Welcome to NMU's newest faculty members!

ART AND DESIGN

Christine Flavin, assistant professor, received her M.F.A. from the University of Iowa (2005). She has taught studio photography and the history and aesthetics of photography in Missouri at the University of Missouri, Webster University and at the Saint Louis Community College District. Her M.F.A. thesis uses the camera obscura as a metaphor for vision in the comparison of the social and cultural imperatives promoting the invention of photography with the driving forces behind the invention of digital technology. Her most recent photographic portfolio documents the deterioration of the industrial sector of an American society in transition from the Machine Age of the 19th and early 20th centuries to the Information Age of the 21st century. She uses a hand-built camera obscura.

Diane Jarvi has an M.F.A. in visual art from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. She lived for 15 years in the New York City region where she taught photography and digital imaging, and worked as the master printer for a fine art digital printing company. She has exhibited locally and on the East Coast. She grew up in the Kansas City area, but spent many summer vacations at camp in Gwinn.

Ed Risak graduated from NMU with his B.F.A. and M.A.E. in ceramics. His teaching experience includes college ceramics and post-college-level workshops and Artist in Residence (Art Park, N.Y.). He has been selling his ceramic artwork nationally and internationally for more than 25 years and has received numerous awards. Pieces in private collections include artworks in Tokyo, Japan, the Smithsonian and the White House. He has a black belt in tae-kwon-do, and is the co-owner of Risak Pottery and Gallery in Marquette.

Julie Clark-Risak graduated from NMU with her B.F.A. and M.A.E. in drawing. She also attended one year at Interlochen Arts Academy. She has been a high school and elementary art teacher, drawing instructor for Summer Institute's gifted and talented, and graduate assistant drawing instructor at NMU. Additionally, she taught numerous workshops and demonstrations in drawing, paper making and ceramics. For more than 20 years, she has exhibited her artworks in national art shows and exhibits. She is the co-owner of Risak Pottery and Gallery in Marquette.

BIOLOGY

Katherine C. Teeter has been hired as a tenure-track assistant professor in genetics. She has an A.B. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton University (1995), and an M.S. (1997) and a Ph.D. (2005) in ecology and evolutionary biology from The University of Michigan. She has conducted field studies of speciation in field mice in Germany and has studied aspects of the genetics of fruit flies. Teeter is currently a postdoctoral associate at Duke University, investigating pathways of hybrid sterility in fruit flies. She will be teaching courses in genetics, cell and molecular biology and introductory biology.

Center for Educational Development

Doug Russell returns to Northern Michigan University as director of the Upper Peninsula Center for Educational Development. He first arrived at NMU in 1986 as the learning skills specialist/counselor for the Upward Bound program. In 1989 he left the university to establish a career counseling program at West Shore Community College as part of a Tech-Prep pilot program. He spent 10 years at Bay de Noc Community College writing grant proposals and directing programs in workforce development and energy. He has a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.A. from Eastern Michigan University. He attended the University of Michigan as an Evans Scholar.

CHEMISTRY

Marsha Lucas joins the Chemistry Department from the Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS) Department at NMU where she has taught for the last 20 years. Her teaching duties in CLS included clinical chemistry, advanced clinical chemistry, diagnostic laboratory skills and phlebotomy. She has also taught as an NMU adjunct in the Mathematics and Computer Science Department and in the College of Business. Before arriving at NMU, she taught at Suomi College (now Finlandia University) and Michigan Technological University. Lucas earned a bachelor's degree in microbiology and public health from Michigan State University and a master's degree in immunology from Michigan Tech. After earning a certification in medical technology, she worked as a research assistant in the special chemistry department at St. Paul-Ramsey County Hospital (now known as Regions Hospital) in St. Paul, Minn. through the Minnesota Education and Research Foundation. She then worked as a research biochemist at St. Mary's Hospital in affiliation with the University of Rochester (New York). She has been published in The Journal of Cellular Physiology and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. She will be teaching introductory chemistry laboratories and discussions, as well as a biochemistry laboratory.

Christian Bennett has joined the department as an instructor. He received his M.A. in teaching college chemistry from Central Michigan University where his research focused on supercritical fluid extractions. His undergraduate career was spent at Lake Superior State University, where he received a B.S. in criminal justice and a B.A. in chemistry and his research examined the ballistic fiber Zylon, algal toxins, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry methods.

