Take a look at the many talented faculty and staff Poly welcomed this year! You can send welcome-to-Poly emails too by clicking on a new addition’s name. Editor’s Note: if there’s a name that should be on this list, but isn’t, please submit it along with relevant background information.
Kurt H. Becker, Associate Provost for Research and Technology Initiatives and Dean of Sciences & Arts
Before joining Poly in March, Kurt worked at Stevens Institute of Technology (1997-2007), City College of CUNY (1988-97) and Lehigh University (1984-88). His research interests include atomic, chemical and plasma physics. Kurt’s educational background: Diplom in Physics (M.S. degree in Germany); Dr. rer. Nat. (Ph.D. degree in Germany).
Insook Choi, Visiting Assisting Professor, Integrated Digital Media Institute
Insook joined Poly in September. She most recently held faculty and program development positions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and at Hexagram, the Montréal-based institute for research and creation in media arts and technologies. Her current research interests include semantic computation for new media authoring anticipating a more distributed and pervasive IP era; multi-modal interactive systems related research, in particular gestural primitives computation and high dimensional control space mappings; video motion tracking for interactive signal processing of spoken word and sound synthesis; robotic motion, and sensors coupled to sound synthesis for distributed sensorial processing. Insook holds a P.h. D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and studio degrees from Yonsei University in Seoul.
Dawn B. Duncan, Vice President of Development and University Relations
Prior to joining Poly in July, Dawn was the Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Relations for the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University. Dawn is responsible for generating private support for the Strategic Plan of Polytechnic University– this includes individuals, corporations and foundations. She also oversees the Alumni Relations Office, which is responsible for continued outreach, networking, and the annual fund. Dawn’s educational background: East Stroudsburg University, B.S. in Early Childhood/Elementary Education The University of Tennessee; M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction University of Florida and Southern Illinois University; Doctoral work in Higher Education Administration.
Dawn lives in Carroll Gardens with her husband, Aaron Rennie, and daughter, Alexandra, who will turn one on December 12th.
Francisco De Leon, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Before joining Poly in September, Francisco worked for CYME International T&D Inc, in St-Bruno, Quebec, Canada for three-and-a-half years as Director of R&D. Francisco’s main research interests include the steady state and transient analysis of power systems, the electromagnetic design of electrical machine, cable thermal rating, and the definitions of power in nonlinear and unbalanced circuits. Education: B.Sc., National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, Mexico; M.Sc., National Polytechnic Institute; Ph.D., University of Toronto.
“It has been only a little over three months since I joined Poly and I am already seen that my work here will be very productive. I am very happy for that,” says Francisco.
Steve Dhondt, Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
Prior to joining Poly in mid-April, Steve was most recently at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Prior to that, New York University and Long Island University. Steve’s central responsibility is to attract and leverage new financial resources from corporations and foundations to support growth in Polytechnic’s three institutional priority areas: urban systems, health and wellness, and the global information economy. His team collaborates closely with the Office of the Provost to assure that its efforts consistently support the university mission. “For corporate and foundation relations, success depends on achieving core excellence while infusing invention, innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity into the institutional fundraising process,” explains Steve. “This strategy provides the focus and discipline that can assure the team’s strength as a revenue-generating force helping to shape the future of Polytechnic.” Steve’s educational background: B.A. in English, Adrian College, Michigan; M.A. in English, Utah State University; Doctoral study in English and Higher Education at Bowling Green State University and SUNY Buffalo (all but dissertation).
Steve is currently completing work on his third novel, Claiming Spirit, based on the culture and religious beliefs of the Oneida Community in mid-19th century central New York State.
Anthony E. Escobar, Director of Development Planning and Administration
Anthony came to Poly in July from NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development where he was Assistant Director Alumni Relations for three years. His primary responsibilities include overseeing planning, operations and administration. His team consists of prospect research, gift processing and database management, special events, communications, budget, HR, and general operations/administration for the office.
Anthony holds a B.A. in English from New York University and is a Native Chicagoan who has been living in NYC for 14 years. His life outside the office involves singing and theatre.
Mary Ann Gentile, Administrative Associate in the President’s Office
Prior to joining Poly in February, Mary worked in the Market Data Division of Reuters, NYC. Her responsibilities include assisting Kate Smith, Executive Assistant to President Jerry Hultin. Mary holds a B.A. from Queens College (CUNY). “I’m looking forward to the continued success of Poly as we move forward as an integral member of the New York University community,” says Mary.
