Chancellor announces promotions, tenure for 2020

LAWRENCE — Chancellor Douglas A. Girod has approved promotion and the award of tenure where indicated to 97 individuals on the University of Kansas Medical Center and 62 individuals on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses.

Girod and Barbara Bichelmeyer, the provost and executive vice chancellor, who chairs the University Committee on Promotion and Tenure on the Lawrence campus, and Dr. Robert Simari, executive vice chancellor at the KU Medical Center, issued a joint statement on the accomplishment of these faculty members.

“Congratulations to the exceptional faculty and researchers who’ve reached the next milestone in their careers. As a major research institution, KU’s dedicated scholars and educators address the challenges of our changing world and drive this university forward. Our faculty conduct comprehensive research, deliver outstanding educational experiences and take part in professional, clinical and service activities required of their fields. Their enthusiasm and involvement further our mission of educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world. The commitment they share to ensure students succeed is inspiring.

“The University Committees on Promotion and Tenure on both campuses did an excellent job evaluating the many eligible candidates. We hope the entire university will join us in recognizing these educators who devote their talents and energy to uphold the institution's ideals through research, teaching and service.”

Except where indicated, promotion and tenure are effective at the start of the fall semester.

At the Lawrence and Edwards Campuses

Tenure awarded

• Angela Rathmel, KU Libraries, associate librarian with tenure

To associate professor

• James Blakemore, chemistry
• Juan Bravo Suarez, chemical & petroleum engineering
• Samuel Brody, religious studies
• Patrizio Ceccagnoli, French, Francophone & Italian
• Josephine Chandler, molecular biosciences
• Geng Chen, mathematics
• Brad Cokelet, philosophy
• Masoud Darabi, civil, environmental & architectural engineering
• Niki den Nieuwenboer, business
• Joseph Erba, journalism
• Huazhen Fang, mechanical engineering
• Teri Finneman, journalism
• Ryan Funk, pharmacy practice
• Daniel Hernandez, mathematics
• Alexandra Kondyli, civil, environmental & architectural engineering
• Ari Linden, German studies
• Brian Lines, civil, environmental & architectural engineering
• Noah McLean, geology
• Ashley Muddiman, communication studies
• Jennifer Raff, anthropology
• Colin Roust, music
• Joanna Slusky, molecular biosciences and computational biology
• Matthew Smith, music
• Maya Stiller, history of art
• Keith Van de Riet, architecture
• Guanghui Wang, electrical engineering & computer science
• Carolyn Watson, music
• Emily Witt, mathematics

To associate professor/associate scientist

• Terrance Loecke, environmental studies, Kansas Biological Survey, associate professor with tenure and associate scientist

To clinical professor

• Crystal Burkhardt, pharmacy practice
• Joyce Rosenberg, law
• Betsy Six, law

To professor

• James Basham, special education
• Gjergji Cici, business
• Joe Colistra, architecture
• Kathryn Conrad, English
• Michael Davidson, music
• Dan Dixon, molecular biosciences
• Alesha Doan, public affairs & administration and women, gender, & sexuality studies
• Dorice Elliott, English
• E. Bruce Hayes, French, Francophone & Italian
• Scott Jenkins, philosophy
• Marni Kessler, history of art
• KC Kong, physics & astronomy
• Amy Mendenhall, social welfare
• Derek Reed, applied behavioral science
• Tarun Sabarwal, economics
• Armin Schulz, philosophy
• Kapila Silva, architecture
• Leigh Stearns, geology
• James Stiles, electrical engineering & computer science
• Annie Tremblay, linguistics
• Xuemin Tu, mathematics

To professor, tenure awarded

• Sarah Shrader, pharmacy practice

To professor/scientist

• Matthew Mosconi, applied behavioral science and psychology, Life Span Institute

Academic staff promotions, effective FY 2021

• Amy McCart, Life Span Institute, research professor 
• Dale Walker, Life Span Institute, research professor 
• Kandace Fleming, Life Span Institute, scientist 
• Kathryn Bigelow, Life Span Institute, associate research professor 
• Rebecca Swinburne Romine, Life Span Institute, associate research professor 
• Brett Bricker, communication studies, associate specialist

At the KU Medical Center

To professor on clinical scholar track (nontenure track)

• Brian Pate, pediatrics, Wichita
• Raghuveer Dendi, cardiovascular medicine, Kansas City
• Leigh Eck, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Garth Fraga, pathology and laboratory medicine, Kansas City
• Teresa Long, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Kansas City
• Rashna Madan, pathology and laboratory medicine, Kansas City
• Jayant Nath, cardiovascular medicine, Kansas City
• Mamatha Pasnoor, neurology, Kansas City
• Jason Sokol, ophthalmology, Kansas City

To associate professor on clinical scholar track (nontenure track)

