Sophia Dent, Department of Anthropology
Visiting Assistant Professor, Dr. Sophia Dent, will be teaching Biological Anthropology in Appalachian’s Department of Anthropology. Her research interests include skeletal biology and osteology, stable isotope analysis, nutrition, food security, periodontal disease and dental calculus and physiological plasticity.
Some of Dent’s recent publications include:
- “Phenotypes and pathways: Working towards an integrated skeletal biology in biological anthropology” (2017)
- “Interindividual differences in embodied marginalization: Osteological and stable isotope analyses of antebellum enslaved individuals” (2020) in the American Journal of Human Biology.
- She also has a forthcoming publication in the American Journal of Human Biologyentitled, “Biocultural pathways linking periodontal disease expression to stress, immune dysregulation and nutrition.”
“Appalachian's Anthropology students and faculty are engaged in cutting-edge research and I look forward to working in such a dynamic department and expanding my research through new collaborations within the department and across the university,” said Dent. She also looks forward to applying many of Appalachian’s core values into her own teaching and student mentorship.
Dent participated in the Makerspace program during her time at UNC Chapel Hill where she was able to explore 3D modeling tools and virtual reality. She looks forward to further exploring how to implement these tools in her research and teaching.
Her advice for students is to take advantage of the multiple on-campus resources and talk to your peers and professors about what interests you to start making connections for future opportunities.
Dent received her A.B.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and B.A. from Lehigh University.
Alex J. Nelson, Anthropology
Nelson will be joining the Department of Anthropology as an adjunct instructor. His research interests include: psychological anthropology, gender and sexuality, anthropology of love and intimacy, sex work and human trafficking, marriage and courtship, socio-legal studies, Korea, East Asia and the United States. He has most recently joined the organizing committee of the Law and Society Association's CRN6: Sex, Work, Law and Society Collaborative Research Network as a Co-Chair.
"I was drawn to Appalachian by the university's exceptional community of scholars and students and their devotion to independent thought and intellectual curiosity."
His most recent publications include:
- Nelson, A. (in press). "Sacrifice and the agapic love gender gap in South Korean romantic relationships." In C. Mayer & E. Vanderheiden (Eds.), "International Handbook of Love: Transcultural and Transdisciplinary Perspectives."
- Cham, CH: Springer. Jankowiak, W., & Nelson, A. (in press). "The state of ethnological research on love: A critical review." In C. Mayer & E. Vanderheiden (Eds.), "International Handbook of Love: Transcultural and Transdisciplinary Perspectives."
- Cham, CH: Springer. Nelson, A., & Jankowiak, W. (in press). "Love's ethnographic record: Beyond the love/arranged marriage dichotomy and other false essentialisms". In C. Mayer & E. Vanderheiden (Eds.), "International Handbook of Love: Transcultural and Transdisciplinary Perspectives."
- Cham, CH: Springer. Nelson, A., Hausbeck Korgan, K., Izzo, A., & Bessen, S. (2020). "Client desires and the price of seduction: Exploring the relationship between independent escorts’ marketing and rates." The Journal of Sex Research, 57(5), 664-680. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2019.1606885.
- Nelson, A., & Yon, K. (2019). "Core and peripheral features of the cross-cultural model of romantic love." Cross-Cultural Research, 53(5), 447-482. doi: 10.1177/1069397118813306.
Nelson completed his Ph.D. in Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; M.A. in Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas and B.A. Anthropology and Psychology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Conrad Eugene (Ozzie) Ostwalt, Jr., Appalachian Studies Program and Center for Appalachian Studies
Ostwalt is a professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and has been at Appalachian for 32 years. He was recently named the Interim Director for the Center for Appalachian Studies and the Appalachian Studies graduate academic program.
He loves the mountains and community around Appalachian and enjoys hiking, running, golf, motorcycles and boats. His research interests include religion and popular culture in American and Appalachia.
His most recent publications include:
- "Secular Steeples: Popular Culture and the Religious Imagination," 2nd Edition Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012
- “Mark Powell—Writing with Dark Vision, with Hope,” Appalachian Journal, Vol. 46, 3-4: 220-43 (2019)
- “Apocalyptic Consciousness in Popular Culture,” forthcoming, "Apocalypse and After: The Genesis of Post-Apocalyptic," ed. George Sieg, University Press of Mississippi
- “The Bible, Religion and Film in the 21st Century,” Currents in Biblical Research, October 2013, Vol. 12, issue 1
- Ostwalt receieved a B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill, M.Div. at Southeastern Seminary and Ph.D. from Duke University.
