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Dr. Doran joins UTEP with a research background in Latinx students, community colleges, community college faculty, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Before joining UTEP, she was an associate professor at Iowa State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, where she earned tenure in 2022. She earned her doctoral degree in educational leadership, a master’s degree in history, and a bachelor’s degree in history from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). Dr. Doran is a member of the Council for the Study of Community Colleges, the Association for the Study of Higher Education, and the American Educational Research Association. Her scholarship has been recognized by the Nationial Science Foundation through a grant while at Iowa State, the NASPA Community Colleges Division with the NASPA Research and Scholarship Community College Award, the Council for the Study of Community Colleges with the Barbara K. Townsend Emerging Scholar Award, and by the Spencer Foundation. In her downtime, Dr. Doran enjoys reading, spending time with her French bulldog, and participating in Disney half marathons.

Dr. Eiring joins UTEP with a research background in the mechanisms of disease progression and drug resistance in myeloid leukemia. Before joining the UTEP faculty, she served as a tenure-track assistant professor at Texas Tech Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Health Sciences Center El Paso (TTUHSC El Paso) and was previously a postdoctoral fellow at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Utah. She earned her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and her bachelor’s degree in biology with honors from The Ohio State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. Dr. Eiring's research has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas, the American Cancer Society, the Elsa U. Pardee Foundation, and the American Society of Hematology (ASH). She has received several awards, including Career Development Awards from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and ASH, and performs community service work through both organizations. She has served as a manuscript reviewer and editorial board member for several prestigious journals, including Blood, Oncogene, Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy, Pathology, Leukemia, and Frontiers in Genetics. Additionally, she has been a grant reviewer for the John Goldman Fellowships for Future Science and the Medical Research Council. Dr. Eiring has mentored over a dozen medical students as part of the TTUHSC El Paso Scholarly Activity and Research Program, as well as numerous graduate and undergraduate students.

Dr. Takehana joins UTEP from Fitchburg State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (FSU), where she was a professor in the Department of English. Her research spans media studies, digital humanities, aesthetics, electronic literature, and modern and contemporary literature, with emerging interests in stylometry, distant reading, and computational linguistics. Dr. Takehana earned her doctoral degree in English from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Florida, and holds a master’s in English composition and a bachelor’s in Literature from California State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, San Bernardino. She is the author of The Baroque Technotext: Literature in a Digital Mediascape and has contributed numerous book chapters on topics such as writing in the age of AI and multimedia storytelling. Dr. Takehana also co-created FSU’s Digital Media Innovation BS and BA degrees and served as co-coordinator of FSU’s Center for Faculty Scholarship..

Dr. Youn joins UTEP from Marshall Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in West Virginia. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Calvin Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and a Master's and Ph.D. from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Austin, focusing on water and wastewater treatment. Dr. Youn is affiliated with the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. His research primarily investigates the fate and transport of emerging contaminants in urban water systems, and he is dedicated to expanding undergraduate participation in cutting-edge research. In 2022, Dr. Youn was selected as a Summer Faculty Fellow at the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, where he researched biohazardous spores in wastewater systems. His commitment to involving undergraduate students in research earned him a grant from the National Science Foundation to establish a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at Marshall Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. Dr. Youn also received the Distinguished Teacher Award from Marshall’s College of Engineering and Computer Sciences. In his free time, Dr. Youn enjoys drinking coffee, watching soccer, and eating street tacos. He is excited to explore El Paso and indulge in these interests.

Dr. Anderson joins UTEP from Georgia Institute of Technology where she served as a postdoctoral fellow. Her research and teaching analyze how children's media can educate young people about difficult topics, such as climate change, gentrification, and school shootings. She is particularly interested in examining how comics and graphic novels can represent abstract environmental issues and promote youth activism. Dr. Anderson earned her doctoral degree in English from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Florida, a master’s from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Kentucky, and a bachelor's in English Literature from the Lake Erie College. She is the creator of the - a digital humanities project that catalogs environmental comics for children and young adults. Her scholarship recently appeared in the edited collection Alt Kit Lit and Gothic Nature. This summer, Dr. Anderson received a Special Collection Research Fellowship from Michigan State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. She has also recently conducted research on historical environmental comics and zines at the Library of Congress as a Swann Foundation Fellow. Dr. Anderson is a member of the Children's Literature Association and Climate Lit, a flagship project of the Center for Climate Literacy that focuses on climate literacy through literature, film, and other media for young people. During her leisure time, she enjoys competing in agility, rally obedience, and other dog sports with her two dogs (a border collie and a mini schnauzer). She also enjoys hiking, kayaking, and watching horror movies.

Dr. Antwi-Obimpeh joins UTEP with a research focus on social issues impacting auditing, corporate reporting, and corporate governance.She earned a doctoral degree in accounting from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and both a bachelor's and a master's degree from Kent State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. While at UTSA, Dr. Antwi-Obimpeh received the Alvarez Accounting Scholar of the Year award and the Graduate School Professional Development award. In 2023, she was recognized with a scholarship for her research by the Accounting & Finance Women’s Alliance Foundation. She is a member of the American Accounting Association (AAA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). In 2023, Dr. Antwi-Obimpeh served as the AAA U.S. representative to the European Accounting Association Doctoral Colloquium. In 2022, she served as a presenter and fellow at theAAA/ Deloitte/ J. Michael Cook Doctoral Consortium. Dr. Antwi-Obimpeh was recognized with the AICPA Minority Doctoral Fellowship award from 2019 to 2024. During her downtime, she enjoys caring for her house plants, swimming, and collecting coffee mugs from her travels to new places.

Dr. Arsenault joins UTEP from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), where she completed her doctoral degree in special education with a focus on language and communication in mathematics. During her time at UT Austin, she worked as a graduate research assistant on research projects related to data-based individualization for middle school students with mathematics difficulty and word-problem intervention development for elementary school students with mathematics difficulty. She earned a master’s degree in special education from Vanderbilt Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and a bachelor’s degree (cume laude with honors) in human development, linguistics, and education from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, San Diego. After completing her master’s degree, Dr. Arsenault spent five years as a K-5 special education teacher in Aurora, CO supporting students through intensive intervention and co-teaching in the subject areas of mathematics, reading, and writing. Her background in student learning and education intervention has led to consulting work as a content writer for Amplify and developing math-specific learning modules. Dr. Arsenault is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children – the Division for Learning Disabilities and the Division for Research. She is also a member of the Mathematics Cognition and Learning Society.

Dr. Baker Martinez joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of New Mexico (UNM) where she earned her doctoral degree in Hispanic Linguistics. Her research focuses on Spanish language acquisition in children, particularly how they learn grammar. She explores how both monolingual and bilingual children acquire complex language forms and how language input and proficiency impact this process. Dr. Baker Martinez completed her master’s degree in interpreting and translation studies at Wake Forest Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and holds two bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Journalism from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Wyoming. Her research has been supported by the Bilinski Foundation Fellowship and the Latin American Iberian Institute Fellowship at UNM. These awards allowed her to work with school-aged children at two dual-language schools in Albuquerque, contributing to her dissertation. Her work has been recognized by the National Latina Organization and published in leading linguistics publications, including the Journal of Child Language. In her spare time, Dr. Baker Martinez enjoys studying languages, conducting research, playing bass guitar, spending time outdoors, and savoring delicious food.

Professor Balmaceda joins UTEP with a performance and research background in Latino theater, focusing on how it articulates cultural identities, community values, and social issues relevant to Latino experiences. His work explores how theater serves as a platform for diverse voices and narratives, addressing topics such as immigration, assimilation, and cultural preservation. He is also passionate about bridging the gap between performance art and therapeutic practices through exploration and teaching. Before joining UTEP, Martin was a visiting professor and director of the Theatre Program at Friends Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in Wichita, Kansas. Prior to that, he led the Theater Program at Universidad de las Américas Puebla in México. He has 25 years of experience in performing and directing contemporary theater and 15 years of teaching K-12 and undergraduate students. Martín earned his MFA in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College in New York and holds a bachelor’s degree in Creative Arts and Human Behavior from Empire State College. Additionally, he has a Creative Arts Therapy Certificate with a concentration in Drama Therapy from the New School Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in New York and completed professional training at the Conservatorio de Teatro ‘Club de Teatro’ in his native Santiago, Chile. His work has received significant recognition, including the Best Production award for "La Hebra del Ser" at the XXVI Festival Eraitzicutzio in México, the Best Director award for "Yoleros" at the ATI Awards in New York City, and the Manhattan Community Art Grant Award for his Devised theater project "Shattering Borders" from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Martín is a member of the Lincoln Center Theatre Directors Lab, the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), and XIPE Colectivo Escénico. Throughout his career, he directed notable productions such as "Noche tan Linda" at the FITU Festival at UNAM Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in Mexico City, "Aqueron: El Río de la Tragedia" at the Cherry Arts and the ICE Factory Festival at the New Ohio Theatre in New York City, and "An Enemy of the People" at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York City. In his free time, Martín enjoys gardening, traveling, and practicing yoga.