Sergei Slobodzian received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Maine in 1999. As an assistant professor at the University of Maine at Machias (1999-2000) and the Ohio Northern University (2000-2006), he taught a variety of chemistry courses and coordinated an organic chemistry laboratory. He made significant progress in developing online chemistry courses and incorporating new technology in classroom teaching. His research is aimed at the development of efficient techniques for the synthesis of biologically active compounds and their precursors. Slobodzian has published his research findings in several professional journals and presented his work at national meetings of the American Chemical Society.

CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCES

Paula Genovese, adjunct instructor, is a clinical laboratory technologist who has 10-plus years of experience at the Marquette General Hospital pathology laboratory and nine years in the laboratory of Internal Medicine. Currently, she is working part-time at MGH.

Ramakrishnan Sasi joined the faculty as a half-time adjunct assistant professor in October 2005. A Ph.D. graduate with a degree in molecular genetics from the India Institute of Science, Sasi subsequently received Diplomate certification status through the American Board of Medical Genetics in clinical cytogenetics and clinical molecular genetics. He has directed two commercial laboratories, Cancer Genetics, Inc. and Genetics Associates, Inc. He is the director of the new cytogenetics laboratory at Marquette General Hospital. His research has been on structure and organization of human centromeric/pericentromeric regions. His experiences include teaching, research and directorships.

Mary Stunkard began her career as a medical technologist, receiving her bachelor's and master's degrees from Michigan Technological University. In 1993 she received her Ph.D. in microbiology from Southern Illinois University. She has 11 years of laboratory management experience and four years of college teaching experience in addition to another five years as a research assistant and teacher. She has developed and taught online courses with robust enrollments. Mary has family in the U.P. and brings with her a son who will be attending NMU.

College of Business

Sue Sondergelt has joined the faculty as an instructor in the accounting program. She did her undergraduate work at Indiana University and received her master of science degree in accountancy and cost from the University of Hartford.  She also has a certificate in lean manufacturing from the University of Michigan. Sondergelt has 20 years of experience in public accounting, as well as in industry, most recently at PepsiCo where she was finance manager-operations analysis. She is an associate of Lean Advisors Inc., a consulting company advising clients in lean manufacturing and lean accounting. She is also the author and facilitator of a Lean Accounting seminar.

Daniel Konku is an assistant professor in finance.  He received his doctorate in finance from Florida Atlantic University. His masters in business administration is from Alcorn State University. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Science & Technology in Ghana, Africa. His specialty areas are corporate finance, investments and financial markets, as well as risk management and International finance.

Abhijit “Abhi” Jain has joined the information systems program as an assistant professor.  He received his doctorate from Temple University, where he was a university fellow.  He received his masters in business administration from the University of Delhi, India. His undergraduate work was completed at Nagpur University, also in India.

COMMUNICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES

William Davie joins the communication and performance studies department as an instructor on a term appointment, replacing Jason Balas. He has served Northern as an adjunct for the past four years. Davie is teaching writing and announcing for broadcast and studio television production. A graduate of the University of Denver, he has done additional graduate course work at Lake Superior State University where he also taught a number of media related courses as an adjunct for seven years. His company, Davie MultiMedia, does documentary, commercial, and public relations work that has won a variety of awards.

Criminal Justice

Dale P. Kapla was employed for 12 years as a law enforcement officer, including four years with the Marquette County Sheriff's Department and seven with the Marquette Police Department. In addition to duties as a deputy sheriff, Dale was a certified marine deputy, which consisted of conducting livery inspections and enforcing marine laws and ordinances. He was also a member of the search and rescue team, K-9 deputy, underwater rescue diver and a boating and snowmobile safety instructor. While at the Marquette Police Department, Kapla served two years as the community policing coordinator and supervised the department's bicycle patrol. After completing his master of public administration degree from NMU, he was promoted to the rank of corporal and served as a field training officer. He also served as president of the police union for two years. During his doctoral studies at West Virginia University, Kapla was a graduate teaching assistant in the Political Science Department and taught public administration and criminal law policy and administration courses. He received the outstanding graduate student award and two outstanding graduate teaching assistant awards. Prior to returning to NMU as a faculty member, he taught full-time for one year in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. His research interests include police chief and sheriff leadership style, and the dynamics of public agency behavior.

Education

Greg Coverdale teaches science and technology methods for K-8 majors in the elementary education program. He comes to Northern from St. Norbert College in DePere, Wis., and was an overseas teacher for 20 years.