Ostwalt receieved a B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill, M.Div. at Southeastern Seminary and Ph.D. from Duke University.
Dr. Rachel Bleich, Department of Biology
Dr. Rachel Bleich, new assistant professor for the Department of Biology, loves interacting with students both in the classroom and in the lab, making Appalachian an ideal fit for her new position as she finds that there is a balance between how much time students spend in the classroom and lab. She is additionally excited about living in the mountains again and being closer to family from Hickory.
In research, Bleich is interested in the factors that shape the gut microbial community, including the interactions between microbes and their host, and the impact this has on host inflammation and disease. She also enjoys playing musical instruments, particularly the saxophone and drums.
Advice that Bleich would like to share with students is that, “it is natural to have experiments that fail. It is most important to be able to learn from it and persevere.”
Bleich received her P.h.D. in Pharmaceutical Studies from UNC Chapel Hill and her B.S. in Chemistry from Western Carolina University.
Cara Fiore, Department of Biology
Dr. Cara Fiore, assistant professor, Department of Biology, enjoys teaching at Appalachian and being a part of a welcoming and supportive group of faculty members.
Her research interests include marine microbiology and microbial symbiosis. She once lived underwater for ten days in the Aquarius Habitat of the Florida Keys, at about a 50 foot depth.
Fiore received her P.h.D. in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire, M.S. in Marine Biology at the College of Charleston and B.S. in Biology at the State University of New York College at Cortland.
Dr. Crystal West, Department of Biology
Dr. Crystal West, new assistant professor in Appalachian’s Department of Biology, will be teaching at the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC). Her research interests include the regulation of blood volume and blood pressure in health and disease.
Some of West’s recent publications include:
“Persistent Renin-Angiotensin System Sensitization Months After Body Weight Recovery From Severe Food Restriction in Female Fischer Rats.” de Souza AMA, Ji H, Wu X, Sandberg K, West CA. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Jul 17:e017246.
“The Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor Antagonist Losartan Prevents Ovariectomy-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Long Evans Rats.” Campos GV, de Souza AMA, Ji H, West CA, Wu X, Lee DL, Aguilar BL, Forcelli PA, de Menezes RC, Sandberg K. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2020 Apr;40(3):407-420.
“Renal T cell infiltration occurs despite attenuation of development of hypertension with hydralazine in Envigo's female Dahl rat maintained on a low-Na+ diet.” Pai AV, West CA, de Souza AMA, Kadam PS, Pollner EJ, West DA Jr, Li J, Ji H, Wu X, Zhu MJ, Baylis C, Sandberg K. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2019 Sep 1;317(3):F572-F583.
“Salt-sensitive (Rapp) rats from Envigo spontaneously develop accelerated hypertension independent of ovariectomy on a low-sodium diet.” Pai AV, West CA, A de Souza AM, Cheng X, West DA Jr, Ji H, Wu X, Baylis C, Sandberg K. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2018 Nov 1;315(5):R915-R924.
“Adaptive remodeling of renal Na+ and K+ transport during pregnancy.” de Souza AMA, West CA. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2018 Sep;27(5):379-383.
She chose Appalachian to further her career because of the impressive faculty, students and setting that the university presents.
West received her Ph.D. in Physiology from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center and her B.S. in Biology from the University of Mary Washington.
Krissy Johnson, Biology
Johnson joins the Department of Biology as an Instructor focusing on human microbiology, cell biology and environmental studies. Her research centers on microbiology and science teaching pedagogy for microbiology.
"We fell in love with Appalachian and Boone during our undergrad and graduate work and this is where we have chosen to stay and raise our family."
She is the Ancillary author for more than 12 Mader-Windelspecht Biology series textbooks designed for non-major biology students.
In her spare time, she makes her my own tempeh, which is a block of fermented legumes bound together by fungal mycelium. (Yum!)
She recieved her M.S. in molecular microbial ecology from Appalachian State University (2009) and B.S. in Biology, secondary education, Appalachian State University (2006).
Her advice to students, to paraphrase: "I hope I'm always a little bit nervous. It means I care." -Dr. Mary Connell
Dr. Victoria Moeller, Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences
Dr. Victoria Moeller, new lecturer for Appalachian’s Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, chose Appalachian to further her teaching career due to the values that Appalachian holds regarding higher education that align with her own.
Moeller’s research interest lies primarily in organic chemistry methodology. She received her P.h.D. in Chemistry from Ohio State University and M.S. and B.S in Chemistry from Saint Louis University.
Dr. Christian Wallen, Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences
Dr. Christian Wallen, new assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, will be teaching inorganic chemistry. Wallen chose Appalachian for its beautiful campus and the great relationships developed between students and faculty.
