A comprehensive list of all of USI’s new faculty members can be found here.
Butcher said, “I wanted something where I would get more interaction with students, more of a teaching focus and something [that] was a little more community oriented, so I kind of fell in love with USI.”
Katherine Watts, instructor of art, graduated from USI with a degree in graphic design and got her master’s degree from the University of Louisville. She is currently teaching drawing I and figure drawing I and II in the College of Liberal Arts. Watts looks forward to collaborating with professors both inside and outside her department to help students find their artistic voice and style.
Watts said, “I’m just happy, very happy, to be here at USI, it’s a great community.”
Justin Kramer, assistant professor of art, graduated from the Heron School of Art and Design with a bachelor’s degree in furniture design, woodworking and ceramics. Kramer then received his master’s degree from San Diego State University. Before coming to USI, he was the director of woodworking at Yestermorrow Design Build School in Vermont. He currently teaches introductory design courses that are open to any major on campus.
“I like my classroom to be a supportive, creative environment where students feel safe, you know, to execute any of their ideas,” Kramer said.
Amelia Nelson, assistant professor of geology, graduated from Indiana University with a geosciences degree, earned her master’s in hydrology at Ohio State University and obtained her doctorate in soil microbiology at Colorado State University. She is a biogeochemist and hopes to further the study of microbes at USI and the surrounding areas. Nelson teaches introductory geology courses.
“I’m really excited about doing local research, I think there’s some really cool ecosystems in Evansville, particularly Wesselman Woods and Hovey Lake,” Nelson said.
Before coming to USI, Wilnelly Ventura-Valentín, teaching assistant professor of geology, studied the causes of earthquake swarms in Puerto Rico. Ventura-Valentín graduated from Miami University with her doctorate in seismology and geoscience education research this summer. She teaches introduction to geology and intermediate geology.
Ventura-Valentín said, “[Being a professor] is completely different from being a grad student, so just like learning the ropes and hopefully being a good professor this first time around, but definitely growing, growing as a professor, is what I’m looking for.”
Taryan Hagan, instructor of nursing, received both her bachelor’s and her master’s degree in nursing at USI. She has eight years of experience at St.Vincent’s intensive care unit and has worked in the cardiovascular intensive care unit since her graduation. She teaches a class on the fundamentals of patient care and clinicals.
Hagan said, “My first clinical was on the unit I’ll be taking my students to this semester, so it’s kind of like a full circle moment, and I’m hoping to be able to change some of the student’s minds and hopefully help them all fall in love with cardiac nursing.”
Musab Almanaseer, assistant professor of nursing, is a registered nurse and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a doctorate in nursing. Before coming to USI, he was a clinical instructor at Hashemite University in Jordan, where he studied chronic disease self-management. He teaches introduction to patient care, nursing care of adults and theoretical foundations for advanced nursing practice.
Almanaseer wrote, “I look forward to contributing to USI’s research and service missions, particularly through projects that improve chronic disease management and promote healthy aging.”