Derek Anderson teaches elementary education methods courses and a graduate course, and supervises student teachers. He did not travel far to join NMU, having spent the past 10 years teaching at Bothwell Middle School in Marquette. Following several years of working as an adjunct at NMU, Derek earned his doctorate from Central Michigan University in the summer of 2006.

ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Carolyn St. Cyr has been hired as an adjunct instructor. She has a B.S. in civil engineering from Michigan State University (1984) and is a registered professional engineer (P.E.) in the State of Michigan. St. Cyr has over 20 years of engineering experience in the areas of transportation, safety and environmental engineering in both the private and public sectors. She is a member of the City of Marquette's Traffic/Parking Advisory Committee. Currently, Carolyn works for Johnson & Johnson as a sales representative. She teaches industrial supervision.

ENGLISH

Vali Crawford joins NMU as an adjuct professor. She has a B.S. in education from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (1990) and an M.S. in English from Nova Southeastern University in Florida (2002). Crawford taught high school English for 16 years in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas. She specializes in online education and curriculum writing and development, and has been a television broadcast English instructor. At NMU she teaches college composition.

Matthew Glenwood, an Upper Michigan native, received his B.A. in English, his M.A.dual-track in creative writing/literature, and his M.F.A. in creative writing, poetry, from Nothern Michigan University. This is his fourth year of teaching, after serving as a graduate assistant.

Margaret Goodrich has joined the English Department with a strong background in research and library science. She earned her B.A. in psychology from Wagner College in New York and master's in library science from the University of Michigan. She has been the Longyear research librarian at the Marquette County History Museum, a temporary adjunct librarian at Olson Library, Father Marquette Catholic Schools librarian, and Newspaper in Education coordinator at the Mining Journal. Goodrich has also served as a newsletter editor for 11 years and as recent past president of the local American Association Branch of University Women.

Elizabeth Massie, adjunct, received her bachelor's degree in English from Northern and studied abroad at Edgehill College in the United Kingdom for one semester. She taught as a graduate assistant here while earning her master's degree in English, literature. She completed an editorial internship at Portland Monthly magazine in Oregon. She has a special interest in feminist and contemporary literature. She teaches college composition.

Amber Kinonen has been hired as an instructor on a one-year term position to replace Bill Knox. Kinonen was raised in the Upper Peninsula. At NMU she discovered a passion for teaching and earned a B.A. in secondary education with a concentration in English in 2000. After working as a substitute teacher, she returned to NMU as a teaching assistant while completing her M.A. in pedagogy (2005). As an adjunct instructor at Northern, she taught composition and study skills courses. She currently teaches the teaching of writing.

Jaime Krym graduated from NMU in 2001 and began his career in education teaching 7th grade literature in Gallup, N.M. However, he greatly missed the U.P. and soon returned. He has published several non-fiction pieces and his stories have appeared in Army Magazine, The Wolverine Guard and Engineer Monthly. Krym recently returned from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, where he served as a squad leader providing force protection for a road construction unit.

Jamie Logsdon Kuehnl attained an M.A. in literature from NMU in 2004. Currently she is a doctoral student of women's literature and spirituality at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. She has presented her research at several academic conferences and is published in She is Everywhere II: An Anthology of Writing in Womanist/Feminist Spirituality. Her academic and literary interests include rhetoric and composition, mythology, post-colonial studies, eco-feminism, and peace studies.

Jason Markle received his B.S. in history from NMU in 2001 after serving five years active duty as an army paratrooper. He got an M.A. in English in 2003. He plans to complete his M.F.A. in December. He has taught composition classes at NMU for the past five years as a teaching assistant.