Dr. Castro joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Central Florida (UCF), where he conducted postdoctoral research at the NanoScience Technology Center. His research focuses on biomedical devices and biosensors, utilizing principles of MEMS, nanotechnology, and semiconductor fabrication. Dr. Castro holds a doctoral degree and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from UCF, an MBA with a focus on strategic planning from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Valle, Colombia, and a bachelor’s in electronics engineering from the National Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Colombia. His research has been published in prestigious journals, including Springer Biomedical Microdevices, Nature Microsystems & Nanoengineering, and Micromachines. Over the past three years, he has secured three patents and served as judge for the Student Scholar Symposium and Senior Design Showcase at UCF. Dr. Castro's research has been supported through the Latin American and Caribbean Scholarship and the Daniel D. Hammond Engineering Scholarship. His more than 10 years of industry experience includes work with Micron Technology in Boise, ID, and various companies in Colombia, such as Instrumatic, where he served as a support engineer and office manager; Sanambiente, where he was a technical director; and Weatherford Ltda., where he worked as a service engineer. He has a strong background in mentorship, having conducted workshops and demonstrations on laser confocal microscopy characterization and laser micromachining during his time at UCF. In 2023, he was a finalist for the Outstanding Student Poster Presentation Award at the IEEE MEMS Conference in Munich, Germany, and in 2022, he received the Outstanding Student Paper Award at the IEEE MEMS Conference in Tokyo, Japan. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Castro enjoys volunteering, spending time with his family, and watching movies and soccer.

Dr. Chung is an applied economist focused on understanding the determinants of health disparities and the effects of migration on healthcare labor markets. She joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Minnesota, where she completed her postdoctoral research at the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation. In this role, she took pride in mentoring graduate students. Dr. Chung's research explores how early life factors, particularly education and racism, impact later-life well-being, including physical health and cognitive functioning. She collaborates on interdisciplinary research with economists, sociologists, and public health researchers. Dr. Chung earned her doctoral degree in applied economics from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC); an MA in applied economics and a BA in Business Administration with a focus in business economics from Ohio Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. At UIUC, Dr. Chung was recognized as an Outstanding Ph.D. Student, received several departmental fellowships, and was listed on the university's List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students. Her additional awards include the Jasso Best Student Paper Award at the 2nd Biennial Conference on Population and Public Policy and the Research Scholarship Award from the American Council on Consumer Interests. Dr. Chung is an active member of the Population Association of America and the American Society of Health Economists. Outside of academia, she enjoys watching movies, traveling, and volunteering at the animal shelter.

Dr. Čučak joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of South Carolina where she served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Electrical Engineering. She has a research background and interests in physics-based modeling of Gallium Nitride high-electron mobility transistors (GaN HEMTs), deep learning for dynamic on-resistance and radiation tolerance predictions, high-switching frequency converters, electric propulsion and point-of-load converters for space applications, analysis and modeling of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), and distributed predictive control of microgrids. Prior to her postdoctoral appointment, Dr. Čučak gained industry experience as an electronics design engineer at Airbus for Space and Defense in Madrid – a global pioneer in the aerospace industry, working on the design of Sentinel 5 observational satellite and Ariane 6 launcher of European Space Agency (ESA). Dr. Čučak earned her doctoral degree and master's of science degree in power electronics from Polytechnic Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Madrid and completed her undergraduate studies at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Belgrade, Serbia. Her research has been recognized by the IETE Journal of Research with the S.K. Mitra Memorial Award for the Best Research-Oriented Paper, and IEEE ECCE for Best Poster. Her research has been published in the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (TPEL) journal and presented at the IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE), and the IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC). One of her proudest achievements is being part of Thales Alenia Space team that designed a DC-DC power distribution module for Eutelsat Konnect- a geostationary communications satellite, that was launched in January 2020. The satellite provides broadband internet and communications coverage to Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Čučak is a member of the IEEE Power Electronics Society (IEEE PELS) and IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE). During her leisure time, she shares that she enjoys scuba diving.

Dr. Dasari joins UTEP from the Characterization and Post Irradiation Examination division at Idaho National Laboratory. His research background is in physical and mechanical metallurgy, microstructural characterization, and radiation effects on materials. His work is focused on developing alloys for extreme environments like high temperature, stress, and radiation. He earned his doctoral and master’s degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of North Texas (UNT) and the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Florida respectively. While at UNT, Dr. Dasari received the R.B. Toulouse Fellowship award in 2019 and 2020, and the Academic Achievement Award in 2018. He has over 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Acta Materialia. He was recently recognized with the 2023 Acta Materialia Outstanding Reviewer award. He has more than 1300 citations and an H-index of 21. Dr. Dasari is a member of The Minerals, Metals, and Minerals Society (TMS), for which he is a co-organizer for various symposia. During his downtime, he enjoys hiking, sports, and cooking.

Dr. Dosal-Terminel is a bilingual counselor educator with a research background in experiences and efficacy of bilingual counselors, particularly those serving Latinx and refugee populations, as well as the utilization of mental health resources. He earned his doctoral degree in counselor education and practice from Georgia State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (GSU), a master's in clinical mental health counseling from St. Edward's Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and a bachelor's in psychology from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Austin. Dr. Dosal-Terminel's research has been supported by the National Board of Certified Counselors and the Texas Association for Counselor Education & Supervision. He is National Certified Counselor. Dr. Dosal-Terminel is actively engaged in counseling communities, including the Institute of Chicana/o Psychology, the Institute of Narrative Exposure Therapy, and the American Counseling Association. While completing his studies in Atlanta, Dr. Dosal-Terminel served as a bilingual counselor for the International Rescue Committee, an organization focused on helping people affected by humanitarian crises. He was also a bilingual school-based mental health counselor for middle schools in the area. Dr. Dosal-Terminel is working towards a play therapy license and is interesting in bridging adventure therapy with migrant populations.  

Dr. Duru joins UTEP from Australian National Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (ANU) in Canberra, Australia, where he served as an MSI Fellow in the Mathematical Sciences Institute – a fellowship awarded to high achieving, early career mathematicians. His research interest involves mathematical analysis, kennumerical analysis, and high-performance computing (HPC), primarily to contribute to the development of models that analyze partial differential equations (PDEs) to solve real world problems such as earthquakes. Dr. Duru earned his Ph.D. in Scientific Computing from Uppsala Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in Sweden; a MSc in Scientific Computing from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden; and a BSc in Mathematics and Statistics from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Calabar, Nigeria. He has published in high quality numerical analysis and computational mathematics journals including the SIAM Journal of Numerical Analysis; SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing; Numerische Mathematik; Journal of Computational Physics; Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering; and the Journal of Scientific Computing. His research expands into geophysics journals such as Seismological Research Letters Geophysical Journal International. Dr. Duru is credited as co-developer of ExaHyPE, an exa-scale simulation engine for hyperbolic PDEs; lead developer of WaveQLab3D, a state-of-the-art software for seismic wave propagation and dynamic earthquake rupture simulations; and contributor of Seismolive, an online educational software for computational seismology. His research has been supported by Stanford Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, the Australian Academy of Science, and Bureau of Meteorology Australia. Dr. Duru has supervised and mentored over a dozen master’s and doctoral level students.

Dr. Flores joins UTEP with a research background in behavioral neuroscience. He previously served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Unit of Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), where he studied the motivational and emotional neural circuits implicated in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders involving compulsive reward-seeking or avoidance behaviors. Dr. Flores earned a doctoral degree in psychology focusing on behavioral neuroscience, a certificate in quantitative methods, and a master's degree in experimental psychology from UTEP. He completed his bachelor's degree in psychology at California State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, Long Beach. While at NIMH, he also served as a co-program officer for the Center of Compulsive Behaviors. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse. Dr. Flores is a two-time recipient of the NIH Summer Mentor Award. He has served as a reviewer for several journals, including Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuroscience Letters, Frontiers in Neuroscience, and the Journal of Neuroscience. Dr. Flores possesses a broad range of technical skills in behavioral, surgical, neurochemical, molecular, and statistical software. He is a member of the Society for Neuroscience and the National Hispanic Science Network, where he has served as a co-editor.