Wallen’s research interests include metal-organic complexes for hydrogen sulfide capture and oxidation. He also plays the bagpipes.
He received his P.h.D from Emory University and B.S. from Union University.
Courtney Dixon, Computer Science
Dixon joins the Department of Computer Science as a full-time lecturer. Her research interests are focused on computational linguistics.
"Appalachian is my home away from home. I feel a great sense of community at Appalachian that I have felt nowhere else."
Dixon earned a M.S. in Computer Science with concentration in Theoretics from Appalachian State University; B.S. in Computer Science from Appalachian State University and a B.A. in German Language with a double minor in Psychology and Linguistics from Wake Forest University.
The best advice she was ever given was from her mother when she was in the seventh grade. She told her to "always ask questions" in response to her recounting an incident in algebra class. She always encourages students to do the same.
Dr. Clarice Moran, Department of English
Dr. Clarice Moran, new assistant professor in the Department of English, will be teaching in the english education program. One of her primary research interests includes digital technology integration in English language arts education.
Some of Moran’s recent publications include her 2017 book, "Applying the flipped classroom model to English language arts education" and peer reviewed journal articles published in the English Journal entitled, “Analyzing disruptive memes in an age of Russian interference” (2020) and “It was like I was there: Inspiring engagement through virtual reality” (2019). In 2018, Moran was published in Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education with her peer reviewed journal article, “Learners without borders: Connected learning in a digital third space," along with “Just don’t bore us to death: Seventh graders’ perceptions of flipping a technology-mediated English language arts unit,” published in Middle Grades Review.
Moran was drawn to Appalachian’s long history as an excellent institution for training teachers. She also loves the collegial, small-town feel of the campus and feels honored to work with the stellar English education faculty. She can’t wait to enjoy Boone's beautiful environment and enjoys making beer in her free time, with an oatmeal porter currently on tap. Moran has also been a runner for thirteen years. In the past, she has mainly been running on the streets and sidewalks of Raleigh, but plans to take up trail running once she gets situated in Boone.
Some advice Moran has for students is to always be kind towards one another, never forgetting that each individual has their own struggles and is working hard to live their life. Moran acknowledges that, despite our differences, we are forever connected through our humanity.
Moran received her P.h.D and M.A. from North Carolina State University and B.A. from University of Georgia.
Anna Muenchrath, Department of English
Dr. Anna Muenchrath comes to Appalachian as a visiting assistant professor in world literature. She completed her Ph.D. in the Department of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she taught world literature and introductory writing courses. Her dissertation, “Becoming World Literature,” argues that the acts of selection of editors, anthologists, translators and institutions alter the contours of what we think of as world literature.
Savannah Paige Murray, Department of English
Murray joins the department as a visiting assistant professor in rhetoric and writing studies. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Rhetoric and Writing in the Department of English at Virginia Tech University with an expected graduation date of December 2020. Her dissertation, entitled "Grassroots Along the Upper French Broad: Public Participation, Democratic Deliberation and Environmental Rhetoric," explores a specific case study in which local farmers and retired factory workers in western North Carolina in the late 1960's successfully opposed and prevented the implementation of fourteen catastrophic dams on the French Broad River.
Saskia van de Gevel, Geography and Planning
As the new Chair of the Department of Geography and Planning, van de Gevel will strive to support the department's students, faculty and staff everyday as they navigate through the COVID-19 virus changes.
Van de Gevel's research interests include: biogeography, dendrochronology, endangered mountain ecosystems and professional ethics.
Her most recent publications include:
- April Kaiser, Pete Soulé, Saskia L. van de Gevel, Paul Knapp, Arvind Bhuta, and Jeffrey Walters. 2020. "Dendroecological investigation of red-cockaded woodpecker cavity tree selection in endangered longleaf pine forests. Forest Ecology and Management," 473, 118291.
- Burke McDade, Derek Martin, Saskia L. van de Gevel, and Jessica Mitchell. 2020. "Impacts of the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) on headwater stream woody debris loads in the Southern Appalachian Mountains." Southeastern Geographer, 60(1), 65-86.
- Zachary Osborne, Saskia L. van de Gevel, Montana Eck, and Margaret Sugg 2019. "An Assessment of Geospatial Technology Integration in K–12 Education. Journal of Geography: 1-12."
- Karen J. Heeter, Grant L. Harley, Saskia L. van de Gevel, and Philip B. White 2019. "Blue intensity as a temperature proxy in the eastern United States: A pilot study from a southern disjunct population of Picea rubens (Sarg.). Dendrochronologia" 55: 105-109.