• Travis Abicht, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Kansas City
• Stepheny Berry, surgery, Kansas City
• Kyle Brownback, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Erin Corriveau, family medicine, Kansas City
• Jonathan Dangers, emergency medicine, Kansas City
• Michelle De Souza, plastic surgery, Kansas City
• Emily Diederich, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Jennifer Fink, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Valerie French, obstetrics and gynecology, Kansas City
• Meredith Gray, obstetrics and gynecology, Kansas City
• Jessica Hamilton, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Kansas City
• Reza Hejazi, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Eric Hockstad, cardiovascular medicine, Kansas City
• James Howard, surgery, Kansas City
• Omar Jawdat, neurology, Kansas City
• Christopher Lominska, radiation oncology, Kansas City
• Scott Mullen, orthopedic surgery, Kansas City
• David Naylor, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Jessica Newman, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Francesca Perez Marques, pediatrics, Kansas City
• Deepika Polineni, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Benjamin Powers, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Anand Rajpara, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Xinglei Shen, radiation oncology, Kansas City
• Lisa Shenkman, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Kansas City
• Anurag Singh, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Timothy Smith, pediatrics, Kansas City
• Lori Spoozak, obstetrics and gynecology, Kansas City
• Eric Vaughan, emergency medicine, Kansas City
• Jennifer Villwock, otolaryngology, Kansas City
• Aaron Sinclair, family and community medicine, Wichita
• Hadley Wyre, urology, Kansas City

To clinical assistant professor (clinical track, nontenure track)

• Deana Wilhoite, School of Nursing, Kansas City

To clinical associate professor (clinical track, nontenure track)

• Zalina Ardasenov, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Cara Busenhart, School of Nursing, Kansas City
• Scott Ceule, emergency medicine, Kansas City
• Pooja Desai, pediatrics, Wichita
• Deetra Ford, neurology, Kansas City
• Elizabeth Friedman, pathology and laboratory medicine, Kansas City
• Charles Gibbs, obstetrics and gynecology, Kansas City
• Brett Grizzell, surgery, Wichita
• Abdul Haleem, orthopedic surgery, Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center
• Ellen Harper, School of Nursing, Kansas City
• Melissa Hopper, pediatrics, Wichita
• Melissa Huggins, obstetrics and gynecology, Kansas City
• Kurt Kauffman, obstetrics and gynecology, Wichita
• Brendan Kelly, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Thalia Lopez, obstetrics and gynecology, Wichita
• Dawne Lowden, obstetrics and gynecology, Wichita
• Jerrihlyn McGee, School of Nursing, Kansas City
• Christina Phillips, School of Nursing, Kansas City
• Andrew Porter, family and community medicine, Wichita
• Jason Rucker, physical therapy and rehabilitation science, Kansas City
• James Southwell, neurology, Kansas City
• Danielle Staecker, obstetrics and gynecology, Kansas City
• Samuel Todd Stephens, family and community medicine, Wichita
• Brian Weiford, cardiovascular medicine, Kansas City
• Priyank Yagnik, pediatrics, Wichita

To clinical professor (clinical track, nontenure track)

• Therese Cusick, surgery, Wichita
• Marilee McBoyle, surgery, Wichita
• Pavan Reddy, internal medicine, Wichita
• Janet Woodroof, pathology and laboratory medicine, Kansas City

To associate professor (clinical track, nontenure track)

• Christa Balanoff, surgery, Kansas City

To professor (clinical track, nontenure track)

• Chao Huang, internal medicine, Kansas City

To education professor (educator track, nontenure track)

• Michael Waxman, family medicine, Kansas City

To research associate professor (research track, nontenure track)

• Lauren Ptomey, Internal Medicine Center for Physical Activity and Weight Management, Kansas City

To research professor (research track, nontenure track)

• Antonio Artigues‐Serra, biochemistry and molecular biology, Kansas City
• Katherine Roby, anatomy and cell biology, Kansas City
• Cari Ahlers Schmidt, pediatrics, Wichita

To professor, previously tenured

• Sandra Billinger, physical therapy and rehabilitation science, Kansas City
• Jennifer Klemp, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Lisa Mische Lawson, occupational therapy education, Kansas City
• Megha Ramaswamy, preventive medicine and public health, Kansas City
• Elizabeth Ablah, population health, Wichita

Professor awarded tenure

• Dineo Khabele, obstetrics and gynecology, Kansas City

To associate professor with tenure

• Prachee Avasthi, anatomy and cell biology, Kansas City
• Jeffrey Bose, microbiology, molecular genetics & immunology, Kansas City
• Hannes Devos, physical therapy and rehabilitation science, Kansas City
• Shellie Ellis, population health, Kansas City
• Bret Freudenthal, biochemistry and molecular biology, Kansas City
• Heather Gibbs, dietetics and nutrition, Kansas City
• Matthew Lineberry, population health, Kansas City
• Mei Liu, internal medicine, Kansas City
• Mary Markiewicz, microbiology, molecular genetics & immunology, Kansas City
• Jill Peltzer, School of Nursing, Kansas City
• Milind Phadnis, biostatistics, Kansas City
• Yuxia (Lisa) Zhang, pharmacology, toxicology and therapeutics, Kansas City

Associate professor awarded tenure

• Mohammad Rumi, pathology and laboratory medicine, Kansas City.