Eighty-five UCF faculty were promoted this week, including 36 who received tenure, contingent upon approval from the Board of Trustees May 2. Among the promotions were another 24 who were named full professors.
“The promotion and tenure process is vital for the success of a great university, particularly a metropolitan research university such as UCF,” says Elizabeth Dooley, interim provost. “A university’s backbone is its faculty, and tenure allows us to attract and retain those of the highest quality to conduct our teaching, research and service missions. These milestones are some of the largest in a faculty member’s academic career. For all of those who recently received a promotion or were granted tenure — congratulations. I am proud of your accomplishments, and wish you the very best for continued success.”
The process for tenure track faculty takes 14 months from initiation to completion. Applicants typically apply for tenure and promotion to associate professor during their sixth year at the assistant professor level.
Associate Professor
Sami Alpanda, Department of Economics
George Atia, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Thomas Baker, Department of Criminal Justice
Karin Chumbimuni Torres, Department of Chemistry
Craig Crossley, Department of Management
Melissa Dodd, Department of Communication
Amy Donley, Department of Sociology
Francisco Fernandez-Rubiera, Department of Modern Languages
David Fukuda, Department of Educational and Human Sciences
Romain Gaume, Department of Optics and Photonics
Ann Gleig, Department of Philosophy
Amy Gregory, Department of Food Services and Lodging Management
William Hanney, Department of Health Professions
Melanie Hinojosa, Department of Sociology
Natasha Jones, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
Jeffrey Kauffman, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Mercedeh Khajavikhan, Department of Optics and Photonics
Brigitte Kovacevich, Department of Anthropology
Lanlan Kuang, Department of Philosophy
Xinliang Liu, Department of Health Management and Informatics
Katherine Mansfield, Department of Biology
Kelly Miller, Department of Music
Jonathan Powell, Department of Political Science
Shawn Putnam, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz, Department of Visual Arts and Design
Kyle Rohde, Department of Biomedical Sciences (Medicine)
Angela Rounsaville, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
Bridget Rubenking, Department of Communication
Anastasia Salter, Department of Visual Arts and Design
Zhisheng Shuai, Department of Mathematics
Yu Tian, Department of Accounting
Edwin Torres Areizaga, Department of Hospitality Services
Mathilda Van Niekerk, Department of Tourism, Events and Attraction
Subith Vasu Sumathi, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Yu Yuan, Department of Chemistry
Qipeng Zheng, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
Professor
Haiyan Bai, Department of Educational and Human Sciences
Carol Bast, Department of Legal Studies
Aman Behal, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Pradeep Bhardwaj, Department of Marketing
Aniket Bhattacharya, Department of Physics
Po-Ju Chen, Department of Hospitality Services
Oliver Edwards, Department of Child, Family and Community Services
Sasan Fathpour, Department of Optics and Photonics
Martha Garcia, Department of Modern Languages
Glenda Gunter, Department of Educational and Human Sciences
Robert Hall, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
Anna Jones, Department of English
Joseph LaViola II, Department of Computer Science
Kevin Mackie, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering
Matthew Marino, Department of Child, Family and Community Services
Florin Mihai, Department of Modern Languages
Kevin Murphy, Department of Food Services and Lodging Management
Yuanwei Qi, Department of Mathematics
Kevin Roozen, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
Gunes Tezcur, Department of Political Science
Damla Turgut, Department of Computer Science
Stephanie Vie, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
Harry Weger, Department of Communication
Yunjun Xu, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Associate Instructor
Scott Bukstein, Department of Sport Business Management
Lonny Butcher, Department of Management
Katidia Coronado, Department of Communication
Lynda Dennis, Department of Accounting
Daniel Inghram, Department of Statistics
Christopher Leo, Department of Integrated Business
Thomas Nedorost, Department of Computer Science
Amanda Walden, Department of Health Management and Informatics
Philip Wessel, Department of Health Management and Informatics
Associate Lecturer
Ahlam Al-Rawi, Department of Physics
Christa Diercksen, Department of Biology
Dennis Filler, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering
Shahram Ghiasinejad, Department of Psychology
Steffen Guenzel, Department of Writing and Rhetoric
Monique Levermore Bartolone, Department of Psychology
Victoria Pace, Department of Psychology
Jeffrey Reinking, Department of Accounting
Cynthia Schmidt, Department of Legal Studies
Tian Tian, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Anna Valdes, Department of Educational and Human Sciences
Danielle Webster, Department of Health Professions
In other transitions, Ray Sturm also was promoted to senior lecturer of finance; Pamela Herring was promoted to medical assistant librarian for medical education; Jeanne Piascik was promoted to associate librarian in UCF Libraries; and Staci Zavattaro, School of Public Administration was granted tenure.