- Saskia L. van de Gevel, Evan Larson, Henri D. Grissino-Mayer 2017. "Separating trends in whitebark pine radial growth related to climate and mountain pine beetle outbreaks in the Northern Rocky Mountains." Forests 8: 195.
She earned her Ph.D. in Geography from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee (2008); M.S. in Forest Ecology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois (2002) and a B.S. in Forest Science - Forest Management Specialty from Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania (2000).
Marta Toran, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences lecturer and outreach coordinator, Marta Toran, is involved in K-12 outreach, science education and environmental science programs areas. Her research interests include science outreach and education. Toran was the recipient of the first CAS Excellence in Engagement Award in 2019, as well as an National Association of Geoscience Teachers Association Outstanding Earth Science Teacher State Award for North Carolina.
Toran was drawn to Appalachian’s geoscience department for their commitment to partnering with K-12 and informal science education institutions. She has enjoyed combining her geology outreach work with teaching in the first year seminar program and is excited to start teaching the introductory Environmental Science course in the department this fall. A fun fact about Toran is that her first job after college was working on a fish farm.
Some of Toran’s advice for students is to put effort into building relationships with your professors. They are the ones who can provide letters of recommendation for internships, jobs or continued education after college.
Toran received her M.S. from Montana State University; Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Oxford and B.S. from the University of New Hampshire.
Christine Hendren, New director, RIEEE & Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
Hendren joins the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences as a professor this fall and also the university as the director of the Research Institute for Environment, Energy, and Economics (RIEEE).
Hendren was drawn to Appalachian for multiple reasons. "The powerful combination of institutional commitment to truly impacting sustainability, the unique natural setting and related facilities for test-bed research, faculty excellence and a pervasive culture of mentoring and student inclusion in impactful scholarship. All this and we get to live in Boone!"
Her work focuses on developing and applying methods, models and human processes to integrate and co-create knowledge across boundaries – disciplinary, sectoral, cultural, geographic – to lead research teams in addressing complex global challenges. Hendren came to this work through problem-based convergent research in the field of nanomaterial environment, health and safety research, which coalesced a broad range of expertise and methods to elucidate what governs nanomaterial behavior and impacts, and translate this understanding into directional guidance for managing potential risks.
"I'm really excited to join this creative community and to build great things together."
She works on developing, applying and evaluating methods that facilitate convergent research to address wicked environmental and societal problems, particularly emerging and complex risks characterized by pervasive uncertainty. Such methods include data integration, knowledge mapping and network visualization, structured facilitation and co-establishment of shared language for spanning boundaries in context of a shared goal.
She is also a budding, beginner tattooist and currently taking piano lessons with her kids. "It's never too late to learn something fun."
Hendren recieved a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Duke University; Professional Masters in Environmental Analysis and Decision Making from Rice University and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University.
The best advice ever given to her: "Do something with your life that's hard and that matters." Advice she likes to give students: "Listen with empathy always; you can learn something from everyone."
Dr. Jeff Carter, Department of Government and Justice Studies
Dr. Jeff Carter will be teaching Political Science as a visiting professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Government and Justice Studies. Carter has been teaching at Appalachian since 2019 and continues to enjoy teaching in the department as well as working at a school that is near family. Some of his research interests include political leaders, interstate conflict, state making and government spending. He also loves music.
Some of Carter’s recent publications include:
- “Term Limits, Leader Preferences, and Interstate Conflict” (2017) in International Studies Quarterly
- "The Political Cost of War Mobilization in Democracies and Dictatorships” (2017)
- "Birth Legacies, State Making, and War” (2016) in Journals of Conflict Resolution.
Carter received his P.h.D. and M.A. from Pennsylvania State University and a B.A. from Louisiana State University.
Christopher Marier, Department of Government and Justice Studies
Assistant professor, Dr. Christopher Marier, will be teaching criminal justice as a part of the Department of Government and Justice Studies. His research interests include race and injustice, policing and cross-national criminal justice.
Some of Marier’s recent publications include,
Marier, C. J., & Fridell, L. A. (2020). “Demonstrations, demoralization, and de-policing.” Criminology & Public Policy.
Marier, C. J., & Moule, R. K. (2019). “Feeling blue: Officer perceptions of public antipathy predict police occupational norms.” American Journal of Criminal Justice, 44(5), 836-857.
Cochran, J. K., Marier, C. J., Jennings, W. G., Smith, M. D., Bjerregaard, B., & Fogel, S. J. (2019). “Rape, Race, and Capital Punishment: An Enduring Cultural Legacy of Lethal Vengeance?” Race and Justice, 9(4), 383-406.
