HIGH POINT, N.C., Sept. 29, 2016 – High Point University welcomes 23 new faculty members to the David R. Hayworth College of Arts and Sciences. This fall, 49 new faculty are joining the university.
Dr. Todd Lyda, Instructor of Biology
Lyda will teach lecture courses and laboratory sections in the biology department. In this role, he will help students gain the skills necessary to conduct meaningful research. This is a new faculty position. Previously, Lyda was a post doctorate research fellow with the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. He moved to High Point from Clemson, South Carolina, where he was a post doctorate researcher with the Genetics and Biochemistry Department at Clemson University. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Erskine College and a Ph.D. in genetics from Clemson University. Lyda also is founder and president of Para Tryp Research Organization Inc., a non-profit focused on funding biomedical research for the tri-Tryp diseases (African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and Leishmaniasis).
Dr. Jackson Sparks, Assistant Professor of Biology
Sparks teaches upper level genetics and conducts research with undergraduate students. This is a newly created faculty position. Sparks’ expertise is in genetics and the physiology of insect chemosensation, such as how mosquitoes taste the things they touch. At HPU, he and students will rear mosquitoes and transgenic vinegar flies to develop novel pest control strategies. Sparks previously was a visiting assistant professor of biology at Drury University. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigating the genes mosquitoes use to locate human hosts and received funding to work in research labs at Tokyo University in Japan and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. Sparks has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Duke University and a Ph.D. in biology from the University of South Carolina.
Dr. Kevin Suh, Assistant Professor of Biology
Suh teaches biology classes and is continuing his research on cancer cell biology. He previously worked as a post-doctoral cancer researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also participated in a professional faculty development program and helped improve teaching effectiveness as a Delta intern and also as an HHMI biology teaching fellow at UW-Madison. He taught as an adjunct professor and visiting assistant professor at UW-Madison and at Denison University. Suh holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in molecular biology and a doctorate in cell biology.
Dr. Brett Woods, Associate Professor of Biology
Woods teaches animal physiology and biology for non-majors. He is also director of pre-health profession advising. This is a new faculty position. Woods’ research focuses on various aspects of hibernation, and he has studied yellow-bellied marmots and woodchucks closely. He is also interested in physiology adaptations to extreme environments and enjoys giving students opportunities to work with and observe wild mammals. Before coming to HPU, Woods taught at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater, Beloit College and Northwestern University. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California-Berkeley and a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Kansas. In 2014, he received the University of Wisconsin System Regents Diversity Award.
Jessica Swanson, Instructor of Criminal Justice
Swanson teaches criminal justice classes and oversees the Citizen’s Police Academy course, a special interest course taught at the High Point Police Department. Additionally, she plans on continuing her research on human trafficking and the law enforcement response during large events and media coverage. Prior to HPU, Swanson worked as an instructor and academic advisor at Indiana University. She was an environmental chemist for Trihydro Corporation and an advising coordinator for the Department of Criminal Justice at University of Wyoming. She volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate representing abused and neglected children. Swanson holds bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, music and criminal justice from the University of Wyoming, a master’s in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati and is completing a doctorate in criminal justice from Indiana University at Bloomington.
Dr. Meredith Malburne-Wade, Assistant Professor of English
Malburne-Wade teaches literature courses and serves as the founding director of HPU’s newly created Office of Fellowships and Awards. In this role, she advises students interested in major external fellowships such as the Rhodes, Truman, Goldwater and Fulbright programs. This is a newly created faculty position. Malburne-Wade most recently taught African American literature and American drama at Gettysburg College and has taught and worked at several other colleges and universities. She has helped students secure numerous fellowships as well, including more than 26 Fulbrighters. Malburne-Wade released her first book, “Revision as Resistance in Twentieth-Century American Drama,” in 2015. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and French from Wellesley College, a master’s in English from Georgetown, and a Ph.D. in 20th century American literature from UNC-Chapel Hill, where she received two teaching awards and a course design award.
