Sept. 4, 2014
Catherine A. Christian
assistant professor of physiology, department of molecular and integrative physiology in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and in the College of Medicine
Education:Ph.D. (neuroscience), University of Virginia; A.B. (neuroscience and Italian language and literature), Smith College
Courses teaching: She will teach pharmacology to second-year medical students and will provide support to the first-year neuroscience course in the College of Medicine.
"Dr. Christian is a highly accomplished researcher who brings considerable expertise in neuroscience, endocrinology and pharmacology to the Urbana campus," said Richard Tapping, a professor of microbiology and an associate dean for research in the College of Medicine. "Her research is cutting-edge, utilizing advanced and powerful multidisciplinary approaches to dissect complex networks.The disease context, epilepsy, is imbedded directly in her research. Dr. Christian's broad expertise, depth of knowledge and excellent communication skills bode well for teaching medical neuroscience and pharmacology."
Research interests: Her current research focuses on synaptic transmission, cellular excitability, neuromodulation, and circuit plasticity in the contexts of neuroendocrinology and epilepsy.
Why Illinois? "I chose Illinois because it was very important to me to find a highly collaborative research environment," Christian said. "I could tell that collaborations aren't just talked about here but are happening every day, with fantastic results. My research has several interdisciplinary themes. I am very excited at the prospect of combining my experience and strengths with those of the other faculty here, particularly in the neuroscience program, the Beckman Institute, and in bioengineering. It also didn't hurt that my Ph.D. adviser, Sue Moenter, was an Illini undergrad and called it 'Champaign-Nirvana.'"
Patrick H. Smith
associate professor of bilingual education and literacy in the department of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education
Education: Ph.D. (language, reading and culture), University of Arizona; M.A. (teaching English to speakers of other languages) School for International Training; A.B. (history), Bowdoin College
Courses teaching: CI 477, Methods and Materials in Bilingual/ESL Education. He will also teach and develop graduate courses in language and literacy policy/practice for educators working with bilingual, ESL, and linguistically diverse learners.
"Dr. Smith has shown incredible promise in his ability to connect deep literacy scholarship conducted in linguistically diverse schools, households and communities in Mexico and in the U.S. with key policy issues relevant to the transnational or cross-border movement of languages and literacies - and to do so in meaningful, collaborative ways," said Karla Möller, a professor and the interim associate head for Graduate Programs. "He brings important expertise that complements and enhances the department's capacity to address impending national needs and priorities in bilingual education, and is prepared to excel in teaching all of the courses in our campus and online bilingual education program, a high-needs area."
Research interests: Biliteracy/multiliteracy as human capital; literacy practices and literacy learning in transnational and immigrant families and communities; the literacies of Mexican and Mexican-origin learners; language policies and education.
Why Illinois? "I chose Illinois for the remarkable level of research support, the world-class library, and the opportunity to collaborate with outstanding scholars and students in bilingual education, literacy and applied linguistics," Smith said. "The growing Latino/a population -
in the Central Illinois region and across the state - makes this a natural laboratory for continuing my research on the literacies of Spanish-speaking immigrants. I am looking forward to helping state and local educators create programs and instructional practices to support immigrant and transnational learners."
Sept. 18, 2014
Jefferson Chan
assistant professor of chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Education: Ph.D. (chemistry), Simon Fraser University; B.S. (chemistry), University of British Columbia
Courses teaching: Chem 570, Concepts in Chemical Biology
Research interests: The application of new photoacoustic strategies and chemical tools for noninvasive molecular imaging, as well as the development of point-of-care diagnostics and targeted therapeutics for infectious diseases.
"One of Professor Chan's research projects has the potential to revolutionize the early diagnosis of certain diseases such as cancer," said Gregory S. Girolami, a professor and the head of the department of chemistry. "He has exciting new ideas about how to use a phenomenon called the photoacoustic effect to image human organ systems noninvasively with high resolution by developing new molecules that generate sound when irradiated with light. Although photoacoustic imaging is a known technique, it is not widely used and its full potential has not been realized. His program, which also will investigate the treatment of infectious diseases and the role of magnesium in biology, promises to have a significant impact on biomedical research, and we are delighted that he has joined us here at Illinois. We look forward to seeing remarkable achievements from him and his research group over the coming years."
Why Illinois? "I chose Illinois because I wanted to be at an institution where innovation and cutting-edge research intersect," Chan said. "Indeed, the department of chemistry is among the very best in the nation, which affords me the unique opportunity to work with brilliant colleagues who are tremendously supportive, as well as highly talented students. Our university is truly a special blend of energy, intensity and passion."
Endalyn Taylor
assistant professor of dance in the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Education: M.F.A. (dance), Hollins University, Roanoke, Virginia
Courses teaching: DANC 366, 267, 367, Ballet Technique; DANC 232, Repertory Company
Courses teaching: DANC 366, 267, 367, Ballet Technique; DANC 232, Repertory Company
Research interests: Examining the careers of dancers of color and telling their stories through performance and interviews; and celebrating their strength, beauty and perseverance. She continues to work to use dance as a tool of empowerment and healing for battered women and children, as well as using dance as a pathway toward discussion of this devastating social issue.