Dr. Galeano joins UTEP from the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Interdisciplinary Training in Cancer Research Program (IDTG) at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication that enable populations of cells to acquire complex functions that allow them to respond more effectively to external factors. By utilizing advanced techniques like spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing, his research aims to identify the molecular networks that let a group of cells to communicate among themselves with the long-term goal of tracing back how unicellular organisms evolved into complex life forms. Dr. Galeano earned his doctoral degree from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of New South Wales, where he was affiliated with the European Molecular Biology Lab (EMBL) Australia and the Sydney Catalyst Translational Cancer Research Centre. He also holds a master's degree in medicine from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Sydney and an MD from the National Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Colombia in Bogotá. Early in his career, his research revealed that cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) use chemokine gradients, a process known as immune swarming, to enhance tumor elimination. During his postdoctoral training, he discovered that bacteria within necrotic, immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments can influence anti-tumor immune responses and cancer transformation. His recent research demonstrates that bacteria can induce quiescence in epithelial cancer cells, contributing to tumor recurrence, immune evasion, and chemoresistance. Dr. Galeano’s research has been recognized by the Pathogen-Associated Malignancies Integrated Research Center, where he won the Favorite Trainee Lightning Talk at the 2021 consortium retreat. Additionally, his work was awarded Favorite Research Article by the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Louvain in Brussels, Belgium. Outside of his research, Dr. Galeano enjoys yoga, where he is also an instructor, as well as outdoor activities such as hiking, bouldering, and rope climbing.

Dr. Guglielmina is a Peruvian flutist who joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Miami (UM) Frost School of Music. Her music and academic career have led her to be a featured soloist with ensembles such as the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola Big Band in Peru, the Miami Sousa Band, the Frost Wind Ensemble, the Penn State Chamber Orchestra, the Penn State Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and the Western Michigan Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (WMU) Symphony Orchestra. She has earned numerous solo prizes in international competitions, including the Silver Medal in the Berliner International Music Competition, Peru’s Concurso Internacional de Flautistas, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist Competition (Pennsylvania), the White Lake Young Artist Competition (Michigan), and the Wisconsin Flute Festival Collegiate and Young Artist competitions. Dr. Guglielmina holds a doctoral degree in musical arts from UM, and master's and bachelor's degrees in music from Penn State and WMU, respectively. While at UM, Dr. Guglielmina served as a mentor to undergraduate students and youth through the Shalala MusicReach Classical Mentoring program, which aims to enrich the education of under-served youth in the Miami-Dade community through innovative music education programs while providing Frost School of Music students with opportunities to develop their teaching and community engagement skills. She is dedicated to sharing her culture and love of music through performances in various genres and styles, advocating for the arts, and providing music instruction to students of all ages and backgrounds. During her time in Miami, Dr. Guglielmina also served as a flute instructor at Westminster Christian School, a flute instructor for students of all ages at her own Guglielmina Flute Studio, and a flute teaching artist at the Miami Music Project, which empowers students to excel through music. As an orchestral flutist and chamber musician, she has recently performed with the Napa Valley Festival Orchestra, New World Symphony, Palm Beach Symphony, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Naples Festival Orchestra, Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, and Penn’s Woods Music Festival. Dr. Guglielmina has presented masterclasses and workshops at Perú's Festival Internacional de Flautistas, Flautistas del Perú, and the Venezuelan Festival de Flauta Manuel Guadalajara. Following her passion for scholarship in Latin American music, her latest published essay, "Miami Flute Suite" by Miguel del Aguila: A Musical and Cultural Study, features an analysis of Brazilian choro, Latin jazz, tango, and Uruguayan milonga, as well as an interview with the composer himself. In addition to her musical pursuits, Dr. Guglielmina enjoys traveling, participating in triathlons, Latin dancing, hiking, and savoring Peruvian cuisine.

Dr. Gutierrez joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he served as an Assistant Project Scientist. His primary research focus concerns the impact that drugs of abuse have on the brain and behavior across development and into adulthood. A major goal of his work is to understand how the age of drug exposure and route of drug administration enhance susceptibility to drug use. Dr. Gutierrez earned a doctoral degree in Neuroscience from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine and a bachelor's degree in Biological Psychology from California State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, San Bernardino. He completed his postdoctoral training at The Scripps Research Institute in the Department of Neuroscience and later at UCSD in the Department of Psychiatry, where he was awarded the prestigious UCSD Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship award and the highly competitive San Diego Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (SD-IRACDA) Postdoctoral Fellowship. Dr. Gutierrez is a member of the Society of Neuroscience, and he is one of the founding members of UC’s chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).

Dr. Gutierrez joins UTEP from Texas A&M where he served as a postdoctoral research associate and instructor of Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory. His research focuses on advancing Bayesian statistical models, algorithms, and theories tailored for the analysis of structured and object data originating from real-world applications. These data structures encompass a wide spectrum, including high-dimensional vectors, tensors, networks, and functions. He earned a doctoral degree in statistics from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), and a master’s and bachelor’s in economic theory and economics, respectively, from Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM). His research has been supported by the UCSC Institute for Mexico and the US, the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT), and ITAM. Dr. Gutierrez serves as a reviewer for the Journal of the American Statistical Association, and the Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics. He is a member of the International Society for Bayesian Analysis. Dr. Gutierrez is fluent in Spanish and Italian and has a basic knowledge of German. During his downtime, Dr. Gutierrez enjoys rock climbing and hiking.

Dr. Han joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Georgia (UGA), where she served as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. Prior to joining UGA, Dr. Han earned her doctoral and master’s degrees in public policy from Georgia State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (GSU). Her research focuses on citizen-state interactions, public employee management, and social equity in public administration. Her research has been published in the American Review of Public Administration and Korea Journal of Public Administration. Dr. Han was honored with awards for her excellent teaching and research including the Doctoral Student Best Teaching Award by the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at GSU, Provost Dissertation Fellowship, along with a Doctoral Consortium Fellowship and Diversity Scholar Fellowship from the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA).

Dr. Shuvo joins UTEP with a research background in applied artificial intelligence (AI) to biomedical and healthcare challenges, particularly in AI-enabled biomedical instrumentation, biomedical signal and image analysis, edge intelligence, deep learning, and machine learning for sensors, devices, and integrated circuits. He earned a doctoral degree in electrical and computer engineering and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Missouri (MU), and a bachelor’s degree in electronics and communication engineering from Khulna Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Engineering & Technology (KUET), Bangladesh. Dr. Shuvo began his teaching career in 2015 as a full-time lecturer in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at KUET and was promoted to assistant professor in 2018. While completing his Ph.D. at MU, Dr. Shuvo taught as a graduate instructor. His research at MU was recognized with several awards, including the EECS Excellence Fellowship, the EECS Travel Fellowship Award, and the Outstanding Ph.D. Student Award. For outstanding academic performance in undergraduate studies, he received the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Gold Medal from KUET and the Prime Minister Gold Medal from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Grants Commission of Bangladesh. Dr. Shuvo is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, and the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society. During his leisure time, he enjoys gardening and fishing.

Dr. Hoyer joins UTEP with a research background in developing theoretical methodologies for calculating and interpreting electronic and magnetic properties of molecules and materials. His research focuses on problems in heavy-element chemistry, solar energy, and materials chemistry. Before joining UTEP, he was a postdoctoral research associate and instructor at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Washington (UW) in the Department of Chemistry. In his teaching, Dr. Hoyer aims to help students learn how to express very technical information in their own words. Dr. Hoyer earned his doctoral and master’s degrees in chemistry physics from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and a bachelor’s in the same field from Shippensburg Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. In 2023, he served as an invited speaker at the American Vacuum Society 69th International Symposium & Exhibition, and at the 2021 First-Gen Graduate Student Year-End Celebration at UW. He is the author of 26 peer-reviewed publications and developer of three software packages that focus on electronic structure theory, quantum chemistry calculations, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and the American Vacuum Society. During his downtime, Dr. Hoyer shares that he enjoys being online, overestimating how many e-books he should borrow from the library at one time, and being way too excited about food.