Dr. Virginia Piper, Visiting Assistant Professor of English and World Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Piper teaches courses in British literature, Victorian literature and world literature, as well as French language, literature and culture courses. This is a new faculty position. She comes to HPU from Boise State University, where she was a Faculty Fellow. Piper’s area of expertise is 19th-century British and French literature, with an emphasis on comparative literature and the novel. Her current research advances a new theory of novel form through readings of works by Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë, Henry James, Victor Hugo and Émile Zola. While teaching across disciplines, Piper encourages students to engage with new vocabularies, images and ideas through their writing and reading in preparation for their future studies and careers. Piper graduated summa cum laude from Concordia College, where she majored in English and French. She earned her master’s degree with honors in comparative literature from the University of Oregon and her Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she received the Sally Mead Hands Summer Dissertation Fellowship and Mellon-Wisconsin Summer Dissertation Fellowship.
Dr. Francisco Laguna-Correa, Visiting Assistant Professor of Modern Foreign Languages and English
Laguna-Correa teaches courses in Spanish, college writing and public life for first-year students. This is a new faculty position. He joins HPU after teaching at the university level and serving as an ESL teaching assistant and ESL technology coordinator at Portland Public Schools. Laguna-Correa’s academic background includes research and publications focusing on anthropology of class, intellectual history, nationalism and subaltern communities in the Latin American region, with an emphasis on Mexico. He has bachelor’s degrees in liberal studies and communication, master’s degrees in social anthropology, Hispanic philosophy and creative writing, a certificate in Latin American studies and a Ph.D. in Hispanic studies. He has received various academic and research awards, including Mellon and Tinker Grants. In 2012, he received the National Literary Prize of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language, for a book of fiction written in Spanish titled “Finales Felices.”
Dr. Daliang Wang, Associate Professor of Chinese
Wang teaches Chinese courses and serves as chair of the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures. He plans to immerse students in authentic learning by encouraging them to apply their skills to the real world and experience learning in a cultural context through online resources and study abroad. Originally from China, Wang has relocated to High Point from Erie, Pennsylvania, where he taught Chinese for 10 years at Mercyhurst University. He also worked as the founding director of the Intensive English Program and was responsible for exchange programs with China and other Asian countries. In addition to teaching, Wang has focused his research on technology and second-language acquisition, cultural studies and foreign language education. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Shanghai Normal University and a Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was the recipient of a MEAD Leadership award in 2012, an award for foreign language teachers by Northeast Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Dr. Benoit Leclercq, Assistant Professor of French
Leclercq teaches all levels of French language, literature and culture. He is interested in 19th century French novels and short stories, especially representations of criminality. His courses connect students with the many facets of French and Francophone literatures and cultures while also helping them become proficient French speakers. Originally from northern France, Leclercq has taught French at several universities, including Boise State University, where he received an honorable mention for the Golden Apple Awards in recognition of excellence in teaching. He holds a license in foreign language and culture from the Université Catholique de Lille, a Master of Arts in foreign language and literature from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a doctorate in French literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Tessa Gurney, Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian
Gurney will teach courses in Italian language at all levels, as well as upper-level courses on topics such as Italian culture, film and literature. Previously, she acted as a study abroad advisor for students at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and has taught Italian as a second language for nearly a decade at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence, Italy. As a historian of medieval and early modern Italy, she is interested in issues of race, religion and gender in early Italian theater and performance. Gurney has a bachelor’s degree in Italian, professional writing and international relations from The Ohio State University, as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Italian studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also has a certificate in paleography and codicology from the Biblioteca di Santa Maria Novella in Florence, Italy, and has studied sociolinguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. She has won numerous fellowships and awards for her academic work and experiences abroad.
Dr. Scott Mehl, Visiting Assistant Professor of Japanese Language and Literature
Mehl joins HPU from Rhinebeck, New York, to teach Japanese and continue his research on East-West literary connections. He regularly includes material from Japanese popular culture – anime, manga, J-pop – in his courses as well as Japanese food, Japanese cinema and kendo. Previously, Mehl taught Japanese language, literature and culture at Bard College, University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Mount Holyoke College. He holds a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Chicago.
