldan – Associate Professor
Department of Medicine
Before joining FIU, Dr. Roldan served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Public Health Trust and Jackson Health System, and prior to that, as Interim President
and Chief Operating Office of Jackson Health System. She has also held leadership
positions including Senior Vice President, Associate Chief Medical Officer, and Chief
Administrative Officer of Jackson Memorial Hospital; and President and Chief Executive
Officer of Pan American Hospital. Dr. Roldan was Assistant Clinical Professor at the
University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and M.D.-Ph.D.
program, and currently serves as Assistant Professor of Pathology at the Miller School of
Medicine and Course Director for the Foundations of Health Care at the FIU School of
Medicine. She is a nationally and internationally renowned speaker, and has authored
several peer reviewed scientific papers and book chapters.
Eugenio Rothe – Professor
20
New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Rothe is Professor of Psychiatry at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and
Courtesy Professor at the Robert Stempel School of Public Health. He is the Director of
the Values and Professional Behavior course for first and second year medical students,
teaching them how to improve their bedside manner, develop compassion for their
patients, and deal with the difficult emotional situations that they face during
their training. Dr. Rothe has been honored with numerous national awards for his writing
on the mental health issues of immigrants and refugees.
Arnold Schild – Professor and Director
Department of Surgery
Dr. Schild received his M.D. degree from the Medical University of South Carolina,
Charleston, and completed his rotating internship at L.A. County Hospital in Los Angeles
and his surgical residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital. In
1971, Dr. Schild and four other surgeons founded the Surgical Group of Miami. In 1992,
he accepted a position as Professor of Surgery at the University of Miami School of
Medicine and ran the Vascular Access Surgery for Dialysis Program. Dr. Schild has
served as President of many organizations including the Dade County Medical
Association, the Florida Medical Association, the Florida Chapter of the American
College of Surgeons, the American Society of General Surgeons, and is the Founding
President of the Vascular Access Society of the Americas.
Donald Smithburg – Faculty Administrator and Associate Dean
Office of the Dean
Donald Smithburg is best known for his leadership of the public hospital system in
Louisiana during and after Hurricane Katrina. He has served on numerous health care
boards and commissions, including several gubernatorial appointments, and has
delivered dozens of legislative and Congressional testimonies on health care policy and
management. Prior to serving as Principal of Health Management Associations, Mr.
Smithburg was CEO of the Charity Hospital System in Louisiana, Executive Vice
President of LSU Health Care Services, and President/CEO of University Medical Center
Hospitals in Dallas, Texas. In 1995, he was named by Modern Healthcare magazine as
one of America’s Up and Coming in Health Care, and in 2006, his institution was named
Top Public Hospital System in America by the National Association of Public Hospitals
and Health Systems.
James Swanson - Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Prior to joining FIU, Dr. Swanson served as a faculty member at the Psychology
Department at the University of Texas and at the Research Institute of the Hospital for
Sick Children in Toronto. He subsequently joined the faculty of the University of
California, Irvine (UCI), where he was Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the UCI
Child Development Center (UCI-CDC), which he founded in 1983. Dr. Swanson’s
research focuses on hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, and conduct disorder in
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
children. Through his research, he has developed procedures for monitoring the
cognitive effect of stimulant medication, the most frequent treatment for the group of
patients. His research also focuses on biochemical and genetic factors related to these
disorders. Dr. Swanson has investigated the effect of intensive early intervention for
children with attention and conduct disorders through a school-based treatment program
conducted in cooperation with the Orange County Department of Education, a program
carried out at the Child Development Center.
John Uribe – Professor and Department Chair
Department of Orthopedics
Dr. Uribe is a dual board-certified orthopedic surgeon at Doctors Hospital in Coral
Gables, Florida. Prior to his appointment at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine,
he was an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Exercise & Sports Sciences at the
University of Miami. A founding member of the UHZ Sports Medicine Institute, he
previously served as Lieutenant Colonel and Chief of Orthopedics in the U.S. Army at
Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. Dr. Uribe’s research interests include minimally
invasive resurfacing techniques of the knee and shoulder, and ligament and tendon
restoration. He has been a team physician for the Florida Panthers hockey team, the
Miami Dolphins, and the Florida Marlins, and has been chosen as one of the "Best
Doctors in America" annually since 2001.
James Waxmonsky – Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Dr. Waxmonsky is a board-certified child and general psychiatrist specialized in the
treatment of ADHD across the lifespan and the treatment of pediatric mood disorders.
