August 14, 2008
Twelve join Applied Sciences and Arts faculty
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The College of Applied Sciences and Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is welcoming new tenure-track faculty members for the fall semester.
“The College of Applied Science and Arts has 12 scholars joining our staff as tenure-track faculty this fall,” said Dean Paul D. Sarvela. “Our physician assistant, aviation technologies, information systems, electronics, technical resource management, automotive technology, interior design and radiologic sciences programs each have new tenure track faculty starting in August. These new faculty members will provide much-needed teaching support for our programs, increase our research efforts and enhance our community outreach activities. We are pleased that they have joined our staff.”
New faculty members include:
• Ronnie Jia, assistant professor in the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies.
Jia holds a doctorate from SIUC and his teaching responsibilities are in the areas of Web site design and database administration. Jia’s research focuses on the information technology service climate. A top information systems journal, the “Journal of Association for Information Systems,” accepted his work for publication.
• Thomas Imboden, assistant professor in the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies.
Imboden earned a master of science in telecommunication systems from DePaul University. He has more than a decade of experience in the industry in computer networking and information security. Since 2005, he’s been the lead information system specialist for Aisin Manufacturing in Marion and he brings to SIUC a wealth of computer networking and telecommunication experience.
• John Legier, assistant professor in the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies.
Legier is an SIUC alumnus with a doctorate in workforce education and development. His teaching responsibilities are in the areas of work center management, quality assurance and statistics. He served as a training coordinator for the U.S. Navy and a quality assurance manager for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. After his honorable retirement from the Navy in 1998, he began working in continuing education, training and retraining within the industrial sector. He brings valuable experience in distance education development and delivery to the Technical Resource Management program, particularly valuable as the program expands into off-campus delivery.
* George Bricker, assistant professor in the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies.
Bricker received his master’s of science in electrical engineering at SIUC. He has a lengthy career in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine division. He has taught in the Electronic Systems Technologies program at SIUC since 2002 and became a continuing senior lecturer last spring. Now, he’ll lead the biomedical instrumentation technology area of the Electronic Systems Technologies curriculum. He won the school’s outstanding term teacher of the year award in 2006 and 2007. Bricker is also enrolled in the SIUC College of Engineering’s new master of science in biomedical engineering program.
• Laura M. Bunselmeyer, assistant professor of interior design in the School of Architecture.
Bunselmeyer earned her bachelor of science in interior design at SIUC in 2000 and her master’s of interior design in 2006 at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. She’s practiced design professionally in recent years in Arizona and Missouri. At SIUC, she’s been a visiting assistant professor since 2006. The licensed interior designer will teach two upper level Interior Design studios and a second year architecture studio this year.
• Mahmoud I. Mahmoud is an assistant professor in pharmacology in the physician assistant program at the School of Allied Health.
Mahmoud earned his medical degree from Cairo University in Egypt in 1978 and his doctor of philosophy in pharmacology from John Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1992. He’s most recently been an adjunct faculty member at American University Health Sciences in Long Beach, Calif., and at ATI College in Norwalk, Calif., since 2007. He’s been clinical research manager at Rental Research Center in Los Alamitos, Calif., since 2004.
Mahmoud is particularly interested in pharmacology, clinic pharmacology and ocular pharmacology. He’s a member of the Egyptian Pharmacological Society, the Egyptian Toxicology Society, The Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology and The John Hopkins Medical and Surgical Association. His experience includes working as consultant to the Saudi Central Laboratory for Food and Drugs and academic adviser to the Saudi Ministry of Health, both in Saudi Arabia.
• Eric P. Matthews is an assistant professor in radiologic sciences.
Matthews received three degrees from SIUC, earning his bachelor’s in radiologic science in 2002, his master of science in education in 2005 and his doctor of philosophy in education in 2008. He also holds an associate of science degree in allied health and radiography from Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo. He holds licenses from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist in cardiovascular and interventional technology, from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists in radiography and from the Missouri Department of Health as an Emergency Medical Technician.
Matthews is also FAA-certified as a pilot and flight instructor. He’s been a clinical assistant professor at SIUC since August 2003 and previously held positions as an MRI technologist, a special procedures technologist, and a radiologic technologist in medical facilities in Cape Girardeau and Perryville, Mo. He’s also a historian, speaks Lakota and has been a television and educational film consultant. At SIUC, Matthews will teach radiologic science courses.
• Matthew Dixon is an assistant professor in the automotive technology program.
Dixon earned his master’s in career and technical education from Ferris State University in 2006. He also holds a 1992 bachelor’s in education from Millersville University and got a two-year degree in specialized automotive service from the Automotive Training Center in Exton, Pa., in 1997.
He previously taught at Ferris State University. He’ll teach two sections of the advanced drivability and emissions class for automotive technologies at SIUC. The creation of the new position allows an increase in the Automotive Technology Department, chair Jack S. Greer said. He noted that 71 new students entering the department this fall is the largest class in more than a decade.
• Tim Janello is an assistant professor in the automotive technology program.
He earned his master’s at SIUC in workforce education and development in 2008, his bachelor of arts in 2003 from Western Illinois University and an associate of science in automotive technology in 2005 at Rend Lake College. He’s taught in the automotive department at SIUC on term contract since 2005 and previously taught 10 years in a high school automotive experience. In addition, Janello was an independent business owner for a decade before beginning his teaching career. He’ll teach advanced drivability and emissions at SIUC.
• Omar Trinidad is an assistant professor in the automotive technology program.
He earned a master’s degree in workforce education and development in 2008 and a bachelor’s in automotive technology in 2005 from SIUC. He also holds an associate degree from Triton College. He was a graduate assistant in the SIUC automotive program 2006-2007 and a term faculty member in the program since 2007. His employment experience also includes two years as an automotive technician. At SIUC, he’ll teach engine electrical and basic electrical classes.
• Karen Sullivan is an assistant professor in aviation technologies.
Sullivan completed her FAA Mechanic Certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings in 1998 and began working at the Central Missouri State University flight line maintenance facility while completing her undergraduate work. She’s got a couple of Bell field maintenance certifications as well. She earned her bachelor’s degree in aviation maintenance there in 1999. After graduating, Sullivan worked for Air Evac Lifeteam, maintaining Bell 206L01 helicopters. She came to SIUC in 2005 as an assistant instructor in aviation technologies. Sullivan earned her master’s in education, curriculum and instruction at SIUC in 2007.
She is one of a small group of women aviation technician curriculum instructors in the nation. She is teaching a number of classes in the airframe and powerplant curriculum at SIUC, including applied science, federal aviation regulations, aircraft hydraulics and aircraft weight and balance.
• Matthew W. Harrison is an assistant professor in aviation technologies.
Harrison earned his associate degree in aviation management in 2000 from SIUC and worked as a corporate/general aviation technician while completing his bachelor’s degree in 2002. He also holds an FAA Mechanic Certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings, an inspector authorization that allows him to perform the annual inspections all aircraft must obtain and a private pilot certificate. He worked as a technician before returning to SIUC in 2004 as an assistant instructor. He earned term faculty of the year honors in 2004 and 2007. He completed his master’s in education this spring at SIUC.
He’s teaching aircraft instruments, aircraft propellers, reciprocating engines and powerplant testing. Harrison’s research interests include “increasing the efficiency of existing reciprocating aircraft engines through the use of electronic ignition systems.”