Dr. Jacqueline Arthur-Montagne, Assistant Professor of History
Arthur-Montagne will teach courses in ancient history and assist in developing a curriculum that includes courses on classical Greece and Rome as well as the ancient history of Egypt and the Near East. She comes to HPU from Stanford University, where she taught courses in classical languages and history. Her research focuses on Greek cultural and social history of the Roman Empire from the first to third centuries. She also examines how ancient school children studied classical history and literature, and how school curricula of the ancient world have shaped modern perceptions of Greece and Rome. Arthur-Montagne has a bachelor’s degree in classics from Middlebury College, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa National Scholar, and a Ph.D. in classics from Stanford University, where she was a Pigott Graduate Scholar and was awarded Stanford’s Centennial Teaching Award.
Dr. Elizabeth Jeter, Assistant Professor of Human Relations
Jeter teaches courses including Contemporary Perspectives on Leadership, Intercultural Competence in the Workplace and a Training and Development seminar. This is a newly created faculty position. She is passionate about applied research in organizations, particularly in the areas of collaboration, organizational change, communication and the criminal justice system. She focuses on teaching skills students can apply in any future career field. Jeter’s career has included diverse professional experiences, including a customer service representative at a bank, a laboratory assistant for genetic soybean research, grant writer for a women’s rights organization, a paralegal and communication specialist for a law firm, and an instructor for several universities. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a master’s in communication from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Ph.D. in communication from the University of South Florida. She is a board member of The Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem and chairs the research, education and advocacy committee for the organization.
Julie Samuels Hill, Instructor of Human Relations
Hill, a High Point native, longtime resident and community leader, teaches Human Relations Practicum and Non-Profit Leadership Practicum courses. These are opportunities for students to gain practical experience through service learning and internships. She also is director of the Leadership Fellows Program, which provides networking, personal growth and development opportunities for students. Hill has a wealth of practical expertise in leadership development and non-profit management from serving two years as executive director of Go Out for a Run (GOFAR) and 15 years at the High Point Regional Health System Foundation Office and Community Outreach Programs. She is an alumna of HPU, holding a Bachelor of Arts in human relations and a Master of Public Administration in non-profit organizations. Hill is president of the Community Impact Committee of the United Way of Greater High Point for 2016-17. She was the sustainer board president of the Junior League of High Point and past president of the String and Splinter City Club. She has received the Bobby Martin Service Award from the Rotary Club of the Triad, the YWCA Emerging Leader Award and was one of the Business Journal’s 40 Leaders Under 40.
Dr. Wei Jiao, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music
Jiao will teach piano courses, private piano lessons and accompany student rehearsals and performances while encouraging students to take advantage of the many musical opportunities offered at HPU. Previously, Jiao served as a piano faculty member, pianist and music instructor at Queens University, Catawba College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College while also maintaining private studios. As a versatile soloist and devoted chamber musician, Jiao has given performances nationally and internationally and has won several awards and honors. In recent years, she has performed in solo and duet recitals with her husband, Jacob Hahn, in local and regional concert series and at major universities. She is affiliated with numerous professional organizations and has adjudicated local and state-level piano competitions, auditions and piano contest-festivals. Jiao has bachelor’s degrees in music from Shenyang Conservatory of Music in China and Columbus State University. She also has a master’s degree from Syracuse University and a doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, both in piano performance.
Dr. Gerald Beaulieu, Instructor of Philosophy
Beaulieu teaches philosophy courses at HPU, focusing on appreciation for the work of philosophers and developing students’ ability to think critically. Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, Beaulieu has spent the past 11 years as a philosophy instructor at East Carolina University. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy from the University of Manitoba and a doctorate in philosophy from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Additionally, he holds a degree in recording technology from the Ontario Institute of Recording Technology and has experience with teaching guitar and sound engineering.
