Rutgers University–Camden Welcomes 21 New Faculty Members for 2023-24 Academic Year

Rutgers University in Camden Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis is pleased to extend a warm welcome from the entire university community to the 21 educators and scholars joining the faculty at the start of the 2023-24 academic year. These individuals have become part of the Rutgers–Camden faculty following highly competitive selection processes, demonstrating exceptional standards of research, scholarship, and professional experience.

“This year’s new faculty cohort exemplifies Rutgers–Camden's continued elevation as a student-centered research institution,” Chancellor Tillis said. “Each member has a proven record of outstanding scholarship, and I look forward to witnessing their contributions to our university.”

Faculty of Arts and
Sciences–Camden

Brian Corbett

Julio Alicea
Assistant Professor of Sociology

Julio Alicea is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice. He received a doctorate in education and a master's degree in public policy from the University of California, Los Angeles; a master of arts in teaching from Brown University; and a bachelor of arts degree in sociology and anthropology from Swarthmore College. His research interests include education, race and ethnicity, ethnography, and social policy.

Valerie Adams-Bass

Sujoy Chakravarty
Associate Professor of Health Sciences

Sujoy Chakravarty is an associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences. He received a doctorate in public policy and management, master of philosophy degree in health policy, and master of science degree in economics from Carnegie Mellon University; a master of philosophy and arts from Jawaharlal Nehru University; and a bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Calcutta. As a health economist, he researches economic and statistical modeling of claims as well as hospital discharge and survey-based data to evaluate the effects of state and federal policies on health outcomes.

Eveling Hondros

Hong Fang
Assistant Professor of Physics

Hong Fang is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics. He received his doctorate in materials physics from the University of Cambridge and his bachelor’s degree in physics from East China Normal University and Bielefeld University. He has worked in various fields at the intersection of neutron physics, condensed-matter physics, materials science, and physical chemistry. His current research is on the use of atomic clusters (rather than individual atoms) in material development.

Hunter King

Yoona Kang
Assistant Professor of Psychology

Yoona Kang is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology. She received her doctorate in cognitive psychology from Yale University and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research focuses on how social experiences influence the health of individuals and groups. She examines evidence-based prevention strategies, such as compassion, purpose in life, and mindfulness interventions, and integrates neurocognitive and social network tools to understand and prevent health risks among diverse populations.

Nathaniel Wright

Allison Page
Associate Professor of English and Communication

Allison Page is an associate professor of English and communication. She earned a doctorate and a master of arts degree in communication studies from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor of arts degree in music and French from the University of Iowa. Her research interests include slave narratives, Black feminism, feminist theory, and the use of technology in policing.

Nathaniel Wright

Sheikh Rabiul Islam
Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Sheikh Rabiul Islam is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science. He holds a doctorate in engineering and computer Science from Tennessee Tech University, a master’s degree in computer science from Tennessee Tech University, and a bachelor’s degree in computer science and information technology from Islamic University of Technology.  His research interests include cybersecurity and Big Data analytics. Particular topics of specialization include artificial intelligence, predictive modeling in finance and cybersecurity, and digital forensics.

Randy Mershon

Claire Stricklin
Assistant Teaching Professor of English and Communication

Claire Stricklin is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of English and Communication. She received a doctorate in digital media from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a master of arts degree in English from the University of Wyoming, and bachelor of arts degrees in English and writing from Ithaca College. Her research interests include multiplayer gaming and tabletop gaming.

 

Randy Mershon

Christopher Thomas
Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice

Christopher Thomas is an assistant professor of criminal justice in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, affiliated with the graduate program in prevention science. He earned a doctorate from the City University of New York Graduate Center/John Jay College of Criminal Justice; a master of science degree in philosophy, policy, and social value from the London School of Economics; and a bachelor of arts degree in math and philosophy from Columbia University. His research interests include racial inequality and punishment, the economic and demographic dynamics of pretrial justice, and the criminological consequences of climate change.

Nathaniel Wright

Youwen (Warren) Zhang
Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Youwen (Warren) Zhang is an assistant professor of chemistry. He earned a doctorate in chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a bachelor of science degree from Lanzhou University. His research interests include the medical diagnosis of various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, Alzheimer's disease, and sepsis, with applications in drug delivery and vaccines.

School of Business–Camden

Joseph Tariman

Jose R. Beltran
Assistant Professor of Human Resources

Jose R. Beltran is an assistant professor of human resources. He earned a doctorate from Iowa State University, specializing in meta-analytical methods and Big Data applications in management. He also holds master's and bachelor's degrees in business administration from New Mexico State University. His research interests include strategic leadership, honesty and humility in upper echelons, and the impact of generative artificial intelligence.

