Dozens of CLASS faculty promoted in 2022-23

By Jillian Holden


CLASS Promotions

Twenty-five faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) received promotions this academic year. This cohort includes veteran scholars whose areas of study range from English to economics.   

Professor francine j. harris, an acclaimed poet, became the first Black woman in the UH Creative Writing Program to be promoted to full professor. Professor John Chatagnier was recently awarded a Fulbright Lectureship with the department of political and social sciences in the University of Bologna in Italy. Additionally, the National Science Foundation awarded $750,000 to newly appointed Professor Ryan Kennedy to research algorithm accountability.  

“CLASS has many high-achieving faculty members who distinguish themselves in and outside of the classroom. I am proud of all our recently promoted faculty, many of whom are hailed by their peers for their research excellence, innovative teaching and overall commitment to discovery and cultivating knowledge,” said Daniel P. O’Connor, CLASS dean. 

The CLASS 2022-23 faculty promotions are as follows:  

Promotion to Professor 

  • Anny Castilla-Earls, Ph.D.
    Communication Sciences and Disorders 
  • Matthew Gallagher, Ph.D.
    Psychology 
  • francine j. harris
    English
  • Ryan Kennedy, Ph.D.
    Political Science                         
  • Elaine Liu, Ph.D.
    Economics                                                                      
  • Nikolay Marinov, Ph.D.
    Political Science
  • Lynne Steinberg, Ph.D.
    Psychology 
  • Anka Vujanovic, Ph.D.
    Psychology 
  • Lauren Zentz, Ph.D. 
    English  

Promotion to Associate Professor

  • John "Tyson" Chatagnier  
    Political Science
  • Amanda Ellis 
    English
  • Alexey Golubev  
    History
  • Emily LaVoy  
    Health and Human Performance
  • Melissa Markofski  
    Health and Human Performance
  • Luis Oliveira  
    Philosophy 

Promotion to Clinical Associate Professor 

  • Joshua Yellen 
    Health and Human Performance 

Promotion to Instructional Associate Professor

  • Merrilee Gietz  
    Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Steven Nelson 
    Sociology
  • Caryn Tamber-Rosenau  
    Modern and Classical Languages 
  • Jing Zhang  
    Modern and Classical Languages
  • Zachary Zwald 
    Political Science 

Promotion to Research Associate Professor 

  • Yusra Ahmed  
    Psychology
  • Coleen Carlson  
    Psychology
  • Paulina Kulesz  
    Psychology