Stephanie McKenzie joins NMU as an assistant professor. She received her Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Toronto in 2001, where she specialized in Aboriginal literature in Canada and Canadian literature. She has an M.A. from Concordia University (Montreal) and a B.A. from the University of Victoria (British Columbia). McKenzie also attended the University of the West Indies (Kingston, Jamaica) as the Louise Bennett Exchange Scholar. She has taught at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Memorial University of Newfoundland and at Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland where she helped to set up the Centre for Newfoundland & Labrador Studies. McKenzie owns and operates a Newfoundland publishing house, Scop Productions Inc. With the School of Humanities, WIT, Scop has co-published and co-edited two international poetry anthologies, The Backyards of Heaven: Contemporary Poetry from Ireland and Newfoundland & Labrador (2003) and However Blow the Winds: An Anthology of Poetry and Song from Newfoundland & Labrador and Ireland. She is at work on a third, The Echoing Years: Poetry from Ireland and Canada. McKenzie also co-edited and published Humber Mouths: Young Voices from the West Coast of Newfoundland & Labrador and co-edited, with Martin Ware, An Island in the Sky: Selected Poetry of Al Pittman (St. John's NL: Breakwater, 2003). McKenzie's first book of poetry, Cutting My Mother's Hair, was released by Salmon Publishing (Cliffs of Mother, Ireland) in 2006, and her first book of literary criticism, Before the Country: Native Renaissance, Canadian Mythology, is forthcoming from the University of Toronto Press.

Dominic Ording, assistant professor, received his Ph.D. in American Studies from Michigan State University (2003). His dissertation, "The Difficulty of Intimacy: Gay Masculinities Before and After Stonewall," traces representations of masculinity from the Lost Generation through the Beat Generation, and through the years just prior to the advent of the HIV/AIDS health crisis. His publications include articles on the Vietnam Era and the counterculture, Jack Kerouac, and the philosophy of education. Since completing the doctorate, Dominic has taught in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures at Michigan State, including courses focusing on gender studies, civic engagement, and the evolution of American thought. He also has M.A. degrees in philosophy and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), both from Michigan State. He is extremely pleased to be back in Marquette, where he graduated from Marquette Senior High School and began his academic career at NMU.

Russell Thorburn received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1999 for poetry. His second book, Father, Tell Me I Have Not Aged, will be published by Marick Press in the spring. His first book, Approximate Desire, was published by New Issues Press. He has an M.F.A. in creative writing from Western Michigan University, where he studied with the late Herb Scott. For the past seven years he has conducted poetry workshops throughout the Upper Peninsula as an artist-in-residence for Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs funded programs.

Kristin Vichich, adjunct, is a Michigan native from Hancock. She received her bachelor's degree in English (creative writing emphasis) from Saint Norbert College in 2004, along with a minor in media communications and a concentration in biology. She received her master's degree in literature from NMU in 2006. This is her third year teaching at the collegiate level.

Emily Walter, new adjunct, received her B.A. in English literature from the University of Michigan. After graduation, she lived, taught, and traveled in and around Europe for six years. She completed her M.F.A. in creative writing, poetry, at Northern. Walter has been teaching English as a Second Language at NMU and hopes to continue working on her own poetry while also acting as poetry co-editor at Passages North.

GEOGRAPHY

Robert Legg comes to Northern from Dublin, Ireland, although he is originally from Canada's west coast. He received his B.A. in geography from Trinity Western University (British Columbia) in 1997, his M.S. in environment remote sensing from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) in 1999, and his Ph.D. from the University of Dublin, Trinity College (Ireland) in 2006. His Ph.D. research was an anthropological investigation that involved the application of GIS, spatial informatics and environmental data to examine settlement patterns in Ireland during the early medieval period. At Northern, Legg will be teaching GIS, cartography, quantitative methods and spatial analysis, along with carrying out anthropological research similar to that in his Ph.D. on historical settlement in the Upper Peninsula.

HISTORY

Bill Mihalopoulos joins NMU as an assistant professor. A native of Australia, he received his Ph.D. from New York University in 2001, M. Litt. from the University of Cambridge in Oriental Studies in 1995, a M.A. (honors) in Japanese history from Kyushu University (Japan) in 1988 and his B.A. from the University of Adelaide (Australia). His dissertation topic is "Finding Work through Sex: Transforming Pre-War Japanese Female Migrants into Prostitutes 1870-1930." Mihalopoulos has published numerous journal articles and reviews. He most recently taught at Zyed University in Dubai and previously at the University of Chicago, Lake Forest College, Aalborg University (Denmark), and at the University of the Ryukyus (Japan). He will oversee the Asian courses in the History Department.

HPER

Eamonn Flanagan has a bachelor's degree in sports and exercise science from the University of Limerick, Ireland, and has conducted postgraduate research in the university's Biomechanics Research Unit. Eamonn's primary research interest is the examination of the contractile properties of lower limbs which have suffered ACL rupture and been surgically reconstructed. He is teaching rugby at NMU for the fall semester and continuing his research as a Ph.D. candidate. Eamonn is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and competes in weightlifting.