Marier is also the recipient of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS ) International Section Outstanding Graduate Student Paper Award. His paper was entitled, “Minority threat and incarceration rates: A cross-national study.”
He enjoys teaching at Appalachian and the excitement that students and faculty have to engage in the classroom, local community and environment.
Marier’s advice for students is to persist through goals or habits, however imperfectly. He says to, “Fake it ‘till you make it and before you know it, you’re not faking it anymore. You’re the real deal.”
He received his Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of South Florida, Tampa.
Dr. James (Jay) Rickabaugh, Department of Government and Justice Studies
Assistant professor, Dr. Jay Rickabaugh, will be teaching in the public administration program area of the Department of Government and Justice Studies. His main research focus centers around how municipalities and counties cooperate with one another, primarily through North Carolina's Councils of Governments and other similar nationwide institutions.
Some of his recent publications include, “Not State, Not Local: Regional Intergovernmental Organizations" that was co-authored with George W. Dougherty and a chapter in the 2018 book, “Discovering American Regionalism” entitled, "Distributing Decision-Making between Local Governments on RIGO Boards.”
Rickabaugh also has an upcoming publication in the American Review of Public Administration entitled, "Regionalism with and without Metropolitanism: Governance Structures of Rural and Non-Rural Regional Intergovernmental Organizations” and a chapter in the forthcoming book, “Cooperation and Conflict between State and Local Government.”
This is Rickabaugh’s third year teaching at Appalachian, but will be his first year as a faculty member on track for tenure. He says he chooses Appalachian because “the students, faculty and staff are warm and welcoming.” Rickabaugh is also a licensed and certified massage therapist and was a clinical massage instructor for five years before pursuing his graduate degree.
Rickabaugh received his Ph.D. in Public and International Affairs and M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh ’18 & ’11. He received his B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison ’00. 
Elizabeth M. Perego, History
Perego will be joinging the Department of history as an Assistant Professor. She is currently completing a book retracing the history of Algerians' use of political satire as a critical means of popular expression under different, and sometimes competing, authoritarian powers. Perego's broader scholarship focuses on the intersection of gender, politics and culture in modern North Africa. She has increasingly been interested in both real and imagined connections between this diverse region and other communities around the world, especially in the post-independence era.
"I will be coming to Appalachian State having completed a research fellowship in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. I was additionally a 2019 Library of Congress Swann Fellow and a 2018 West Virginia Humanities Council Fellow. Upon joining Appalachian, I hope to get involved through volunteer work in the Boone community."
Most recent publications include:
- "Beyond Paralyzing Terror: The “Dark Decade” in the Algerian Hirak." Forthcoming in JadMag, a publication of the al-Jadaliyya web page (https://www.jadaliyya.com).
- “‘Emasculating’ Humor from Algeria’s Dark Decade, 1991-2002.” The International Journal of Middle East Studies 52.1 (2020). 67-86.
- “Neglected Legacies: Omissions of Jewish Heritage and Jewish-Muslim Relations in Algerian Historical Bandes Dessinées, 1967 through the 1980s.” Chapter in "Dynamic Jewish-Muslim Interactions in Performance Arts." Edited Samuel Sami Everett and Rebekah Vince. University of Liverpool Press. Series in Francophone Postcolonial Studies.
- “Laughing at the Victims: Popular Jokes during the Height of Terror in the Algerian Civil War, 1993-2000.” Journal of North African Studies (2018) 23.1-2. Special issue on Violence and the Politics of Aesthetics. Edited by Jill Jarvis and Brahim El Guabli. 191-207.
Perego received her Ph.D. and M.A. from The Ohio State University and a B.A. from Tulane University.
After graduating from Tulane University with a B.A. in French and History, she taught classes in English and American Studies in Tunisia for the largest American nonprofit in the Middle East and North Africa, Amideast.
Her best advice to students: "Never let others define who you are."
Dr. Avery Dame-Griff, Interdisciplinary Studies
Visiting assistant professor, Dr. Avery Dame-Griff, will be teaching for Appalachian’s gender, women's and sexuality studies program in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. His research interests include LGBTQ studies, transgender studies, digital humanities, new media and web history.
Some of Dame-Griff’s recent publications include:
- “Tumblr was a Trans Technology: The Meaning, Importance, History, and Future of Trans Technologies” (2019) in "Feminist Media Studies," co-written by Oliver Hamison, Elias Capello and Zahari Richter
- “Herding the ‘Performing Elephants:’ Using Computational Methods to Study Usenet” (2019) in" Internet Histories: Digital Technology, Culture and Society, Volume 3."