Deidre Conroy

Joseph Regina
Assistant Professor of Human Resources

Joseph Regina is an assistant professor of human resources. He holds a doctorate and a master's degree in industrial-organizational psychology from the University of South Florida and a bachelor of business administration degree in human resource management from Temple University. His research interests include diversity, equity, and inclusion; the role of gender in the workplace; burnout; and occupational health psychology.

Joseph Tariman

Lei (Matthew) Ma
Assistant Professor of Accounting

Lei (Matthew) Ma is an assistant professor of accounting. He holds a doctorate in business administration from the University of Utah, a master of science degree in accounting from Bentley University, and a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Sun Yat-sen University. His research interests include financial reporting and risk management.

Deidre Conroy

Emmanuel Peters
Assistant Teaching Professor of Management

Emmanuel Peters is an assistant teaching professor of management. He earned a doctorate in management sciences from the University of Iowa, a master of science degree in industrial engineering from Texas Tech University, and a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Sri Venkateswara University. His research interests include supply chain design and medical device supply chains. He has over 20 years of industry experience in supply-chain management at Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.

School of Nursing–Camden

Joseph Tariman

Sharon Andress
Assistant Teaching Professor of Nursing

Sharon Andress joins the Rutgers–Camden faculty as an assistant teaching professor of nursing after having served as adjunct clinical faculty. She holds a doctorate of nurse practice and educational leadership from Post University, a master of nursing science degree from Wilmington University, and a bachelor of nursing degree from Widener University. She has an extensive clinical background in diverse acute care settings, which includes 18 years of critical care in inner-city emergency departments. Her research interests include cardiac resuscitation simulation for novice nurses.

Deidre Conroy

Kimberly McGuinness
Clinical Instructor of Nursing

Kimberly McGuinness is a clinical instructor of nursing and a board-certified adult nurse practitioner in primary care. She holds a master of science degree from Columbia University and a bachelor of science degree in registered nursing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She has spent the last decade delivering care to vulnerable populations, working to close gaps in care and improve quality of life for patients with chronic conditions and complex social needs. 

Margaret Gray

Melanie Rodriguez
Clinical Instructor of Nursing

Melanie Rodriguez is a clinical instructor of nursing. She holds a doctorate of nursing science from Widener University, a master of nursing science degree from Drexel University, and a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Grand Canyon University. Her professional experience largely lies in pediatric nursing, including primary care, school nursing, and emergency medicine. In addition to caring for children and adolescents, she has experience in adult trauma medical-surgical nursing and clinical rotations in a variety of specialties, including psychiatric nursing, community nursing, and pediatrics.

Rutgers Law School

Elenore Wade

Adam Crews
Assistant Professor of Law

Adam Crews is an assistant professor of law. He received his juris doctor from the University of Virginia and a bachelor of science degree from Truman State University. His research interests include administrative law, federal courts, and statutory interpretation. Before entering academia, he represented major financial institutions in high-stakes civil litigation and government enforcement matters.

Margaret Zhang

J.D. King
Professor of Law

J.D. King is a professor of law. He holds a juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, an LL.M. in advocacy from Georgetown University Law Center, and a bachelor of arts degree in history and religious studies from Brown University. His research focuses on indigent criminal defense systems and the right to counsel, as well as criminal defense and prosecution ethics.

Elenore Wade

Crescente Molina
Assistant Professor of Law

Crescente Molina is an assistant professor of law. He holds a juris doctor equivalent from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, a doctorate of law from the University of Oxford, and an LL.M. from the University of California, Berkeley. His research interests include philosophical issues within private law, contract law, and international commercial arbitration.

Margaret Zhang

Seema Saifee
Assistant Professor of Law

Seema Saifee is an assistant professor of law at Rutgers Law School. She holds a juris doctor from Fordham University and bachelor of arts degrees in English and psychology from Cornell University. Her scholarship explores how individuals and communities most harmed by mass incarceration have produced knowledge and developed strategies to reduce prison populations. Previously, Saifee was a senior litigator in the post-conviction unit at the Innocence Project in New York, where she also directed the Innocence Project clinic. 

About Rutgers–Camden

Part of the Rutgers University system since 1950, Rutgers–Camden is home to over 4,800 undergraduates, 1,700 graduate students, and 850 faculty members. Just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, the university offers the Rutgers experience, tradition, and prestige in a community-focused, close-knit environment.

Rutgers–Camden holds the prestigious R2 designation for high levels of research activity and was named a Minority-Serving institution by the U.S. Department of Education. In addition to the College of Arts & Science, the university’s vibrant urban campus houses the Rutgers Law School–Camden, Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden, and Rutgers School of Business–Camden.

With over 55,000 alumni across all 50 states and six continents, Rutgers–Camden is a leading driver of educational opportunity and community engagement throughout the South Jersey and Delaware Valley regions. With a focus on serving area students and a vast network of world-renowned faculty and alumni, Rutgers–Camden is uniquely positioned to elevate the research, scholarship, and professional success of faculty and students.

a large body of water with a city in the background

Design: Douglas Shelton