"Ms. Taylor is an extraordinary dancer who will bring to our community her vast experience as a principal ballet dancer with the Dance Theater of Harlem and as an original cast member in Broadway musicals such as 'Lion King' and 'Aida,'" said Jan Erkert, head of the dance department. "She will teach ballet and musical theater dance, which will fortify the technical strengths of our students, and also will direct the Repertory Company, a student group that performs for the local schools. Having served as the director of the School of the Dance Theater of Harlem for many years, her significant knowledge and passion is expected to help expand our engagement with the community. As an African-American principal ballet dancer, she has been a champion for diversity in ballet, a form that has not been traditionally diverse, and we hope that her presence as a role model and passionate teacher will inspire all of our students to achieve their full potential."
Why Illinois? "In addition to returning to my home state, I chose the U. of I. because of its innovative approach to the advancement of dance and dance pedagogy," Taylor said. "The passionate faculty and staff members and the support of the entire U. of I. community seem not only to encourage ingenuity but also to expect new ideas to come to complete fruition. As an artist, there is no headier opportunity than to be given the green light and means to dream and to dream big; nothing is beyond the realm of possibility."
Oct. 2, 2014
Faye V. Harrison
professor, department of African American studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, with a courtesy appointment in anthropology
Education: Ph.D. (anthropology) and M.A. (anthropology), Stanford University; B.A. (anthropology), Brown University
Courses teaching: AFRO 415 (Africana Feminisms) and AFRO 560 (African Diaspora Seminar) during the spring 2015 semester. She also will play a pivotal role in discussions regarding graduate studies in the department of African American studies.
Research interests: She is a social/political anthropologist who specializes in the study of social inequalities and the politics that emerge from them.
"Other experts in the fields of anthropology and African American studies have described professor Harrison as 'the pre-eminent black anthropologist and anthropologist of the African Diaspora in this country,'" said Ronald Bailey, the head of African American studies. "In much of her work, the topics involve issues of social and economic disparities related to race, gender and class, and their manifestations in everyday life. Her current research examines modes of political activism that approach racism and sexism as human rights violations outlawed by international law. She also has focused on the kinds of transnational alliances and collaborations that have developed among activists as they respond to the issues of her concern."
Why Illinois? "I welcome the opportunity to become a part of the vibrant academic community that the U. of I. has long been committed to building and sustaining," Harrison said. "A number of colleagues whose work I deeply admire have either worked or been trained here as students. I was a Ford Postdoctoral Fellow here, so I have first-hand experience of the rich intellectual vitality and extensive resources available here. I moved here because I think Illinois will be a great place for someone like me whose teaching and scholarship relate to the interplay of race, gender, class and struggles over national and transnational belonging.
Alexander E. Lipka
assistant professor of biometry in the department of crop sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
Education: Ph.D. (statistics) and M.S. (applied statistics), Purdue University; B.S. (statistics and music), University of Florida
Courses teaching: CPSC 440 (Applied Statistical Methods 1)
Research interests: He identifies challenges with current statistical approaches for assessing the genetic contribution to trait variation and developing or applying new statistical approaches to address them. In addition, he conducts interdisciplinary collaborations to address a range of biological questions relevant to improving the quality and quantity of crops and other agronomically important species.
"Dr. Lipka brings to his position a strong academic background in statistics, genetics and genomics," said Germán A. Bollero, a professor and the head of the department of crop sciences. "Alex's research has been focused on developing innovative statistical methodologies for addressing challenges in genetics, genomics and epigenomics, of both diploids and polyploids. A major emphasis of his research program will be devoted to the advances in crop genomics that require the handling of large data sets."
Why Illinois? "I chose the U. of I. because of the friendly collegiate environment it offers," Lipka said. "There are many well-known excellent research projects being conducted at the U. of I., and I am very excited about the possibility of getting involved in them."
Oct. 16, 2014
Elena Fuchs
assistant professor of mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Education: Ph.D. (mathematics), Princeton University; B.A. (mathematics), University of California at Berkeley
Courses teaching: Math 347 (Introduction to Mathematical Thought) in her first semester as well as upper-level number theory courses and graduate topics courses in areas related to her research.
Research interests: Number theory and geometric group theory.
"Elena Fuchs is one of the world's leading experts in number theory and geometry of Apollonian Circle Packings," said Matthew A. Anda, a professor of and the chair of the department of mathematics. "These are geometric fractal patterns which have been studied for more than 2,000 years, but whose properties remain largely mysterious. Her breakthrough work has helped us to understand deep patterns linking the geometry of these circles to the sequence of prime numbers, and her related work on thin groups has been equally transformational. Our department has excellent faculty and students in these two areas, and having Fuchs join our faculty will bring these two groups together in a powerful new way."