He also curates an ongoing digital humanities project, the Queer Digital History Project.
“I'm excited to be a part of a dynamic, growing program here at Appalachian and look forward to working with such engaged students,” said Dame-Griff.
Dame-Griff received his Ph.D from the University of Maryland, College Park, M.A. from the University of Kansas and B.A. the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.
Tatyana Thulien, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Adjunct professor, Tatyana Thulien, will be teaching Russian Studies and Russian Language in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures. Some of her research interests include Salvic studies and Russian culture and history.
Recently, Thulien was featured in The Charlotte Observer's article, “Charlotte’s Russian community enjoys Sochi Olympics spotlight.”
Thulien chose Appalachian for its positive reputation as a university that offers a diverse and well-balanced educational platform. She also notes that the RSN student projects showed genuine interest in Russian language and culture appreciation. “I was astonished by students' sincere desire to learn, explore and share new knowledge,” said Thulien.
She has established Slavic Festivals in Charlotte, is a member of the Opera Carolina Chorus, a songwriter, journalist and mother of four.
Thulien received her M.A. of Science from the Crimean University of Technologies.
“Knowledge is the only thing that can not be taken away. Expand and treasure it,” Thulien advises students.
Kinji Ito, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Ito will be joining the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures as an assistant professor. His research interests include: Japanese language and culture, Japanese-English translation, business Japanese, language pedagogy and second language acquisition.
His recent publications include:
- Ito, K., & Hilliker, S. M. (2019). "Acquisition of Japanese through translation". In B. Loranc-Paszylk (Ed.), "Rethinking directions in language learning and teaching at university level" (pp. 53-74). Research-publishing.net.
- Ito, K., & Hilliker, S. M. (2018). "Supporting university international students through supportive ESL instruction and corrective feedback." In B. Blummer, J. Kenton, & M. Wiatrowski (Eds.), "Promoting ethnic diversity and multiculturalism in higher education" (pp. 40-58). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
He completed his Ph.D., inTranslation Studies, Binghamton University; M.A. in Japanese Language and Literature, University of Massachusetts Amherst; M.B.A., Management Information Systems, Binghamton University and B.S. in Management, Binghamton University.
Nii Okine, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Assistant professor, Dr. Nii Okine of Appalachian’s Department of Mathematical Sciences, will be teaching in the Actuarial Science program. Some of his research interests include micro-level reserving, joint longitudinal-survival modeling, dependence modeling, micro insurance and machine learning.
Okine’s recent publications include:
Frees, E. W., Okine, A. N. and Saridas, E. S. (2019). “Dependence Modeling. In Loss Data Analytics”. Retrieved from https://ewfrees.github.io/Loss-Data-Analytics
Choudhury, A., Jones, J., Okine, A. and Choudhury, R. (2016). “Drought Triggered Index Insurance Using Cluster Analysis of Rainfall Affected by Climate Change.” Journal of Insurance Issues, Vol 39:2, pp 169-86.
He also received the Best Paper Award at the 2020 ASTIN Colloquium.
Okine is excited about the actuarial excellence status that the Mathematical Sciences Department is working on attaining from the Society of Actuaries and looks forward to being able to contribute to achieving this.
His advice for students is a quote from Erin Majors that states, "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.“ Okine is also a talented soccer player apart from his professional role in academia.
He received his B.S. from the University of Cape Coast- Ghana, M.S. from Illinois State University and his P.h.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
John Sevier, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Sevier is the Graduate Teaching Assistant (TA) Apprenticeship Coordinator in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, as well as a senior lecturer. His teaching and coordination focuses on student learning, pre-service teacher preparations and problem posing in Mathematics.
"Appalachian is a great place with a great vision for our students to be integral parts of an ever changing society. Appalachian provides the landscape and support for me to help these students reach their full potential."
He earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, UNC Charlotte; M.A. in Mathematics Education, Appalachian State University and a B.S. in Secondary Mathematics Education, Appalachian State University.
Sayan Chandra, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Assistant professor, Dr. Sayan Chandra, Department of Physics and Astronomy will teach in the nanoscience and condensed matter physics program areas. His research interests include optoelectronics, nanotechnology, nanofabrication, materials science as well as biomolecule and chemical sensing using optics and magnetism.