Jeffrey Regester, Instructor of Physics and Astronomy
Regester teaches an introductory sequence of physics courses and an electronics course for physics majors. He also assists students in constructing engineering projects and experimental apparatuses in the department’s space within Congdon Hall. Since many of the students taking his courses are pre-med or exercise science majors, he also incorporates medical and biological applications. This is a newly created faculty position. Most recently, Regester taught physics, astronomy and engineering at Greensboro Day School, where he also was science department chair. He also taught at Wellesley College and the McDonogh School in Maryland. A U.S. Navy veteran, Regester served in various capacities with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Defense Intelligence Agency, Second Fleet, Joint Intelligence Center Central Command, Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center, and Joint Forces Intelligence Command. He has conducted research observations of Pluto’s atmosphere, which have included expeditions to Tasmania, Kwajalein Atoll, Reunion Island, New Mexico, as well as local observations at Cline Observatory at Guilford Technical Community College. He has won the Toyota Tapestry Award and has participated in NASA’s Reduced Gravity Flight Program. He has bachelor’s degrees in applied and engineering physics and archaeology from Cornell University and a master’s degree in astronomy from the University of Arizona.
Dr. John Graeber, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science
Graeber teaches International Relations, Political Science Research Methods and European Politics. In his courses, he engages students in real-world political topics and current events by showing their relevance in students’ lives and involving them in debating the complex questions surrounding political issues. His expertise focuses on the politics of immigration and citizenship, primarily in Europe but also in the United States. He also conducts research on the integration of immigrants into European societies. Graeber earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Texas Austin. He also has a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in international affairs from the George Washington University. Prior to his doctoral work, he worked in Washington, D.C., as a paralegal for an international law firm and in several nongovernmental organizations in the fields of conflict resolution, democracy promotion and development. He received a Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship in 2009-10 to live and work in Germany.
Dr. Sarah Ross, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Ross teaches Introduction to Psychology and Abnormal Psychology. She is a licensed psychologist specializing in pediatric health psychology, which involves providing psychological services to children and adolescents with chronic and acute medical diagnoses. Her research focuses on identifying and evaluating the most effective behavioral interventions for these populations. Ross, who is filling a newly created faculty position, is relocating from Austin, Texas, where she practiced professionally and has been involved in developing mental health training programs in rural and underserved areas across the country. She completed a doctoral internship at the Texas Child Study Center/Dell Children’s Hospital and a postdoctoral fellowship year through Harvard Medical School at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. She draws on her clinical background to bring real-life case examples and techniques to the classroom and plans to involve students in applied research in the community. Ross has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in school psychology from North Carolina State University. Recently, she was named a “Psychologist Doing Innovative Work” by the APA Monitor, a publication of the American Psychological Association. Also, her dissertation work was named a finalist for Article of the Year by the Journal of School Psychology.
Dr. Emilia Bachrach, Assistant Professor of Religion
Bachrach teaches a variety of classes in South Asian and comparative religions. She plans to continue her research on practices of religion reading and scriptural interpretation in contemporary Hindu communities in northwest India. She is currently writing a book titled “Religious Reading and Everyday Lives: Performing Devotion and Identity in Pushtimarg Hinduism.” Previously, Bachrach taught religious studies at Millsaps College and Elon University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in religion from Smith College, a doctorate in Asian Cultures and languages from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. She completed her doctoral research with a fellowship from the American Institute of Indian Studies and was supported in writing her dissertation in part by the Mellon/American Council for Learned Societies Dissertation Completion Fellowship.
Dr. Amanda Mbuvi, Assistant Professor of Religion
Mbuvi teaches classes in religion, specifically focusing on the Hebrew Bible and Jewish studies. She hopes her classes will allow students the freedom to learn, grow and explore as they engage ancient texts that play a central role in many people’s identity and inform thinking about contemporary issues. Previously, Mbuvi taught at Duke University, Elon University and Guilford College. She also served as the Greensboro Adult Basic Education Coordinator for Reading Connections, a local nonprofit literacy agency. She holds a doctorate in religion and a certificate of Nonprofit Management from Duke. She recently published her first book, “Belonging in Genesis: Biblical Israel and the Politics of Identity Formation.”
Dr. Emily Estrada, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Estrada teaches introductory sociology and a research methods course. Her classes expose students to the sociological perspective on inequality in society and encourage them to work toward meaningful social change. As an inequality scholar, she has expertise in race, ethnicity and immigration. Before coming to HPU, Estrada taught a variety of sociology classes at North Carolina State University. She holds a Master of Arts in sociology from Texas Tech University and a Ph.D. in sociology from NCSU, where she was a two-time recipient of both the Graduate Student Mentor award and the Graduate Student Service award.