Dr. Islam earned a tenure-track position in the UTEP Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (AME) after serving as a research assistant professor in the same department. His research focuses on clean energy, blue hydrogen production, digital engineering of energy systems, and aerospace propulsion. At the AME’s Aerospace Center, he leads the development of clean energy systems and serves as the primary contact for Department of Energy (DOE) projects. Since the start of his academic career, Dr. Islam has secured approximately $2.5 million in extramural funding as Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), focusing on hydrogen energy systems. Additionally, he is pioneering two new research areas at the Aerospace Center: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Digital Transformation in Energy Systems. Dr. Islam directly mentors a growing team of eight undergraduate and graduate research assistants in the energy and sustainable engineering division at the Aerospace Center. He earned his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from UTEP in 2021 and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2015, with distinction, from the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Bangladesh, where he ranked first in his program. Prior to joining the Aerospace Center, he was a distinguished lecturer at MIST's Mechanical Engineering Department. Dr. Islam is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He currently has a novel burner system patent under review. During his time at MIST, he received the MIST Medal, the Best Student in Research Award, and was listed on the Commandant’s List of Honors for two years. Recently, he was a Keynote Speaker at the DOE’s FECM/NETL Spring R&D Project Review Meeting. Dr. Islam's vision is to provide unwavering access to students from underrepresented areas at the forefront of US energy systems and build a state-of-the-art collaborative energy research enterprise at UTEP. In his downtime, he enjoys gardening and fishing.

Dr. Islam joins UTEP with a research background in condensed matter physics theory, specializing in topological quantum phases of matter and molecular magnets. His work focuses on studying the electronic, magnetic, and transport properties of materials with potential applications in next-generation quantum technology. Before joining the UTEP faculty, Dr. Islam served as a teaching faculty at Central Michigan Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. He earned his doctoral degree in physics from Purdue Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, a master’s degree in physics from Southern Illinois Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é at Carbondale, and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Shahjalal Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet, Bangladesh. Dr. Islam is a member of the American Physical Society and the Center for Molecular Magnetic Quantum Materials. While at SUST, he received the President’s Gold Medal and the Cambridge Commonwealth Scholarship from Cambridge Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, England. Dr. Islam is a reviewer for Physical Review journals including Physical Review Letters and Physical Review B. He has also served as a referee for the Journal of Physics and the Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. In his leisure time, Dr. Islam enjoys playing and watching football (soccer).

Dr. Kotal joins UTEP with a research background in Privacy and Security, Generative Deep Learning, and Knowledge-guided AI. She earned her doctoral degree in computer science from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and her bachelor’s degree in computer science engineering from Jadavpur Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in India. At UMBC, Dr. Kotal worked as a graduate research assistant, focusing on integrating Generative AI models with privacy-preserving and trustworthy AI models for real-world data solutions. She also served as an instructor, teaching courses in Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Information Retrieval. During her doctoral studies, she interned at IBM. Before attending UMBC, she worked as a software development engineer at Amazon. Dr. Kotal's research has been presented at the Center for Women in Technology at UMBC, IBM, and the Ebiquity Lab at UMBC. Her scholarly contributions include serving as a program coordinator for ACM CODASPY and co-coordinating workshop sessions at the IEEE International Conference on Big Data. She has contributed to various research proposals, including UMBC’s National AI Research Institute for Cybersecurity proposal to the NSF and the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects grant with GE Research.

Dr. Lee joins UTEP with a research background in public administration, organizational behavior, and bureaucratic representation. He is particularly interested in how organizational culture and communication influence public employees' motivation and behavior. His research also focuses on the interactions between bureaucrats and racial minorities, especially within U.S. law enforcement. Dr. Lee earned his doctoral degree in public affairs and a master’s degree in public management from Indiana Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Bloomington (IU Bloomington), and a master’s degree in public management and a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Korea Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. Before joining UTEP, he was a research assistant at IU Bloomington, where he also taught courses in Management of Public Problems and Solutions. He is a member of the American Society of Public Administration and the Midwest Political Science Association and serves as Editorial Assistant of the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration. While at IU Bloomington, Dr. Lee mentored both undergraduate and graduate students, encouraging them to pursue further academic achievements. Dr. Lee's research has been published in the American Review of Public Administration, the Policy Studies Journal, and the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration. He was recognized with the Roy W. Shin Fellowship Award during his doctoral studies. In his free time, he enjoys jogging and spending quality time with his wife and child.

Dr. Lockhart comes to UTEP from Zayed Military Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in Abu Dhabi, where he spent the last two years as an associate professor of defense and security. There, he helped train an emerging professional officer corps in security and intelligence studies. Prior to this, in Dubai and at the Embry-Riddle College of Security and Intelligence in Prescott, he taught both graduate and undergraduate students from more than 100 nations in history, international affairs, and diplomacy. He was born and raised in the American Southwest, earning a doctoral degree in history from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Arizona, a master’s in history from San Diego State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and a bachelor’s in Latin American studies from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research and teaching interests lie in U.S. foreign relations and intelligence activities across the Global South, specifically in the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. His work has been published in the Marine Corps Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Journal, the International History Review, International Affairs, Intelligence and National Security, and the Journal of Intelligence History. Dr. Lockhart’s first book, Chile, the CIA and the Cold War: A Transatlantic Perspective, was published by Edinburgh Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Press and was well reviewed in several venues. He has spoken on President Joe Biden's approach to intelligence before the British Cabinet Office's Intelligence Assessment Leadership Committee, the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar, and at the Fiker Institute in Dubai. His current book project explores the career of Lt. Gen. Vernon Walters (defense attaché, deputy director of central intelligence, and ambassador), which spanned the Second World War and Cold War.

Dr. Mancera joins the UTEP faculty with a research background in health equity and the elimination of Hispanic health disparities. She currently serves as the director of the community engagement core for the Border Biomedical Research Center (BBRC) at UTEP – a research center funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Centers at Minority Institutions (RCMI) focused on addressing Hispanic health disparities in the Borderplex region. Dr. Mancera began her career at UTEP in 2000 in the Human Resources Department. In 2009, she became the project manager for the UTEP NIH Hispanic Health Disparities Research Center and then advanced through the Department of Biological Sciences as an assistant professor of research, an associate professor of research and professor of research. During her tenure at the BBRC, she established multiple collaborations with key regional and national stakeholders to implement community health worker projects, supported by over $3 million dollars in external grant funding which she obtained. She collaborated on the development a children's activity booklet and poster to raise awareness about Chagas disease and has collaborated with local hospitals to expand a tissue biorepository, essential for UTEP researchers addressing cancer health disparities. As professor of research, Dr. Mancera played a critical component in guiding faculty within the Department of Biological Sciences in expanding their community outreach efforts and developing research proposals, as well as developing her own research proposals. She has served on various bilingual advisory boards for the Scripps Research Translational Institute and as an ad hoc reviewer for Hispanic Health Care International; the Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved, and the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship. In 2020, Dr. Mancera was an invited guest lecturer for a UTEP M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership class, focusing on leadership advocacy. Her research has received support from the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health Foundation, The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of New Mexico, and the Paso Del Norte Health Foundation. Selected presentations include the 2024 RCMI Translational Science Conference in Washington, D.C., on the On the Road to Living Well with Diabetes intervention, a presentation on long COVID at the Texas A&M Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Colonias Program Annual Promotora Conference, recent scholarship on community health workers' COVID-19 outreach to Hispanics in rural areas of the Borderplex region at the 2022 American Association of Public Health Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, and at the 2024 Texas Public Health Association in Galveston, TX on the NIH All of Us research program. Her work has been published in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, the American Journal of Men's Health, and Horizonte De Enfermeria, among others. Dr. Mancera is a lifelong UTEP Miner, holding a doctoral degree in interdisciplinary health studies, a master’s degree in education, and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology.

Dr. Pavlov joins us from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of South Carolina (USC) where he served as a quantitative psychology instructor in the Department of Psychology. His research interests focus on personnel selection and assessment, and more generally on applied measurement in industrial-organizational psychology and management. Dr. Pavlov earned his doctoral degree in brain cognition and behaviour from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Barcelona, Spain; a second doctoral degree in business administration from IE Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, Spain (IE); a master’s in research methodology in management science from IE; a master’s of science in leadership and organizational psychology from the BI Norwegian Business School, and an undergraduate degree in psychology from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Belgrade, Serbia. Prior to his career in academia, Dr. Pavlov was a market research analyst for the Adria Media Group in Belgrade, the largest media group in the Balkans. While at USC, he received the Thank-a-Teacher Commendation, an award that provides a way for students to recognize instructors who go the extra mile, challenge and inspire them, and make a difference in their educational journey; and the SCoer Award which recognizes faculty who use open educational resources in their classrooms. Dr. Pavlov’s research has been supported by the IE Foundation and the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Belgrade. He is a member of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the Serbian Psychology Society, and the European Network of Selection Researchers.