Why Illinois? "I decided to come to the U. of I. for many reasons. The basic reason is that the mathematics department here is really top-notch research-wise, and that is something that was really important to me," Fuchs said. "Furthermore, since it's such a large department, it is strong in many different fields in mathematics, which is particularly attractive to me since my research dips into a variety of topics, most notably number theory and geometry, both of which are extremely strong here. Moreover, there are several people in the department who also work at the intersection of these two fields, and it is wonderful to be able to discuss my work with them. Along similar lines, the department has a very collaborative feel to it, which I think is also key to being productive and to making many new and exciting discoveries. In addition, I really liked the mixture of small town and cultural feel to the area when I visited, and I am enjoying it very much now that I actually live here."
Alexei Tchistyi
associate professor of finance, College of Business
Education: Ph.D. (business administration) Stanford University; M.A. (economics) New Economic School, Moscow, Russia; M.S. (applied mathematics and physics), Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia; B.S. (applied mathematics and physics), Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia
Courses teaching: Finance 445 (Real Estate Investment).
Research interests: Number theory and geometric group theory.
"Since receiving his doctoral degree in 2005, Professor Tchistyi has served on the faculties of two very highly regarded business schools: the Stern School of Business at New York University as well as the Haas School of Business at University of California at Berkeley," said Louis Chan, the chair of the department of finance. "Over this period, he has accumulated an outstanding record of research and teaching. He has six publications, five of which are in the profession's most respected refereed journals, as well as numerous promising projects underway. Professor Tchistyi has won several teaching awards at Berkeley, and his research has been recognized in the form of the Review of Financial Studies Young Researcher Award, as well as the Schwabacher Fellowship and the Barbara and Gerson Bakar Fellowship at UC Berkeley. The department looks forward to having Alexei join us to rejuvenate our real estate curriculum and train new practitioners and scholars in the area of real estate finance."
Why Illinois? "I chose Illinois because it is a premier research institution," Tchistyi said. "I am delighted to be a part of the department that has a number of internationally renowned researchers, as well as lots of young and energetic junior faculty members. I also like the fact that the College of Business is committed to investing in its real estate program. In my opinion, if we want to understand our economy and financial system better, we cannot underestimate the importance of the real estate markets."
Nov. 6, 2014
Evan P. Starr
assistant professor, School of Labor and Employment Relations
Education: Ph.D. (economics), M.A. (economics), University of Michigan; B.A. (mathematics, economics and Spanish), Denison University
Courses teaching: Statistics, spring 2015; labor economics in the future.
Research interests: Non-compete agreements.
"Evan's research fits squarely in the emerging field of personnel economics," said Fritz Drasgow, the interim dean of LER. "Workers in a very broad range of occupations are required to sign non-compete agreements before they begin working. These non-compete agreements are designed to prevent workers from quitting and taking valuable firm knowledge to a competitor. Evan constructed a very clever empirical test of his theory using a large, nationally representative U.S. firm, and found that firms are more willing to invest in the training of their workers where non-compete agreements are more easily enforced. This research is making an important contribution to the growing labor economics literature on firm-sponsored training."
Why Illinois? "The primary reason I chose Illinois is because of the research synergies between the School of Labor and Employment Relations, the department of economics and the College of Business," Starr said. "My research in labor economics benefits greatly from the opportunity to meet with HR representatives from Fortune 500 companies, often alums of this university, who come to campus to recruit our HR students from LER. The applied microeconomics group across campus is top-notch in their rigorous evaluation of empirical research. The combination of these groups made Illinois attractive to me because of the opportunities to grow intellectually, learn from my peers and create more impactful research."
Tandy Warnow
Founder Professor of Bioengineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering
Education: Ph.D. (mathemathics), B.A. (mathematics), University of California at Berkeley
Research interests:Multiple sequence alignment and phylogeny estimation (both gene trees and species trees) and metagenomic analysis, bioengineering, Big Data
"A joint hire between bioengineering and computer science, professor Tandy Warnow brings decades of expertise working at the intersection of bioinformatics and Big Data," said Rob A. Rutenbar, the head of computer science. "Her work combines mathematics, computer science and statistics to develop algorithms with improved accuracy for large-scale and complex estimation problems in phylogenetics and metagenomics. She works with extremely large datasets to create new insights into the evolution of life on this planet. Her research has the potential for wide-ranging impact across a number of fields. She will develop a new course on computational biology that will appeal to students in bioengineering and computer science, as well as other biological disciplines."
Why Illinois? "Of all the places my husband and I had offers, Illinois was by far the most exciting for us," Warnow said. "My husband, George Chacko, was offered a very interesting job working with Peter Schiffer, the vice chancellor for research, and I was offered a position in computer science and bioengineering. The opportunities for me at Illinois to expand my research to new problems and to collaborate with outstanding faculty members and students in multiple disciplines was really enticing. I chose Illinois because I feel my research career will flourish here, but the sense of community and friendliness in Champaign-Urbana also was a big draw for us!"