Lindsay Henderson has a B.A. in outdoor recreation leadership and management from NMU. Over the past five years she has worked as a high ropes course facilitator, interpretive intern for the U.S. Forest Service, trip leader and as director of an outdoor adventure program. During 2004/2005, she was an adjunct at NMU, teaching canoeing, labs for the interpretation courses in the Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management Department and winter camping. She holds the following current certifications: Leave No Trace master educator, wilderness first responder, CPR, American Red Cross lifeguard with waterfront training, American Canoe Association instructor and introduction to canoe solo and tandem. Recently, while living in Massachusetts, she climbed 46 mountains in 13 months, the majority during winter.

Shelby Mitchell is currently a senior at NMU and will be graduating this December with a degree in health education. She is teaching HP260 this fall for the second consecutive semester. She plans on pursuing a career in community education after graduation.

Marguerite (Maggy) Moore has a bachelor's degree in athletic training from NMU and a master's in pedagogy in athletic training from California University of Pennsylvania (graduating with a 4.0 GPA). She then received a fellowship from Michigan State University to pursue her Ph.D. in athletic training and growth and motor development with an interest in epidemiology. She has been a graduate assistant at MSU for the past three years and is finishing her last class this fall. Her dissertation is on cognitive deficits following migraine. She was born and raised in Marquette.

Jeffrey Scott is a graduate of NMU with a B.S. in physics. He has been studying martial arts since 1991 and achieved his first black belt in the Vietnamese style of Cuong-Nhu in 1996, his second black belt in the self-defense style of Matsukaze-ryu in 2002, and his third black belt in Kodokan judo in 2004. He also studies Akido, Kenjitsu, and Iaido. As a certified instructor of Judo, Cuong-nhu, and Matsukaze-ryu, he specializes in Nage no Kata, Itsutsu no Kata, woman's self-defense, and workplace violence prevention. In addition to martial arts, he has co-authored "The Non-Violent Management of Assaultive Behavior" series, is a senior master instructor of awareness for women's self-defense, and provides training for special education workers dealing with aggressive and assualtive children, health care providers working with behavior health, and social workers dealing with personal safety.

Katrina M. Theut is a graduate of NMU with a B.S. in athletic training and an M.S. in exercise science. She has worked for the Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Sports Department as a student programming assistant in aquatics, weight room and the outdoor recreation and challenge programs. She is also an American Red Cross certified instructor trainer for lifeguarding, water safety, and CPR.

MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Ozlem Inanc comes to NMU on a one-year term contract from Turkey by way of Louisiana State University. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from Hacettepe University (Turkey), and an additional master's degree in economics from LSU, where she is currently a Ph.D. candidate. Her dissertation deals with the microeconomics of international price dispersion. She has expertise in the areas of international economics, international finance and macroeconomics.

Robert Kipka has joined the department as an adjunct instructor. Kipka received his B.S. in 2002 and his M.S. in applied mathematics in 2004 from Michigan Technological University. He has taught mathematics at Washtenaw Community College and as a graduate teaching assistant at Michigan Technological University. During his time in the Ann Arbor area, he also worked on an organic produce farm.

Adam Prus joins NMU as a tenure-track assistant professor. He recently completed his post-doctoral research fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. He received his B.S. in 2000 and M.A. in psychology in 2002 from Western Michigan University and his Ph.D. in biopsychology in 2004 from Virginia Commonwealth University. Prus's research has focused on developing pharmacologic strategies for treating cognitive impairment in neuropsychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia. He has received numerous awards and honors including the Rafaelson Young Investigator Award from the Collegium Internationale Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum (2006), a Graduate Student Research Paper Award a Department Graduate Research and Creative Scholar Award, as well as numerous travel awards. In 2005, he was the winner of a post doctoral fellowship from the Stanley Medical Institute that allowed him to study novel treatments for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, a project he will continue at NMU. He maintains the Society for the Stimulus Properties of Drugs Web site and has consulted for the Medical Education Group. Prus has presented papers in the U.S. and abroad, and has been published in specialty journals.