Dr. Rahman joins UTEP with a research focus on machine learning (ML), security, privacy, and quantum networks. His work centers on using ML to create intelligent systems that address security and privacy challenges, particularly in malware and network traffic analysis. His research also explores quantum-secure computing and networked systems, employing quantum information science and quantum key distribution (QKD) to counter post-quantum threats. Dr. Rahman earned his doctoral degree in computing and information sciences and a master’s degree in computing security from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), along with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Dhaka, Bangladesh. During his time at RIT, he was recognized with the 3-Minute Thesis Presentation Competition and the Graduate Research Award in 2018 and 2017, respectively. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. His research has been recognized at prestigious conferences and journals, including the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Computer and Communications Security, the Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PoPETs) journal, and the IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security (TIFS) journal. His work has also been showcased at the Conference on Lifelong Learning Agents (CoLLAs) and the IEEE International Conference on Quantum Communications, Networking, and Computing (QCNC). In 2019, he was awarded the bronze medal for his research presentation at the Annual Conference of the UPSTATE Chapters of the American Statistical Association. Dr. Rahman's recent innovations in quantum networks have been submitted for U.S. patents. He has been recognized as a rising star in AI and ML in Security by the IEEE TCCN Special Interest Group for AI and Machine Learning in Security. He has also gained valuable industry experience as a research intern at leading research labs, including Mandiant (part of Google Cloud), Nokia Bell Labs, and Cisco Quantum Lab, contributing to several collaborative research publications. He has served as a reviewer for top-tier security and ML journals and conferences, such as PETS, IEEE TIFS, IEEE TDSC, IEEE TNNLS, IEEE TNSM, Nature Scientific Reports, Computers & Security, and Security and Communication Networks. Additionally, he has served on the program committees for the Conference on Applied Machine Learning in Information Security (CAMLIS), Annual Scientific Computing with Python Conference (SciPy), and International Conference on Emerging Security Information, Systems and Technologies (SECUREWARE). Outside of academia, Dr. Rahman enjoys traveling, fishing, swimming, gardening, and literature.

Dr. Ramirez, an El Paso native, joins the UTEP faculty after serving as the assistant director of Vertically Integrated Projects at Purdue Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. Her research focuses on engineering education and the stigma surrounding mental illness. Dr. Ramirez also worked as a research data analyst in Purdue's Department of Institutional Data Analytics & Assessment. She earned her doctoral degree in engineering education and a master’s degree in aviation and aerospace management from Purdue Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, along with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Alabama. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, Purdue Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and the International Journal of Engineering Education. Throughout her academic career, Dr. Ramirez has mentored over a dozen graduate students and undergraduate researchers. Her work has been recognized with the Best Paper Award from the American Society for Engineering Education and the Purdue Bravo Award. She also serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Engineering Education, the IEEE/ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference, and the ASEE Annual Conference.

Dr. Ramos returns to his alma mater after completing postdoctoral studies at Texas Tech Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Health Sciences Center in the Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine. His research focuses on Hispanic health disparities, genomics and computational biology.  Prior to that, he was a postdoctoral research associate at Baylor College of Medicine where he studied cancer genomics. Dr. Ramos earned his doctoral degree in molecular genetics and genomics from Washington Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from UTEP. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the American Society for Microbiology, American Association for Cancer Research, Endocrine Society, and the National Human Genome Research Institute.

Dr. Rana joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Florida (UF), where she was a graduate research assistant in the Pain Research and Behavioral Health Lab. At UF, she worked on an NIH-funded RO1 grant from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Her research focuses on the effectiveness of pain modulation and neuroplasticity, addressing pain heterogeneity by identifying mechanisms of rehabilitation interventions and stratifying treatments based on these mechanisms for more accurate and efficient care. Dr. Rana earned her doctoral degree in rehabilitation science from UF and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees (summa cum laude) in physiotherapy from Guru Jambheshwar Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Science and Technology, India (GJUS&T). She has received multiple scholarships and awards, including the Rehabilitation Science Travel Award and the Frederick Family Scholarship Award. Her research has been funded by UF; the Army Hospital Research and Referral in Delhi, India; and the Movement Science Lab at GJUS&T in India. With clinical experience as a senior physical therapist at Medicare Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine in Noida, India, Dr. Rana is also a licensed physical therapist in the State of New York. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the International Association for the Study of Pain. Her contributions to clinical trials have led to research findings presented at conferences such as Combined Sections Meetings and the IASP World Congress on Pain, and published in journals such as the Journal of Exercise Physiology and the International Journal of Physiotherapy and Research.

Dr. Rojas-Álvarez is a senior data scientist and researcher specializing in the intersection of public health outcomes and environmental factors. Before joining UTEP, he was a senior data science consultant at Ixpantia, a business consultancy in Costa Rica that collaborates with organizations worldwide to implement data-driven innovation strategies. Dr. Rojas-Álvarez earned his doctoral degree in public policy and a master’s degree in statistics from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Austin, where he also lectured on quantitative methods, statistics, and programming. He holds a master’s degree in public policy with a focus on applied econometrics from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Universidad de Costa Rica. During his graduate and doctoral studies, he worked on housing and urban policy, public health, research design, and data science at several research centers at UC Berkeley, Harvard Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and UT Austin. Prior to moving to the United States, he served as an adviser to the Minister of the Presidency of Costa Rica and the Minister of Tourism. Since 2007, he has been a regular op-ed columnist for Costa Rica's premier newspaper, La Nación, where he writes about evidence-based policies and current events. Dr. Rojas-Álvarez continues to work as a data innovation consultant in Costa Rica, the U.S., and Mexico.

Dr. Savala joins UTEP with a research background in Latin American history, focusing primarily on Peru and Chile. His first book, Beyond Patriotic Phobias: Connections, Cooperation, and Solidarity (Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California Press, 2022), explores the collaborative relationships forged by Peruvians and Chileans in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The book received two honorable mentions: the Flora Tristán Award for Best Book on Peru and Best Book in the Social Sciences on the Southern Cone, awarded by the Peru and Southern Cone sections of the Latin American Studies Association. Dr. Savala’s articles have been published in the Journal of Historical Geography, Hispanic American Historical Review, and Journal of Social History. Two of his articles won prizes: José María Arguedas prize for Best Article on Peru and Best Graduate Student Paper, both via the Latin American Studies Association. His research has been supported by the American Council of Learned Societies, the Ford Foundation, Fulbright, the Social Science Research Council, Cornell Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and Rollins College. He earned his doctoral degree in history from Cornell Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, a master’s in history from Tufts Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and a bachelor’s degree in history from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Davis.

Dr. Shang joins UTEP with a research background in applied mathematics and geosciences. Dr. Shang studies both macroscopic and microscopic interactions, evolutionary processes, and the dynamic properties of the biosphere and geosphere, particularly focusing on biogeochemical cycles across various temporal and spatial scales. Dr. Shang uses a diverse range of research methods, including small and intermediate-scale mechanistic models based on fundamental principles and laws, large-scale numerical models utilizing computer simulations and big data techniques, bioinformatics and molecular phylogenetics, as well as laboratory experiments. His research has been published in Nature Communications, Communications Earth & Environment, Environmental Science & Technology, as well as other academic journals. He completed his postdoctoral work in the Institute of Ecology and Evolution at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Oregon. Before that, he earned a doctoral degree in Earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and three bachelor's degrees with distinction from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Minnesota (UMN) in mathematics, physics, and geological sciences. His accolades include the International Association for Mathematical Geosciences Research Award, the UO Research Fund Award, and the MIT Presidential Fellowship.

Dr. Sun joins UTEP with a strong research background in geophysics, seismology, AI, and machine learning. Her work focuses on developing machine-learning algorithms to solve complex geoscience problems with intelligent, physics-informed, and data-driven approaches. She aims to advance our understanding of the Earth's interior, addressing energy and environmental challenges from a geophysical perspective and reducing risks associated with natural and induced earthquakes. By leveraging machine learning and big data, Dr. Sun seeks to uncover insights into subsurface structures and dynamics, including earthquake rupture, fluid migration, natural resource reservoirs, and geothermal systems. She earned her doctoral degree in geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree in geophysics from Jilin Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. Before joining UTEP, she completed postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology and gained industry experience through internships at TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil during her doctoral studies at MIT. She has also been recognized with the MIT MathWorks Science Fellowship and scholarships from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG).