Chandra’s recent publications include:
Sayan Chandra, Alireza Safaei, Muhammad Waqas Shabbir, Michael Leuenberger, Debashis Chanda. “Dirac Plasmon-Assisted Asymmetric Hot Carrier Generation for Room-Temperature Infrared Detection.” Nature Communications volume 10, Article number: 3498 (2019)
Sayan Chandra, Alireza Safaei, Michael Leuenberger, Debashis Chanda. “Wide Angle Dynamically Tunable Enhanced Infrared Absorption on Large Area Nanopatterned Graphene.” ACS Nano (2019) 13, 1, 421-428
Sayan Chandra, Daniel Franklin, Jared Cozart, Alireza Safaei, Debashis Chanda. “Adaptive Multispectral Infrared Camouflage.” ACS Photonics, 5, 4513 – 4519 (2018)
Sayan Chandra, Raja Das, Vijaysankar Kalappattil, Tatiana Eggers, Catalin Harnagea, Riad Nechache, Manh-Huong Phan, Federico Rosei, Hariharan Srikanth. “‘Epitaxial Magnetite Nanorods with Enhanced Room Temperature Magnetic Anisotropy.” Nanoscale DOI: 10.1039/C7NR01541K (2017)
Chandra has filed two U.S. patents based on his research in the last three years.
“I aspire to see research outcomes from my lab translate into real world solutions."
When choosing to pursue his position at Appalachian, he was attracted by the scope of the academic programs in applied and engineering physics within the Department of Physics and Astronomy. “There was an instant alignment in my research and academic interests with that of the department,” said Chandra.
He was also impressed with the experimental facilities housed within the department and found the faculty friendly and welcoming during the interview process. As many faculty members have asserted, the location was also a plus.
His mantra is “This too shall pass.”
Chandra received his P.h.D from the University of Florida.
Dr. Zeno Dixon “Dick” Greenwood, Physics and Astronomy
Adjunct professor, Dr. Zeno Greenwood, will join Appalachian’s Department of Physics and Astronomy having recently moved to Lansing, North Carolina.
His research interest lies in particle physics and he is the president of the Greater Lansing Area Development (GLAD) organization. Before coming to Appalachian, he was professor emeritus of physics at Louisiana Tech University.
Greenwood received his B.S. in Physics from UNC Greensboro and his M.S. and Ph.D in Physics from University of South Carolina.
Elise Weaver, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Lecturer for the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Elise Weaver, will teach in the astronomy lab program area. Her research interest lies with (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) STEM Pedagogy.
Weaver chose Appalachian for the departmental support and representation of women and femmes in STEM, as a queer femme herself. She is also very interested in increasing the amount of astronomy public outreach on campus when it is safe to do so.
Weaver received her B.S. in Physics from Guilford College, M.S. in Engineering Physics from Appalachian State University and an A.S. and G.E.D. from Guilford Technical Community College.
Dr. Anton Kananovich, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Visiting assistant professor, Dr. Anton Kananovich, will be teaching for the Department of Physics and Astronomy. His research interests include laser physics, plasma physics and imaging.
Kananovich chose Appalachian for its nationally recognized programs in physics that equip students with hands-on, cutting-edge experience and knowledge.
“I'm excited to be part of Appalachian’s committed teaching and research community,” said Kananovich.
He received his P.h.D from the University of Iowa.
Thomas M. Brown, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Brown will join the Department of Physics and Astronomy as a teacher in residence lecturer. His goal is to get students interested in teaching high school physics.
He recieved his M.A. from Appalachian State University and B.A. from Wake Forest University.
"I have seen the great things that App State has done over the years and I was lucky to get a chance to work here."
William Moak, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Moak joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy in January of 2019 as an adjunct instructor teaching intro physics labs. He is an Air Force Veteran and recently moved to Western N.C. where he hoped to contine to teach. His research interest is Geohydrology, the study of groundwater and its physical and chemical interactions with the physical environment.
He earned a B.S. in Geology, University of Nebraska at Omaha (2005); M.S., Meteorology, University of Maryland (1992) and a B.S., Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University (1982).
His advice to students for field work that was once given to him: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad weather gear!" His advice for all students: "Read, read, read!"
Reagan Breitenstein, Department of Psychology
Assistant professor, Dr. Reagan Breitenstein, will be teaching in the experimental program area for the Department of Psychology. Her research identifies various genetic and environmental contributors to sleep problems in children and adolescents, as well as racial and socioeconomic disparities in sleep and related health behaviors (e.g., weight). Breitenstein also studies multiple pathways or mechanisms that may explain links between these genetic and environmental factors and subsequent sleep problems across early development.
Some of her recent publications include,
Breitenstein, R. S., Doane, L. D., & Lemery-Chalfant, K. (2019). “Early life socioeconomic status moderates associations between objective sleep and weight-related indicators in middle childhood.” Sleep Health: The Journal of the National Sleep Foundation.