Military Science

Todd Gile joins NMU as professor of military science, department head and commander of the Wildcat Battalion. Lieutenant Colonel Gile's most recent assignment was chief of operations at the George C. Marshall Center in Garmisch, Germany. He has also served as deputy district engineer (EN), Memphis, Tenn.; EN chief in CJTF-Ku, Kuwait; EN, 1st Special Forces Group, in Ft Lewis, Wash.; instructor, United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.; commander and staff officer, 6th EN Battalion, Ft. Wainwright, Ark.; supply officer, 33rd EN Battalion, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Kuwait; Platoon Leader, and executive officer, 27th EN Battalion, Ft. Bragg, N.C. Gile was also a 2003 recipient of the Corps of Engineers Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal. His academic credentials include a bachelor's degree in engineering management from the United States Military Academy, West Point; a masters degree in kinesiology from Indiana University; and the Senior Service Staff College Defense Strategy Course. His teaching experience includes the United States Military Academy, West Point, and the University of Maryland, Kuwait. Gile is a tri-athlete and has participated in approximately 70 triathlons and 10 marathons including the Ultramax 2002.

James Brazill joins the Military Science Department as senior military instructor. Master Sergeant Brazill's most recent assignments included Ft. Campbell, Ky., with the Air Defense Artillery Battery of 101st Airborne/Air Assault (Screaming Eagles) and also in Hohenfels & Pirmasens, Germany. He has more than 18 years of military education and experience including Air Assault School, Heavy PZ/LZ School, Primary Leadership Development Course, Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, and First Sergeant Course. He also served as the 1st sergeant for the Screaming Eagles. Brazill has earned the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation and Achievement Medals, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Superior Unit Award, Good Conduct and National Defense Service Medals, Southwest Asia Medal and the coveted Air Assault Wings. He has also served in numerous 101st Airborne/Air Assault Division assignments including Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Benjamin Woods commissioned as an active duty officer into the U.S. Army in May 2006. Second Lieutenant Woods served with the Michigan National Guard for five years before his commissioning, most recently with the 1437th in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. His awards include the National Defense Ribbon, Latvia Service, and the Army Achievement award. He served as the assistant enrollment officer at the NMU Army ROTC Wildcat Battalion and is currently in the Officer Basic Course in Fort Sill, Okla.

MODERN LANGAUAGES AND LITERATURES

Joshua Armstrong earned his M.A. in francophone studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2006. He wrote his thesis on the French Novels of Samuel Beckett. He has taught French and English in a variety of locations, including France, Louisiana, online, and at NMU, where he earned his B.A.

Michael W. Joy earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2003. He wrote his dissertation, has published articles, and has given presentations on the literature of 16th and 17th century Spain. He has taught Spanish at Presbyterian College in South Carolina, Carleton College in Minnesota, and at the University of Minnesota. He has led groups of students on study programs to Guatemala and Mexico.

Dr. Rebecca J. Ulland earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2006. She wrote her dissertation on recent fiction in Argentina and has research interests in gender studies and ethnicity throughout the Spanish and Portuguese speaking world. She has taught Spanish and women's studies classes at the University of South Carolina-Union and at the University of Minnesota.

NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES

Aimee Dunn has begun teaching for the Center for Native American Studies. She has previously primarily taught college composition at NMU. Dunn earned her M.A. in English from NMU, during which she researched various ecological philosophies presented in books by such authors as Linda Hogan and Ursula K. LeGuin. She has been published in local Native and environmental media. Dunn, of European and Native descent, considers herself an unofficial northwoods Metis. One of her primary goals in teaching is to ask students to critically examine the values of the dominant American culture, particularly in its relations with the earth and indigenous societies. This falls in line with her academic background in interdisciplinary American Studies with emphases on the Native American experience, Western values and human ecology. She will teach courses such as Kinomaage: The Earth Shows Us the Way and Indigenous Environmental Movements.

NURSING

Melissa Romero is a new adjunct professor in the School of Nursing. She holds a B.S.N. (1996) and an M.S.N. (1999) from NMU. She has experience as a camp nurse at Bay Cliff and as a nurse practitioner for Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates. Romero will be teaching B.S.N. students during their community pediatric clinical experiences.

Rachel Nye has been hired as an assistant professor for a tenure track position. She has a master's degree in nursing education from the University of Wyoming and taught for Alpena Community College as a nursing faculty member for the past two years. Nye's specialty area is in the field of maternal/child nursing. Her clinical experience has been formed by working as a registered nurse in the Family Birthing Center and Neonatal Intensive Care units at Marquette General Hospital since 1998. Rachel holds certifications in neonatal resuscitation; perinatal continuing education; pediatric advanced life support and obstetrical advanced life support.

