University Times

Three of Pitt’s regional campuses are welcoming new full-time faculty this fall. Following is a sample drawn from information provided by administrators and public relations officers at each campus. Bradford UPB has added three new nursing faculty: Richard Barton, instructor, with a specialty in mental health; Mary Dinger, instructor, with a specialty in the maternal-newborn nursing subfield, and Tammy Haley, assistant professor with a specialty in medical-surgical nursing.

Barton earned a B.S. in nursing from Eastern Michigan University. Dingle earned her B.S., cum laude, from Pitt-Bradford.

After completing a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Georgia College, Haley earned an M.S. in nursing in the family nurse practitioner program at Pitt’s School of Nursing.

“The nursing department is thrilled with the experience that these new faculty members bring to the nursing program,” said Michelle Brigiotta, assistant professor of nursing and director of the nursing program at Bradford. “We are looking forward to a full and exciting academic year.”

New assistant professor of mathematics Jacinth Maynard is expected to receive her doctorate in mathematics, with a concentration in teaching college math, from Central Michigan University. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of the Virgin Islands and her master of science from Hampton University (Virginia). Greensburg Among the six new faculty at UPG is Jason Uslaner, who taught research methods in cognitive psychology and biopsychology at the University of Michigan.

Biopsychologists study the structure and function of the nervous system, the development and evolution of neural and behavioral systems, and interactions among behavior, environment, physiology and heredity.
Uslaner earned a Ph.D. in biopsychology at Michigan in May. He received a Regents Fellowship there and also was Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Berkeley. His research investigated the behavioral and neurobiological effects of drugs of abuse and the modulatory role of the environmental context of psychostimulant administration. Uslaner has published in a number of scientific journals including American Journal of Psychiatry, Journal of Neuroscience and Psychiatry Research.

Other new Pitt-Greensburg faculty include: In political science: Beverly Gaddy, former assistant professor of political science at Georgia Southwestern State University, who earned a doctorate in political science at the University of Nebraska.

In mathematics: Ryad Ghanam, former assistant professor of math at the University of Wisconsin Colleges, who earned his doctorate in mathematics at the University of Toledo.

In English: Kelli E. Maloy, former assistant professor of English at Mars Hill College, who earned a doctorate in English at West Virginia University.

In management: Christopher Marquette, former visiting professor of finance at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, who received a doctorate in finance from Texan A&M University.

According to Norman Scanlon, UPG’s vice president for academic affairs, “The new faculty bring diverse research interests and academic accomplishments that will add new instructional dimensions to our campus.” Johnstown UPJ President Albert L. Etheridge commented on some of his campus’s new faculty. David E. Magill, assistant professor of English, earned a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky.

“Dr. Magill comes to UPJ from a visiting professorship at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville,” Etheridge said. “Dr. Magill’s strength in English literature, with a focus on Modern Masculinities: Race and Manhood in 1920s U.S. Literature and Culture, will add critical dimension to our humanities program.”
New assistant professor of history Veronica A. Wilson completed her Ph.D. in 2002 at Rutgers University and comes to UPJ from the University of Massachusetts, where she was a visiting professor.

“Dr. Wilson is a welcome addition to our history department,” Etheridge noted. “Her strengths in American and women’s history with a focus on gender studies will fill a heretofore noticeable pause in our offerings.”

The engineering technology program added Brian Houston as assistant professor of civil engineering technology. Houston holds two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University.

“Mr. Houston was the senior design engineer at Matrix Service, Inc., prior to joining UPJ,” Etheridge said.

“We welcome Brian, who will strength our civil engineering offerings.”

—Peter Hart