Faculty members join Trine

Thirteen new faces in classrooms

 

Thirteen new instructors have joined the Trine University main campus faculty this year.

Two new assistant professors are teaching in the Department of Mathematics & Informatics. Dr. Haneef Anver completed a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at University of Peradeniya in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka before earning master’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He taught calculus at Southern Illinois for the past four years and was a lecturer at University of Peradeniya prior to that time.

Dr. Raymond Jensen has 14 years in college mathematics education, and has taught at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Penn., University of Pittsburgh, University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. and Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth in Carlisle, Penn. He attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Penn., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology. He completed another bachelor’s degree in mathematics at University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree in chemistry at Carnegie Mellon. He earned a doctoral degree in mathematics at University of Notre Dame.

Dr. James Canino is an assistant professor and Dr. Jan Greg Stannard an associate professor in the Wade Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. Canino completed a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and a doctoral degree in engineering at Purdue University. He has been a member of the technical staff for the Aerospace Corp. in El Segundo, Calif. since 2007.

Stannard earned a bachelor’s degree in medicinal chemistry, a master’s and a doctoral degree in macromolecular science and engineering and a doctoral degree in bio-materials at University of Michigan. He then completed a doctoral degree in education at Northeastern University. He has worked specifically in developing biomaterials, pharmaceuticals, blood-biocompatible materials, orthopedic devices and medical devices.

Dr. Jeremy Rentz is an assistant professor in the Reiners Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. He was an assistant professor at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., before coming to Trine. He has completed a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a doctoral degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Dr. Nandan Garg has joined the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering as an assistant professor after working as an instructor for Wayne State University in Detroit. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer applications at Devi Ahilya University in Indore, India, and a master’s degree in computer applications at Rajiv Gandhi Technical University in Bhopal, India. He completed his doctorate in computer science at Wayne State.

Dr. Brian Thomas is an assistant engineering technology professor in the Department of Technology. He has been an instructor in industrial and manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineering at Cleveland State University in Ohio for the past six years. He completed bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering and industrial welding and systems engineering at Ohio State University.

The new Department of Sport Management & Exercise Science also has a new assistant professor in Dr. Catherine Swick. She has been assistant and then associate director of recreational sports at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, for 18 years. She has also taught in the School of Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies at Bowling Green since 1991. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in health, physical education and recreation, and then a doctoral degree in philosophy in higher education administration at Bowling Green.

Linda Conley is a new instructor in the Department of Business Administration. She completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in organizational development at Bowling Green State University. She has been a Trine adjunct professor since 2005.

Kandee Heisler has been hired as a lecturer in the Department of Language & Humanities. She worked as a teacher in language arts and communication for Portsmouth City Schools in Portsmouth, Ohio, for 12 years. She completed a bachelor’s degree in English and speech/oral communication and a master’s degree in secondary education at Morehead State University in Morehead, Ky.

Hope Sheets has joined the Department of Science as a lecturer. She completed a bachelor’s degree in geology and secondary education at Indiana University Fort Wayne, and will earn a master’s degree in biology from East Tennessee State University shortly. She has worked with the United States Army Reserve 414th Heavy Chemical Unit in Greenville, S.C. for the past four years. Prior to that, she worked four years as a geology and biology lab instructor at East Tennessee State.

Gail Lugo directs Trine’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program. She has over 20 years of international ESL instruction at multiple education levels. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in applied linguistics at Indiana University and has studied French at Alliance Francaise in Paris.

Nick Pfafman is Trine Middle School coordinator. The 2007 Tri-State University social sciences graduate has been assistant women’s basketball coach and assistant baseball coach for Trine since his graduation. He will travel to regional high schools, acquainting high school staff and students with the middle college concurrent enrollment program.