His areas of research focus on the development of multimodal (integrating medication
with behavior therapy) treatments for children with complex psychiatric illness as well as
the mental and physical effects of stimulant medication, such as Ritalin and Adderall, in
children. He has been honored with the NCDEU and AACAP Young Investigator awards
and the Klingenstein Fellowship for pediatric depression research. Dr. Waxmonsky is
currently the Primary Investigator on two NIH and one industry funded grant, all for the
treatment of ADHD.
College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Denis Brunt – Professor and Department Chair
Department of Physical Therapy
Prior to joining the FIU faculty, Dr. Brunt held a number of academic appointments at
U.S. universities, including Tenured Associate Professor and Founding Director of the
Rehabilitation Science Ph.D. program, College of Health Professions, at the University of
Florida; and Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy at East Carolina University.
His research and teaching interests are in the areas of movement disorders and clinical
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
biomechanics. With the use of 3-F motion analysis, Dr. Brunt can define movement
problems from biomechanics and motor control perspectives.
Charles Buscemi - Assistant Professor
Nursing
Dr. Buscemi’s research centers on the health of Hispanic American elders. His particular
focus is on caregiver burdens and depression among Hispanic American families. A
former recipient of the Hartford Foundation's Geriatric Nursing Scholars Grant, he has
made presentations at international conferences and has been published in several
journals. Dr. Buscemi graduated from the University of Miami with a Ph.D. in Nursing
Sciences.
Michelle Ferguson - Clinical Assistant Professor
Nursing
As a clinical nursing professor, Dr. Ferguson brings a diversified base in pediatrics,
neonatal, maternal and child health, obstetrics, psychiatric, and medical surgical nursing
to her students. She earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from the University of
Miami and her M.S.N. and A.R.N.P. from FIU. She is particularly interested in providing
care to children with special health needs.
Inae Gadotti – Assistant Professor
Department of Physical Therapy
Inae Gadotti completed her MScPT at the Federal University of Sao Carlos and her
BScPT at Methodist University of Piracicaba, both in Brazil, and is currently a doctoral
candidate. Her research interests include Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) and its
relationship with cervical spine alterations; assessment of head posture in normal
subjects and in patients with TMD; dental occlusion alterations and head posture;
cervicogenic headache; and interdisciplinary rehabilitation of TMD patients. She has
published in some of the leading journals in her field, and has made presentations at
national and international conferences.
Ali Marie Galindo – Assistant Professor
Nursing
Ali Galindo earned her BSN in 1990 and her ARNP in 2003 from Barry University. From
2004 to 2010, she worked for the Education Department at Memorial Hospital West and
as a Nurse Practitioner at Dermacare Laser Clinic in Pembroke Pines. She has also
served as Adjunct Faculty in nursing programs at FIU, Barry University, and Nova
Southeastern University.
Carol Lambdin – Instructor
Department of Occupational Therapy
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Dr. Lambdin holds a terminal degree in the field of occupational therapy (OT) and is one
of a handful of occupational therapists in Miami who are experts in the mental health
field. Her research agenda includes the impact of stress on occupational balance. Her
teaching skills were recognized with an FIU Adjunct Excellence in Teaching Award for
2005-2006, and the 2006 Gail Hills Award for excellence in scholarship and commitment
to the profession of occupational therapy presented by the Florida International
University Occupational Therapy Department.
Daniel Little - Clinical Assistant Professor
Nursing
With a nursing career spanning more than 40 years, Dr. Little earned his Ph.D. in
nursing and completed his Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certificate from Barry
University. He is experienced providing care for various populations, with a special focus
on psychiatric services. Dr. Little’s research interests include nursing behavior and
patient outcomes. He is a board member of the Florida Nurses Association and a
member of several nursing associations and honor societies.
Edgar Vieira – Assistant Professor
Department of Physical Therapy
Dr. Vieira’s goals include bridging the gap between ergonomics/ human factors
knowledge and health and safety practices and policies. His research interests
encompass the causation, prevention, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders,
including low back disorders, patient falls and caregiver injuries, and the return to work
process. After receiving his B.S. degree in Physical Therapy from the Methodist
University of Piracicaba, Brazil in 1999, he went on to earn his M.S. degree in Physical
Therapy from the Federal University of Sao Carlos, Brazil in 2002. Four years later, he
completed his Ph.D. at the Ergonomics Research Laboratory, University of Alberta.
Liwliwa Villagomeza – Assistant Professor and Director
Nursing
Liwliwa Villagomeza received her BSN degree from St. Luke’s College of Nursing at
Trinity College of Quezon City in the Philippines in 1980. She immigrated to the U.S. in
1982, and obtained her Master of Science degree with Academic Role Concentration in
Nursing in 2005 at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. During her studies,
she received scholarships from the CampusRN-AACN and the Philippine Nurses
Association of America. She was also awarded the 2008 Dissertation Award of the
Southern Nursing Research Society.
Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work
Elena Bastida – Professor and Department Chair
Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
Dr. Bastida holds a doctoral degree from the University of Kansas, Lawrence. A medical
sociologist, she was further trained in population health and health intervention research
through pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships from the National Institutes of Health.
Prior to joining FIU, she served as Associate Dean for Research and Chair of the
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of North Texas Health
Science Center. Since 1990, Dr. Bastida has been funded continuously by the National
Institutes of Health, and has served the NIH as a member of four study sections, chair of
review panels, and in various advisory roles.
Alok Deoraj – Instructor
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
As an instructor in the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Dr.
Deoraj brings expertise in cancer biotechnology research, particularly evaluating the
epigenetic/environmental effects on cancer development. He has served in senior
scientific roles with two biotechnology companies and is experienced as technology
transfer liaison in both academic and in industrial settings. He received his Ph.D. in
immunology from the National Institute of Immunology in India, and a Master’s of
Science in Zoology from Patna University.
Mehmet Dorak - Associate Professor
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Prior to joining FIU, Dr. Dorak, originally a medically trained genetic researcher, held
academic appointments at three United Kingdom and three U.S universities and worked
at a private research institute. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers,
numerous book chapters, and edited and co-edited two books. His research focuses on
genetic basis of cancer susceptibility, especially childhood leukemia, and his work in the
immunogenetics field has been recognized with awards by the British and American
Societies for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics.
Joan Marn – Clinical Instructor
Department of Dietetics & Nutrition
Joan Marn received her M.S. from FIU’s Department of Dietetics & Nutrition, and a B.S.
in Medical Dietetics from Ohio State University. A Registered Dietitian (R.D.) and
Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (L.D.N.), Marn has more than 20 years of experience as a
clinical dietitian and is an active nutrition advocate in the South Florida community
working for Baptist Health Systems, The Family Nutrition Center of South Florida and
other community health organizations.
Lourdes Martin – Clinical Instructor
School of Social Work
Lourdes Martin graduated from FIU with a B.S. in Social Work and a Master of Social
Work. She became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Florida in 2005, and
has served as Adjunct Faculty at the School of Social Work since 2008. While she has
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
done extensive work in the area of community mental health, the majority of her work
and expertise is in the field of victim services, working primarily with trauma survivors in
the areas of domestic and interpersonal violence and stalking. Previously, Professor
Martin was Associate Director and Victim Services Coordinator for the FIU Victim
Advocacy Center.
University Libraries
Consuella Askew – Associate Librarian and Associate Dean
Consuella Askew earned her B.A. in English from Spelman College, her M.L.S. in
Library and Information Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and
her Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from FIU. From 2001–2004, she served as
LibQUAL+ Program Specialist with the Association of Research Libraries, and as Project
Consultant on a grant with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Library
Alliance. Over the last six years, she was Chief Librarian and Chair, Library and
Information and Services at Medgar Evers College, and most recently, Chief Librarian at
the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.
Lowell Bryan Cooper – Associate Librarian and Associate Dean
Dr. Cooper holds an M.A. from the University of Miami, an MLIS from the University of
South Florida, and a Ph.D. in Interdepartmental (American) Studies from the University
of Miami. Before coming to FIU, he was Professor and Director of the University Library
at St. Thomas University. His experience includes technology-related grant project
development and administration, and he currently serves on the Intellectual Freedom
Committee of the Florida Library Association, and on the Association of College &
Research Libraries/University Libraries Section Membership Committee. Previously, he
has taught American History and Culture to legalized immigrants, and Honors U.S.
History.
Lori Driver – Librarian/Archivist
Government Documents
Having spent the last ten years as an archivist in FIU’s library, Driver has coordinated
the Federal Depository Library Program, managing and cataloging a 15 year back-log of
materials and resources in Government Documents. She also has a creative interest in
library sciences having created, designed and maintained library websites. Driver
received her Masters in Library and Information Sciences from the University of South
Florida and her bachelor’s of arts degree magna cum laude from American
Intercontinental University.
Elizabeth Siler – Instructor/Electronic Resources Librarian
Department of Collection Development
Elizabeth Siler earned a B. A. in Communication Studies at Elon University and a
Masters in Library and Information Science at the University of Kentucky. While earning
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New Faculty 2009-2010
(permanent, full-time)
her master’s degree, she worked as a graduate assistant in the Electronic Resources
Unit of the Technical Services Department at the University of Kentucky. She has served
as President and Secretary of the Library and Information Science Student Organization,
was inducted into the Beta Phi Mu honor society, and was awarded the Melody Trosper
Award for Student Excellence and the William T. Young Library Outstanding Student
Award.
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