New Faculty 2008

Donald Arial is an associate professor in the Business Administration Department in the area of Accounting. He has a D.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University, and an M.P.A. (Master of Professional Accountancy) from Georgia State. He previously taught at Texas A&M—Kingsville. His research is, among other areas, in the area of professional responsibility and ethics in accounting.

Wasim Barham is an assistant professor in the Division of Engineering in the area of Construction Engineering. His Ph.D. is in Civil Engineering from the University at Buffalo of the State University of New York, and his masters from the Jordan University of Science and Technology. He has professional experience as a structural engineer.

Sarah Holliday is an assistant professor in the Mathematics Department. Her Ph.D. and her masters are from Auburn University. She previously taught at the University of Tennessee—Martin. Sarah’s research is in the area of graph theory.

Pyo-Yoon Hong is an assistant professor in the Architecture Department. His Ph.D. and his masters are from the University of Oklahoma in Structural Engineering. He previously taught at the University of Hartford and at Oklahoma City Community College. His research is in the area of wood systems.

Ali Khazaei is an assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Technology Department. His Ph.D. is from Islamic Azad University (Iran) in Mechanical Engineering, and his masters in Mechanical Engineering, is from the University of Tehran. He has several years of industrial experience as a design engineer. His research is in the area of mathematical modeling of thermal effects of microresonator dynamics.

Ratnappuli (Luminda) Kulasiri is a lecturer in the BCP Department in Physics. His Ph.D. and masters are in Physics, from the University of Cincinnati. His research is in the area of two body decays.

Cyril Okhio is an associate professor in the Division of Engineering in the area of Mechatronics Engineering. His Ph.D. is from the University of London in Mechanical Engineering. He previously taught at Clark Atlanta University and at Central State University (Ohio). He has served as a technical researcher for Ford Glass Company, NASA-Glenn, and General Electric.

Fatih Oncul is an assistant professor in the Civil Engineering Technology Department. His Ph.D. and masters are in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado—Denver. He previously taught at Farleigh Dickinson University. His research is in the area of earthquake resistant design.

Laura Palmer is an assistant professor in the ETCMA Department. Her Ph.D. and masters are from Texas Tech University in Technical Communication and Rhetoric. Her research is in the areas of information design and technical communication.

Peter Pittman is an associate professor in the Architecture Department. His M.Arch. is from Georgia ‘Tech, and he has previously taught at SPSU, Georgia ‘Tech, the Atlanta College of Art, and Auburn University. He has many years of professional experience as a design consultant and project program manager, and has won a National Design Award of Excellence from the National Organization of Minority Architects.

Adimathara Preethy is an assistant professor in the Electrical Engineering Technology Department. Her Ph.D. is from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) in Computer Engineering, and her M.Tech is from Cochin University of Science and Technology (India) in Electronics and Communication Systems. She has previously taught at Georgia State University. Her research is in the area of algorithms and architectures for low-power circuits for wireless communication.

Jon Preston is an associate professor in the Computer Science and Software Engineering Department. His Ph.D. is from Georgia State University in Computer Science, and his masters is in Computer Science from Georgia ‘Tech. He previously taught at Clayton College and State University. He has industrial experience as a chief technology officer and program manager, and has founded two companies.

William Skutans is a lecturer in the Social and International Studies Department. His M.A. in History is from Northeastern Illinois University. He has 20 years of teaching experience in history and political science.

Roger Soiset is a lecturer in the Social and International Studies Department. His M.S. is from California State University—Long Beach in History. He has been a full-time temporary faculty member at SPSU since 2000, having taught earlier at Dekalb College (now Georgia Perimeter). His main research interests are second world war, cold war, and Vietnam.

Sonia Toson is a lecturer in the Construction Management Department. Her M.B.A. is in Business Law from American University, where she also earned a J.D. She has prior experience as an assistant managing attorney and as a partner in a law firm specializing in real estate, construction, and corporate law.

Nancy Turner is a lecturer in the Civil Engineering Technology Department. Her M.S.C.E. is in Structural Engineering from Purdue University. Nancy has taught as a full-time temporary and as a part-time faculty member at SPSU since 1987. She has industrial experience as a senior structures engineer.

Susan Vande Ven is a lecturer in the Information Technology Department. Her M.S. is in Computer Science from Georgia ‘Tech. She has taught as a full-time temporary faculty member at SPSU since 2003. She has industrial experience as an IT-Solutions Specialist and as an IT Production Engineer.

Jennifer Vandenbussche is an assistant professor in the Mathematics Department. Her Ph.D. and masters are from the University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign. Her research is in the area of graph theory.

David Veazie is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Technology Department. His Ph.D. and M.S. are in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia ‘Tech. He has previously taught at Clark Atlanta University. David’s previous industrial experience was as an NRC Postdoctoral research fellow, and as a research engineer. He won the National Technical Achiever and Educator of the Year in 2005 from the National Technical Association.

Maureen Weidner is a lecturer in the Construction Management Department. Her M.S. is from Texas A&M University in Building Construction. She has previously taught at Georgia ‘Tech, and served as the principal and executive vice president of a consulting firm specializing in program, development, project and construction management services.

James Werner is an assistant professor in the ETCMA Department. His Ed.D. is in College Teaching—Art and New Media from Columbia University, and his M.F.A. is in digital media and mixed media sculpture from the Kent Institute of Art and Design (England). His research is in digital technology.

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New Temporary Faculty

Lisbelle Crespo is a temporary instructor in the Mathematics Department. Her masters is from Georgia State University, in Mathematics Education.

Jeffrey Greene is a temporary instructor in the ETCMA Department. His M.F.A. is in Creative Writing from the Florida International University.

Zeynep Kelani is a temporary instructor in the Business Administration Department. She has an M.S. in Management of Technology from SPSU, as well as an M.S. in Economics from Marmara University (Turkey).

Eric Smith is a temporary instructor in the BCP Department in Physics. He has an M.S. in Physics and Astronomy from Vanderbilt University.

Gregory Wiles is a temporary instructor in the Industrial Engineering Technology Department. He has an M.S. in Industrial/Systems Engineering from Georgia ‘Tech.