Dr. Talukder joins UTEP from Southern Illinois Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (SIU), where he worked as an assistant professor of computer science at the School of Computing and served as the founding director of the Security and Privacy Enhanced Machine Learning (SUPREME) Lab. While at SIU, Dr. Talukder was a member of the NSF IUCRC Center for Intelligent, Distributed, Embedded Applications and Systems (IDEAS) and the Center for Research and Education in AI and Cybersecurity (CARE-AI-C). His research interests span security, privacy, and distributed systems empowered by machine learning models and privacy-enhancing technologies. His work addresses security and privacy issues in online and geosocial networks, focusing on leveraging differential privacy, deep learning, and federated learning to tackle complex societal challenges. He earned his doctoral degree and master’s degree in computer science from Florida International Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and a bachelor’s in computer science and engineering from Bangladesh Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Engineering and Technology. Dr. Talukder's research has been published at top CS conferences and in reputed journals, including ACM TSC, Nature Scientific Reports, ANS Transactions, ACM SAC, ICWSM, ACM ASONAM, ACM CHI, ACM WebSci. His work has been featured in prominent national and international outlets. He is a reviewer for nearly a dozen journals including KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems, Big Data and Cognitive Computing, and ACM Transactional on Social Computing. Widely cited in books and research papers, Dr. Talukder’s research has been funded by leading federal agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF), Cyber Florida, and the Florida Center for Cybersecurity. In 2022, Dr. Talukder received the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) Award and the prestigious NSF CISE CRII award from the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) under the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program. He was honored with the SIU Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é-Level Early Career Faculty Excellence Award in 2022 and 2024 and was nominated for the PennWest's Scholar of the Year Award in 2020. Dr. Talukder has mentored over thirty students, including K-12 high school teachers, undergraduate students, and graduate students in various programs such as the Science without Borders Summer Research Program, NSF’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), and NSF’s Research Experience for Teachers (RET).

Dr. Vatsa joins UTEP with a research concentration in financial institutions, financial regulation, household finance, community banking, and macro-finance. He previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance at Southern Methodist Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, Dallas. Dr. Vatsa earned his doctoral degree from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Miami (UM), a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Florida, a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Rochester, and a bachelor’s in electronics, and telecommunications Engineering from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Pune, India. Before joining academia, his industry experience included private equity investments focusing on the ESG, renewable energy, and infrastructure sectors. He is also the recipient of the 2019 Emerging Scholar Award at the Community Banking Research Conference sponsored by the Federal Reserve System, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC).

Dr. Contreras-Velasco joins UTEP with a research focus on computational methods and a complex systems approach to study violence, migration, and organized crime in Latin America. His current research uses machine learning, artificial intelligence, and statistics to understand the causes of drug violence and its effects on vulnerable populations, migration patterns and outcomes for migrants, and the structure of criminal networks and organized crime. Dr. Contreras-Velasco earned his doctoral and master’s degrees in sociology from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He also holds a master’s degree in social anthropology from Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA) and a bachelor’s degree from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. His research has been published in Trends in Organized Crime and by Rice Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é’s Baker Institute, and his work has received funding from the Latin American Institute. Dr. Contreras-Velasco is the recipient of several awards, including the 2023 Kollock Distinguished Teaching Award, UCLA’s Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Fulbright Fellowship. He is currently a member of the Mathematical Sociology section of the American Sociological Association.

Dr. Wiley joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles, where he completed his postdoctoral research in the Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Anthropology. His postdoctoral fellowship was funded by a National Research Service Award F32 from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Dr. Wiley's research explores how social contexts and experiences affect maternal and child health, particularly during the perinatal and early postpartum periods. He focuses on social, political, and traumatic stressors that impact Latinx people in urban centers in the United States and Brazil. His biosocial approach examines how these factors interact with biological processes to influence the risk of adverse pregnancy, postpartum, maternal, and infant developmental outcomes. Dr. Wiley earned his doctoral and master’s degrees in anthropology from Yale Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and a Bachelor of Arts in music and a Bachelor of Science in anthropology (magna cum laude) from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Arizona. His dissertation research involved collaboration with the Institute of Psychiatry at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of São Paulo. His scholarly work has been published in journals such as Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the American Journal of Human Biology, and Child Development. His research has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. Dr. Wiley is a member of the Human Biology Association and serves on its Nominations and Elections Committee. He is also a member of the International Society for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health (ISEMPH). In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing and cooking.

Dr. Wittenburg has earned a tenure-track position in the Department of Public Health Sciences after previously serving as an assistant professor of instruction and practicum coordinator within the same department. Her research primarily focuses on health behavior designs and procedures for cancer prevention and enhancing the quality of life for cancer survivors. Prior to UTEP, Dr. Wittenburg was a senior clinical research associate in pediatric oncology at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, TX in affiliation with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, TX (UTHSCSA). In addition, Dr. Wittenburg also served as faculty for the Department of Health and Human Performance and as Student Wellness Coordinator at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville (UTRGV) when it was formerly The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. Her area of academic instruction focuses on community/rural health, public health, and kinesiology. Dr. Wittenburg earned a DrPH in Health Promotion with a concentration in Leadership and a breadth in cancer control research from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health, Houston, TX. In addition, she received a master’s degree in Community Health Education from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M., and a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at El Paso. Throughout her academic and research career journey, Dr. Wittenburg was recognized by the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) for Exemplary Research Recognition for achieving 100% Audit Compliance. UTHSCSA honored her with the Merit Award for Excellence in Research in 2010, and she was featured in Latina Magazine for her contributions to research among Latina researchers. Dr. Wittenburg is an active member of the Desert Mountain Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and the Hope Clinic. Her research has received support from UTEP, the Paso Del Norte Health Foundation, and UTRGV.

Dr. Yu joins UTEP from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMN), where he served as a postdoctoral associate in the School of Mathematics. His research focuses on high-dimensional statistics, robust statistics, nonconvex optimization, machine learning, and data science. Dr. Yu has developed several advanced robust estimators in matrix regression and subspace recovery, with applications in computer vision and cybersecurity systems, along with their theoretical guarantees. Dr. Yu received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Central Florida (UCF). Prior to his position at UMN, he was a postdoctoral associate in the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics at Old Dominion Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and the State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of New York at Albany. He is a recipient of the ORC Doctoral Fellowship and the Outstanding Dissertation Award from UCF. Dr. Yu is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). In his leisure time, he enjoys watching movies and hiking.

Dr. Zhang joins UTEP with a research background in international relations and international security. His work focuses on the connections between domestic politics and international relations, including the diversionary theory, maritime security, great power competition, and Chinese foreign policy. He earned his doctoral degree in political science from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Iowa (UI), a master's degree in American Studies from Beijing Foreign Studies Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, and a bachelor's degree in English from Hebei Agricultural Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é in China. During his time at UI, Dr. Zhang taught courses on Analyzing Political Data, Globalization, and International Relations. He is an active member of the American Political Science Association (APSA), the International Studies Association (ISA), and the Peace Science Society (International). In 2024, he received the UI Graduate College Summer Fellowship and the Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models (EITM) Certification Scholarship. His research has also been supported by APSA and the 21st Century China Center, where he received training on the geo-economic and geostrategic dimensions of great power competition.

Dr. Campillo Terrazas joins UTEP with a research background at the intersection of pharmacy and public health. He is dedicated to addressing health inequities, firmly believing that pharmacists play a crucial role in the healthcare system by enhancing health outcomes for diverse populations through targeted public health interventions. Before joining UTEP, Dr. Campillo Terrazas completed a PGY1/PGY2 pharmacotherapy residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. He holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and a Master of Public Health from UTEP, as well as dual bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and foreign languages (Spanish) from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of New Mexico. His research has been published in Medical Science Educator and presented at Henry Ford Hospital, ID Week in Boston, and symposiums hosted by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Dr. Campillo Terrazas has served as both primary investigator (PI) and co-PI on projects focused on medication response and antibiotic therapy, among others. He is an active member of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), which recognized his work with the ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Resident Research Grant Program. In 2021, he was honored with the U.S. Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award and was a recipient of the Point Foundation Scholarship in 2018. In his free time, Dr. Campillo Terrazas enjoys outdoor activities, gardening, singing, and dancing.