Doane, L. D., Breitenstein, R. S., Beekman, C., Clifford, S., Smith, T. J.*, & Lemery-Chalfant, K. (2019). “Early life socioeconomic disparities in children’s sleep: The mediating role of the current HOME environment.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(1), 56-70.
Clifford, S., Doane, L. D., Breitenstein, R. S., Grimm, K., & Lemery-Chalfant, K. (2020). “Effortful control moderates the relation between electronic media use and objective sleep indicators in childhood.” Psychological Science.
Breitenstein, R. S., Doane, L. D., Clifford, S., & Lemery-Chalfant, K. (2018). “Children's sleep and daytime functioning: Increasing heritability and environmental associations with sibling conflict.” Social Development, 44(2), 389-404.
After experiences at other large universities, Breitenstein knew that her ideal academic position would be at a university that places significant value on teaching while maintaining a high academic standards and encouraging student growth both academically and personally. After exploring many potential jobs and universities, she found Appalachian to be an excellent fit for her career and personal life.
“I'm thrilled that Appalachian thought I was a good fit as well, and I'm excited to begin my research and teaching career at App State!” said Breitenstein.
Breitenstein’s husband hails from the Appalachian region, making Boone and Appalachian State University familiar and homey already. She advises students that although classes and grades are important, they aren't always the most important things in life. Making time to practice self care and work on self development hold equal importance.
Breitenstein received her Ph.D and M.A. in Psychology from Arizona State University and B.S. in Psychology from Wofford College.
Dr. Juhee Woo, Department of Sociology
Assistant professor for Appalachian’s Department of Sociology, Dr. Juhee Woo, has chosen to begin teaching at Appalachian for its undergraduate and graduate programs, faculty members and student body that she believes she will be able to connect with.
Some of Woo’s recent publications include, “Gendered Stigma Management Among Young Adult Women Smokers in South Korea” in Sociological Perspectives (2018) and “A longitudinal exploration of U.S. teen childbearing and smoking risk” in the peer-reviewed journal, Demographic Research, co-written by Stephanie Mollborn and Richard Rogers, also in 2018.
Woo’s research interests include social inequalities, health disparities, gender/race/class, mixed methods, aging and the life course, as well as social psychology. Her advice for students is to simply, "Be yourself!"
Woo received her Ph.D from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Matthew Wright, Department of Sociology
Assistant professor, Dr. Matthew Wright will teach in the Department of Sociology. His research interests include family and intimate relationships among older adults, with an emphasis on cohabitation and divorce in later life.
Some of Wright’s forthcoming publications include:
- “Relationship Quality among Older Cohabitors: A Comparison to Remarrieds” in Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
- “Cohabitation” in "Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging"
- “The Roles of Marital Dissolution and Subsequent Repartnering on Loneliness in Later Life” in Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Science, co-written with Anna M. Hammersmith, Susan L. Brown and I-Fen Lin.
Wright admires Appalachian's commitment to providing high quality education for students and chooses to teach at Appalachian for the beautiful setting it offers and community to raise a family. He also loves baseball and traveling, having been to 15 major league ballparks and 16 foreign countries.
Wright received his Ph.D. in Sociology from Bowling Green State University '17 and his B.S. and M.A. from Ball State University '09, '11. 
Diana J. Nelson, College Advising and Support Services Hub (CASSH)
Nelson returns to the College of Arts and Sciences Advising office in a new role. She joins the College Advising and Support Services Hub (CASSH) Office as the Director. She previously worked as a Records Specialist in the CASSH office for nine years.
"During my time as a student at Appalachian, both during my undergraduate and graduate degree completion, I was blessed to work with tremendous advisors and faculty mentors. I am thrilled to be a part of this community to provide that same experience for our students today."
She earned her M.A. in Higher Education from Appalachian State University (2019) and B.S. in Psychology, Appalachian State University (2007).
Other members joining or taking on a new position in the College include:
Luz Liliana Garcia, Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences
LecturerZachary Hendren, Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences
LecturerPatrick (Nolan) Belk, Department of English
Adjunct professorHannah Rodger, Department of History
Sarah Moore-Brookshire, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Dylan Blackston, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Visiting assistant professorKristen Roland, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Assistant professorBrian Rainey, Department of Philosophy and Religion
Adjunct InstructorKimberly Holocombe, Department of Psychology
New Office ManagerWhitney Van Sant, Department of Psychology
Affiliate adjunct faculty member, supervises graduate students at a practicum site for Psychology students
New College of Arts and Sciences positions and Faculty & Staff members Fall 2020
Welcome graphic to new College of Arts and Sciences positions and new members of Faculty and Staff