Myles W. Jackson, Dibner Family Professor of the History of Science and Technology and Senior Faculty Fellow of the Othmer Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies
Prior to joining Poly in September, Myles had worked at Willamette University since 1998 after teaching at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago. His research interests include molecular biology and intellectual property in Europe and the US, genetic privacy issues, and the history of 18th and 19th-century German physics. Professor Jackson received his Ph.D. in the history and philosophy of science from the University of Cambridge. Read more about Myles in this eBrief.
Ardis Kadiu, Web Designer/Developer
Ardis joined Poly in September. Prior to Poly, Ardis worked at Manhattan Center Studios as a Web Designer/IT Administrator and at Brooklyn Idea Foundry as its Creative Director. As Poly’s Web Designer/Developer, Ardis builds new designs for the site, among other cool projects, e.g., this new eBriefs. Educational background: B.S. in Computer Engineering/M.S. Digital Media, June 2007.
Monika Ludwig, Professor, Department of Mathematics
Monika joined Poly in September. She comes to us most recently from Vienna University of Technology where she was an Associate Professor. Her research areas are convex geometry, valuations, geometric, and analytic inequalities. Education: M.A. Vienna University of Technology; Doctor of Technical Sciences, Vienna University of Technology.
Kara M. Mitchell, Career Counselor
Kara joined Poly in March. Prior to Poly, Kara worked at Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions. At Poly, she is responsible for aspects of the Graduate Co-op/Internship Program including teaching Career Planning 900. Kara’s educational background: B.S. Communications, Minor Marketing, Old Dominion University; Currently pursuing an M.A. in Higher Education Administration, New York University.
Erin Newton, Web Writer
Erin joined Poly in October. Her main responsibilities are generating web content, primarily news stories, and editing eBriefs. Prior to joining Poly, Erin was a Copywriter, then a Marketing Manager, at a residential real estate firm in Manhattan. She holds an M.A. in Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.A. in English from Northeastern University.
Tara Pauliny, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences and Writing Programs Director
Tara started working at Poly in August. Immediately after earning her Ph.D. in English/Rhetoric and Composition from the Ohio State University in Rhetoric and Composition/English, she worked for five years (2002-7) at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. While there, she was an Assistant Professor of English and the Director of the Writing Center. Her research interests include Feminist Rhetorics and Queer Theory.
“As a native New Yorker, who was born and raised on Queens, I am very happy to be working at Poly and to be back living in New York,” notes Tara. “I currently live with my partner Susan and our many pets in Middle Village, Queens–the neighborhood of my youth!”
Sean Peterson, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering
Sean came to Poly in January directly after earning his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in December, 2006. His research focus is fluid mechanics, particularly pertaining to biologically inspired problems such as blood flow and cardiovascular disease.
Natalie Silva, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations
Natalie joined Poly in August after working at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Her main responsibilities are the Poly’s annual fund solicitations, including email, telephone, and mail solicitations. Natalie holds a B.A. from the University of Florida.
Shawnta K. Wormley, Executive Assistant to VP of Development & University Relations
Shawnta joined Poly in July. Prior to working at Poly, Shawnta worked at New York University.
More New Additions
Ali Mustafa Alaouie, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Leowan Aldea, Custodian
Nicholas G. Angelo, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Anthonette N. Barker, Student Services Counselor
Arlene F. Conway, Conferences Operations Coordinator
Joseph Feely, Mechanic
Rosemary Gil, Counselor
Cuneyt Imirzalioglu, Mechanic
Sachin D. Khapli, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Chung-Sei Kim, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Yue Li, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Zhiqiang Liu, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Shantel Palacio, Admissions Counselor
Mark H. Schofield, Senior Visiting Scientist, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Ahmad Ali Shaik, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Timothy H. Slakas, Admissions Recruiter
Justin Stallard, Software Engineer, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Thavasi Renga Thavasi, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Kang Wang, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Di Wu, Post Doctoral Fellow, C0mputer Information Sciences
Zhigang Xie, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Yang Xu, Visiting Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Jingling Yan, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Sciences
Yueping Zhou, Post Doctoral Fellow, Chemical and Biological Engineering