Dr. Davis joins the UTEP faculty as a full-time clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Sciences, after teaching in the same department during the 2023-2024 academic year. In her new role, she will continue to teach oncology content for the Integrated Systems-Based Pharmacotherapy (ISBP) course and hazardous drug material for the intravenous admixture course. Additionally, Dr. Davis will serve as a preceptor for pharmacy students in their final year of experiential education. Her research focuses on oncology healthcare disparities and hypersensitivity reactions due to oncolytic therapy. Her teaching interests include oncology pharmacotherapy, sterile compounding, and adult internal medicine pharmacotherapy. Dr. Davis, a native of El Paso and a proud Miner, earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from UTEP in 2016, followed by a Doctor of Pharmacy from The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Austin in 2017. She completed a residency at Scott & White Medical Center in Temple, Texas, in 2018. She has been recognized with the El Paso Pharmacy Association Student/Resident of the Year Award and the UT Austin College of Pharmacy Dedicated Service Award, and she is double board certified in pharmacotherapy and oncology pharmacy. Before her full-time appointment at UTEP, Dr. Davis worked as an oncology pharmacist at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. During her time there, she developed interests in pharmacist-led oral oncolytic management, prevention of infusion-related reactions, and preceptorship. In her free time, Dr. Davis enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two young boys, and engaging with various forms of media. She is currently on the recruitment committee for the Junior League of El Paso and is a member of the well-being advisory group for the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association. She is also a member of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

Dr. Singleton joins UTEP from AdventHealth Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in Central Florida, where he served as a physical therapist and operations manager. Concurrently, he worked at Florida Hospital, completing a post-professional orthopedic residency. His research centers on injury prevention, particularly identifying risk factors and developing strategies to reduce the likelihood of re-injury or new injuries when athletes return to sport. Dr. Singleton takes a multidisciplinary approach to create comprehensive return-to-sport programs that address all aspects of an athlete's recovery and evaluates the long-term outcomes of athletes who return to sport after injury. He earned his doctoral degree from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Maryland Eastern Shore and holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Salisbury Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. He is a board-certified specialist in orthopedics and sports physical therapy and is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Orthopedic and Sports Sections. Dr. Singleton has also taught at Southwest Baptist Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é’s Physical Therapy Department Global Outreach Program, where he provided medical care in some of the world’s poorest regions, helping to establish and equip permanent medical centers through health education and research in countries such as Peru, Brazil, Haiti, Zambia, and the Dominican Republic. In his downtime, he enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with his family.

Dr. Yagel has been appointed as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and brings 13 years of experience as an occupational therapist. Her primary interest lies in mental health, particularly focusing on anxiety and depression in adolescents, especially in the post-COVID-19 context. She is the owner of Yagel Therapy Services, a pediatric home health agency, as well as Yagel Therapy 2.0, which operates pediatric clinics in East and West El Paso. Dr. Yagel earned her doctoral degree in occupational therapy from Texas Tech Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é Health Sciences Center, a master’s degree in occupational therapy from UTEP, and a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Arlington. She is also a Certified Autism Specialist. Dr. Yagel is an active member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Texas Occupational Therapy Association, and the Five Points Development Association. Outside of her academic and professional life, Dr. Yagel is a dedicated volleyball mom and enjoys traveling and reading.

Dr. Gomez joins UTEP with a research focus on social capital and its impact on specific groups, including immigrant entrepreneurs, immigrant women entrepreneurs, and underrepresented groups in organizations. Her teaching interests span workplace behavior, organizational behavior, and human resource management. Before joining UTEP, Dr. Gomez was an associate professor of management at Kent State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é at Stark (KSU). She earned her doctoral degree in business administration from New Mexico State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (NMSU), an MBA with a concentration in human resource management from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Liverpool, and a bachelor of science in chemical engineering and management from the Technological Institute of Monterrey. Dr. Gomez is a member of the PhD Project and the Administrative Science Association of Canada (ASAC). During her time at KSU, she developed an international learning experience where students collaborated virtually with peers from Chile. She also served on the committee responsible for redesigning the KSU Core curriculum. Dr. Gomez was nominated for the Distinguished Teaching Award at the KSU Stark Campus every year from 2016 to 2021, and in 2023, she was a finalist for the Distinguished Teaching Award for the entire Kent State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é system. In her downtime, Dr. Gomez enjoys going to the movies, and her favorite way to relax is through baking.

Dr. Kumar joins the UTEP faculty after serving as a Research Scientist Associate in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at UTEP. His research primarily focuses on developing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for heat transfer in hypersonic flow phenomena. Dr. Kumar earned his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Patna (IIT Patna), where he also conducted extensive research on droplet generation dynamics within microfluidic devices. His work significantly advances the understanding of fluid dynamics in microfluidics (by using micro-PIV), with potential applications in drug delivery systems and high-throughput biochemical analysis. Dr. Kumar completed his master’s degree in mechanical engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, and his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra Ranchi, in Jharkhand, India. His research has been published in prestigious journals, including Physics of Fluids, Journal of Molecular Liquids, ACS applied Bio Materials, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, the Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, and Microsystem Technologies. Dr. Kumar was awarded the Best Paper Award for his work titled “Influence of Capillary Number on Pressure Profile Evolution in Microfluidic T-Junction” at the 5th World Congress on Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer (MHMT'20).

Steven Gragg joins UTEP with over 40 years of expertise in real property valuation, banking, brokerage, property management, and real estate development. He earned an MBA from Arizona State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é W. P. Carey School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business. Mr. Gragg is a certified general real estate appraiser in multiple states. In addition, he holds several professional designations including the MAI, AI-GRS, SRA (Appraisal Institute), FRICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), R/W-AC (International Right of Way Association) and the CCIM (The CCIM Institute). After serving as International President, Mr. Gragg was honored as a Fellow of Lambda Alpha International, the Honorary Land Economics Society for distinguished service. He is also a Past President of LAI’s Land Economics Foundation which provides grants for research and reporting on land economics issues. He has been published in the peer reviewed The Appraisal Journal, and in The Real Estate Appraiser and Analyst. He has given speeches and presentations on various real estate topics. Since 2018, Mr. Gragg is the solopreneur of Gragg Risk Management, LLC, an independent real estate valuation and consulting practice based in El Paso, Texas. He also serves as a supervisory appraiser for professionals seeking their first valuation accreditation.

Mr. Urias returns to his alma mater after a career in banking and business. He holds a bachelor's degree in management from Tecnológico de Monterrey, where he also served as a clinical professor, teaching economics and finance. He furthered his education by completing an executive management program at the Instituto Panamericano de Alta Dirección de Empresas (IPADE) in Mexico City. Mr. Urias later earned his MBA from UTEP. Additionally, he has taught economics courses at the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez. In Mexico, Mr. Urias gained extensive industry experience, holding various positions in banking, corporate business, and consulting. He served as a market president at Banco Internacional, BITAL (now HSBC), and as a regional manager at Nacional Financiera. He was also a regional advisory director at Banco de México (BANXICO), NAFIN, and Banco Nacional de Comercio Exterior. He also held the role of president of the Regional Mexican Bank Association and was involved in other community organizations. In the United States, Mr. Urias has spent the past 24 years in the financial services industry, working as a commercial banker, private banking manager, financial advisor, and insurance broker at Wells Fargo Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Compass Bank. Alongside his current role at UTEP, he is a commercial credit portfolio manager at Sunflower Bank, N.A. Originally from Juarez, Mexico, Mr. Urias has lived in Monterrey, El Paso, TX, and San Diego. He is the fourth of eight brothers and has three children and two grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and listening to music.

Dr. Martinez joins the UTEP faculty after serving as a postdoctoral fellow in the UTEP College of Engineering. Her research is dedicated to enhancing the performance of energy storage devices through the synthesis of novel materials, surface modification of existing materials, elucidation of working mechanisms, and deciphering degradation pathways. Additionally, she explores advanced electrochemical techniques, additive manufacturing (ceramics, metals, and polymers), nanomaterials, electric vehicle batteries, and materials recycling. Dr. Martinez is an Assistant Editor for the Rapid Prototyping Journal and is affiliated with the Electrochemical Society and the Materials Research Society. She is an advocate for women's education in STEM fields and has actively mentored students pursuing graduate studies. Her research has been recognized in the 2024 American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Energy Letters Women Scientists at the Forefront of Energy Research, celebrating female researchers who have made significant contributions to the field. She is also a recipient of the prestigious Erasmus Mundus grant from the European Commission for the Latin-American region and received the Battery Young Research Award in 2021, honoring excellence in battery research during the Battery Innovation Days in Belgium. In her downtime, Dr. Martinez plays the Salterio, a rare Mexican instrument like the mandolin, and is currently learning to play the piano.

Dr. Maurel earned his new position after completing his postdoctoral studies in the UTEP Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. His research focuses on energy storage including lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, as well as the 3D printing of batteries and materials including ceramics, polymers, and metals. He earned his doctoral degree in materials chemistry and electrochemistry from the Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) in Amiens, France, where he received the Best PhD Thesis Award. Dr. Maurel also holds a joint Master of Science degree from six universities across four countries: Université Paul Sabatier (Toulouse, France), Warsaw Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Technology (Warsaw, Poland), Universidad de Córdoba (Córdoba, Spain), Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) (Amiens, France), Université de Provence (Marseille, France), and Drexel Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (Philadelphia, PA, USA). His research has been funded by NASA through the Early Career Initiative, Sandia National Laboratories, Idaho National Laboratories, and the Department of Defense Research and Education Program. He has authored 18 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals such as the Chemistry of Materials Journal and the Journal of the Electrochemical Society. Dr. Maurel's work has also been recognized by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as he was named in 2023 a finalist at the NSF Manufacturing Blue Sky Competition, which influences the future of manufacturing research and education in the United States through visionary ideas. He is a Fulbright Scholar and the recipient of the 2022 Electrochemical Society’s Battery Division Postdoctoral Associate Research Award, recognizing his impactful research and contributions to the field of electrochemistry. Dr. Maurel actively participates in the academic community, presenting at national and international conferences such as the Electrochemical Society (ECS), Materials Research Society (MRS) and the Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium. He is a member of the Electrochemical Society (ECS). During his downtime, he enjoys learning new languages (he is fluent in French, English, and Spanish), playing basketball, and spending time with his cat.