PSYCHOLOGY

Susan D. Kapla joins the faculty as a post-doctoral teaching fellow. She completed her undergraduate (1990, magna cum laude) and master's work (M.S. 2002) at NMU before proceeding to West Virginia for her doctoral work in psychology with an emphasis on behavior analysis. Kapla has won many awards and scholarships, including the Department of Psychology Outstanding Graduate, WVU Endowed Doctoral Teaching Supplemental Fellowship, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Doctoral Student Research program funding and the Marian Breland Bailey Award for Student Research and Scholarship. Her master's thesis focused on methodological problems in understanding the research on the relation between petting and heart-rate change in dogs. Her doctoral dissertation focused on developing a functional analysis system for evaluating dog-human interactions as a basis for designing interventions for problematic behavior. In addition to teaching and research experience with pigeons, Siamese fighting fish, domestic dogs, and wolves, Kapla is a certified applied animal behaviorist with the Animal Behavior Society, has her own business and has worked as a behavioral consultant for animal humane societies and medical centers. Her current research interests are the functional assessment of problem behavior and the relation between impulsive behavior, self-control, and aggression in dogs.

Sociology and Social Work

Crystallee Crain teaches sociology. She has a B.S. in political science from NMU and is graduating with an M.A. in social sciences from Eastern Michigan University this year. She is a senior fellow with Young People For [sic] and a member of the Front Lines Leadership Academy. Crain is a Michigan political leaders fellow with the Center for Progressive Leadership. She has done social justice work with affirmative action, racial equality, equal access to education and anti-racism.

Kathy Shattuck has been appointed to a term appointment for fall 2006. She has been an adjunct instructor in NMU's Sociology Department for 11 years. She received a B.A. and an M.A., both in sociology, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Technology and Applied Sciences

Brian Brazeau is an adjunct instructor teaching architectural drawing-residential. He has an associate's degree in applied arts and sciences from Grand Rapids Community College. He was head building designer for Barry County Lumber from 1991-94. He established Brazeau Home Design in 1994 and has been providing professional building design services to Upper Peninsula customers for more than 12 years.

Ryan Camps has been hired as an instructor, teaching courses in the mechanical engineering technology area. He received his B.S. in biomedical engineering and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University. Camps has been a graduate teaching assistant, community coordinator, resident assistant and intramural supervisor at MTU. He has also worked as a basketball coach, substitute teacher and a promotional trainer. He is a MHSAA basketball official. He is a graduate of West Iron County High School in Iron River.

Nicholas Griewahn is an instructor on a one-year term position in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration program. Griewahn graduated with an A.S. and B.S. from NMU. He has worked as a HVAC/R service and installation technician for nine years and is universally certified by the EPA. He has served in a leadership role on the Fisheries Management Organization as the activities/volunteer chair, and as the vice president of the Wildlife Society Student Chapter. For the past three years, he has been a volunteer tutor to students in the HVAC/R programs.

Michael Janssen joins the faculty as an instructor in the electrical line technician program at Sawyer. He is a journeyman lineman and has been employed in various foreman and lineman positions since 1967, most recently with the Marquette Board of Light and Power. Janssen is originally from Norway.

Mark Matteson has been hired as an assistant professor, teaching classes in the aviation maintenance technology program. He received his M.S. in industrial psychology from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minn., and his B.S. in aviation maintenance technology from LeTourneau College in Longview, Texas. He also holds several certificates from the Federal Aviation Administration. He is an ISO 9000 lead auditor. His most recent employment was as the manager of quality and a technical instructor for M7 Aerospace LP/L-3 Communications MAS /Bombardier Defense MAS/Bombardier Services America Corporation Short Brothers USA Inc. in West Virginia.

Eric Moe teaches food service sanitation in the hospitality management program. He is in charge of food production for NMU's University Center Dining Services, including both the Wildcat Den and Conference and Catering. He has a bachelor's degree in hospitality management from NMU and has been working in the food production area for the past 16 years at various levels as baker, line cook, sous chef and executive chef.

Deanna Pozega joins the faculty as an instructor in the Engineering Technology Department, teaching classes in the electronics area. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering from Michigan Technology University. She has served in the United States Army and has worked as an engineer for several companies, including Bretting Manufacturing, Honeywell Aerospace and Ironwood Plastics. Her last position was working for SMA Management Systems as a professional services consultant and trainer.