Dr. Montoya joins the UTEP faculty after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the UTEP Center for Transportation Infrastructure Systems. His research focuses on enhancing the performance and sustainability of civil engineering materials, with a particular emphasis on pavement engineering and materials. Dr. Montoya earned both his doctoral and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Purdue Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é, where he was recognized with the Trailblazer in Engineering Fellow Award for his outstanding scholarly achievements and potential to broaden participation in engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Catholic Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Honduras. Dr. Montoya is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), ASTM International, and the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (AAPT), which awarded him the Ward K. Parr Scholarship in 2017. In 2020, he was recognized as an Emerging Professional by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Dr. Montoya serves on the Asphalt Pavement Construction and Rehabilitation (AKC60) committee of the Transportation Research Board. He is the co-inventor of the patent “Quantifying Emulsified Asphalt-Based Chip Seal Curing Times Using Electrical Properties” and has contributed to advancements in pavement engineering and materials through his role as a reviewer for several prestigious journals. In his free time, he enjoys running, reading, and playing soccer.

Dr. Shabazz joins UTEP after serving as a college assistant professor of marketing at New Mexico State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (NMSU). He is passionate about conducting impactful marketing research that drives meaningful change for customers, employees, and organizations. His research focuses on the interconnectedness of organizational frontlines and the employee-customer relationship, exploring how service employees influence customers and vice versa. Dr. Shabazz is also dedicated to transformative service research, aiming to enhance the well-being of both employees and customers. Diversity is a key component of his work, enriching perspectives and deepening the understanding of how various factors, including employee-customer dynamics, shape marketing strategies. His approach seeks not only to generate knowledge but also to implement actionable insights that promote inclusive and effective practices within organizations. Dr. Shabazz's research has been published in the Journal of Business Research and presented at the American Marketing Association (AMA) Summer Academic Conference in San Francisco. He is also a reviewer for the upcoming AMA 2024 Winter Conference. Dr. Shabazz earned his doctoral degree in marketing and a bachelor's degree in management from NMSU. Additionally, he holds a Master Digital Marketing Certification and a Diversity and Belonging Facilitation Certification from Veritas Culture, an industry leader in facilitating culture and diversity-focused dialogue. Before his academic career, Dr. Shabazz had an 8-year career in professional football, starting as a seventh-round draft pick by the Oakland Raiders. He also spent over 15 years as a lifestyle and health coach, working with teams, executives, and individuals. While at NMSU, Dr. Shabazz actively collaborated with Black Student Programs and the Athletics Department, promoting student-athlete engagement with the College of Business and volunteering during athletic recruit visits. He also launched and served as the first Chapter President of Business Network International (BNI) in Las Cruces, NM, before stepping down to pursue his PhD. Dr. Shabazz strives to live out his faith in Christ in all that he does as it is foundational to his philosophy on life success. This philosophy is embodied in his 3Ps of a fulfilled life: Passion, Priority, and Purpose. Whether in his personal life, as an educator, or in service to the community, these guiding principles help maintain a balance that honors his faith while driving a steadfast commitment to excellence. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, camping, hunting, and mountain biking around the Southwest with his wife and children. He is especially excited about his 6-year-old son's newfound love for rock climbing.

Georgina Sanchez-Garcia
Visiting Assistant Professor, bachelor of science in  rehabilitation sciences program

Ms. Alonso joins the UTEP faculty with a passion for using art as a tool for societal impact and creating an inclusive educational environment for diverse and non-traditional students. She earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Royal College of Art and a bachelor’s degree from UTEP, with additional undergraduate studies at Wells College in Paris. Ms. Alonso is the co-founder of , a cultural space housed in a historic building from 1882 in Ciudad Juarez. This space serves as a hub for artistic innovation, social cohesion, and cross-border dialogue. She has received an Artist Incubator Grant from the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department and an Art Matters Grant from the Art Matters Foundation.

Mr. Mahimkar joins the UTEP faculty with a research background in business-to-business (B2B) marketing, B2B services, service strategy, service quality management, customer success management, and relationship marketing. His teaching interests include marketing research, principles of marketing, marketing strategy, consumer behavior, and multicultural marketing. Before joining UTEP, Mr. Mahimkar worked as a senior quality analyst for Interactive Brokers in India. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in marketing at UTEP, with an expected completion in spring 2025. He holds an MBA from Concordia Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Mumbai. Recently, Mr. Mahimkar was named the 2024 winner of the Academy of Marketing Science Review-Sheth Foundation Annual Doctoral Competition for Conceptual Articles. This competition encourages doctoral students to publish impactful conceptual ideas and connects them with leading marketing scholars for feedback and mentoring. Mr. Mahimkar is a member of the American Marketing Association, the Academy of Marketing Science, and the Society for Marketing Advances. Additionally, he serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for the European Journal of Marketing and the International Journal of Conflict Management.

Ms. Mansour joins UTEP with a research focus on literacy and biliteracy. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Sociocultural Foundations within the Teaching, Learning, and Culture PHD program at UTEP. Her current research explores the identities and English language experiences of ESOL students on the border. She expects to complete her doctorate in the spring of 2025 and aims to expand her research to examine the effects of language brokering on both children and adults. Ms. Mansour holds a master’s degree in linguistics, a TESOL certificate, and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics with a minor in anthropology, all from UTEP. After completing her undergraduate studies, she volunteered at the Language Acquisition Research Laboratory at UTEP. Before joining the UTEP faculty, Ms. Mansour worked at the Language Institute at El Paso Community College (EPCC), where she was responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating instructors, reviewing syllabi, addressing concerns from students and instructors, and scheduling courses. She is an active member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society and the Theta Iota Chapter Campus Cat Program at EPCC. Ms. Mansour's research has been published in the Handbook of Research on Diversity and Social Justice in Higher Education, and she has presented her work at the National Council for the Social Studies in Austin as well as at UTEP.

Arleen Y. Mendez is a doctoral student in the Teaching, Learning, and Culture Ph.D. program at UTEP's College of Education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from UTEP and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from UT Permian Basin. Prior to teaching college-level courses, she taught secondary math, science, and English in Texas and served as a teaching assistant for Harvard Extension School, Harvard Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é’s continuing education school. There she focused on the Grant Proposal Writing course and Principles and Practices of Fundraising course. Her research explores the sociocultural, language, and identity histories of prospective teachers on the U.S.-Mexico border, focusing on how these shape local prospective teachers’ emerging language use, ideologies, and identifications. Through her research, she hopes to inform our understanding of how future teachers in El Paso are ‘becoming’ in terms of their language, group, and other identifications.

Steven L. Christian is an adjunct professor in the Department of Criminal Justice for the Intelligence and National Security Studies (INSS) program. Professor Christian holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity with a concentration in Supervisory Controls and Data Acquisition (SCADA). He holds certifications through the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Proficiency Certification (GPC) Fundamentals, Imagery Analysis Level II (IA-II), GEOINT Collection Level II (GC-II), and is a certified proctor for the GPC program through the NGA College. Professor Christian credits his achievements through his career through his service through the United States Marine Corps while serving on active duty. He is the first-place recipient of the 2023 Killian Award in the Science and Technology category from the Presidential Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) for substantial contributions to the Intelligence Community. Professor Christian is currently pursuing a Master of Science and Technology (MSTI) through the National Intelligence Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é (NIU) with concentrations in Data Science in Intelligence (DSI) and Cyber Intelligence (CYI).

Jacqueline Salinas joins UTEP as an adjunct faculty member while concurrently serving as a criminal court clerk at the El Paso County Detention Facility, where she assists Jail Magistrate Judges during pre-trial proceedings. Her teaching interests include victimology and juvenile justice, with a broader focus on the consequences of mass incarceration, criminological theories, and the effects of victimization. A UTEP graduate, Jacqueline holds a master’s degree in criminology and criminal justice and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Throughout her academic career, she has been a part of the National Junior Honor Society, the National Honor Society, the National Technical Honor Society, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In her downtime, she enjoys learning about paleontology, with a particular fascination for prehistoric life, especially dinosaurs. She also loves spending time with her family and pets and watching true crime documentaries.