Twelve members of Stetson’s faculty recently earned tenure and/or promotion. The new status for these faculty members will be effective August with the start of the 2023-2024 academic year.

“Stetson University honors our faculty colleagues this year who have been recognized with one of academia’s most admired achievements,” said Provost Noel Painter, PhD. “Through these designations, the community of educators celebrate our colleagues’ impact at Stetson through excellence in teaching, impressive scholarship or creative activity, and significant service to the university and the community.”

Teresa Carmody, PhD, English: Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

Carmody is the director of Stetson’s MFA of the Americas program. A writer, editor and publisher, she holds a doctorate in English/creative writing from the University of Denver, a master of fine arts in creative writing from Antioch University and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from The Evergreen State College. Her writing accomplishments include fiction, creative nonfiction, inter-arts collaborations and hybrid forms. She is the author of three books and co-founding editor of Les Figues Press, an independent nonprofit publisher based in Los Angeles.

Su Young Choi, PhD, Communication: Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

As an instructor of communication and media studies, Choi aims to create a collaborative learning community with dialogue to help students grow as self-reflexive thinkers and agents of positive social change. Her areas of expertise are environmental communication, Korean studies, and critical media and cultural studies. Choi’s recent research project is about the energy consumer in the context of East Asia. She received her doctorate in communication from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and her master’s in communication and bachelor’s in Korean history from Seoul National University in South Korea.

Sarah Garcia, PhD, Clinical Psychology: Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

A clinical neuropsychologist, Garcia has been a leading force in creating Stetson’s Brain Fitness Academy, a program addressing dementia in adults, which opened this spring in Stetson’s Center for Optimal Health Across the Lifespan. Her studies include non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive decline in a variety of medical populations. Garcia has received the Lillian Freedman Award for contributions in the area of mental health and an award from the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center for her research. She holds a doctorate and master’s in clinical psychology from Kent State University, and a bachelor’s in psychology from the College of Wooster.

Lynn Kee, PhD, Biology; Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

Kee studies biological processes in genetic model organisms using a combination of microscopy, molecular biology and cell biology. Her goal is to engage students in scientific practices and critical thinking using modern molecular and genetic tools. Last year, she received a grant from the National Science Foundation to teach students CRISPR gene-editing technology. Kee, who grew up in Malaysia and Japan, came to the United States to attend college. She earned a doctorate in cell and development biology and a bachelor’s in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Basar Koc, PhD, Computer Science; Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

Koc’s research interests focus on lossless data compression, including color-mapped and medical images, human genome data, video codecs, computer graphics, parallel computing, and sensor network with low-powered microcontrollers. He has both a doctorate and master’s in computer science from University of Miami, and a bachelor’s in computer science and information systems from State University of New York at Fredonia. He also studied computer engineering at Ege University in Izmir, Turkey.

Khushbu Mishra, PhD, Economics; Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

Before joining Stetson, Mishra worked as a consultant for the World Bank Group and UNICEF. At the university, her work focuses on gender and development economics, agricultural economics and impact evaluation. Born in rural Nepal, where agriculture is a way of life, Mishra has a keen interest in formulating innovative solutions to reducing social inequalities in developing agrarian economies. She earned doctorates in both applied economics and in agricultural, environmental and development economics from The Ohio State University. She also has a bachelor’s in economics and mathematics from Mount Holyoke College.

Lou Sabina, PhD, Educational Leadership; Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

For the past 21 years, Sabina has pursued a career in education, working as an educator, teaching various subjects, including business, mathematics, computer science, economics and social studies; and serving as an elementary school administrator. Some of his past work includes reviewing online courses for accreditation with Quality Matters. At Stetson, he teaches courses in educational leadership and serves as associate co-chair of graduate education programs. Sabina has a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pittsburgh, an MBA from Oklahoma State University, a master’s in early childhood education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s in business education from Robert Morris University.

Chaz Underriner, PhD, Music Composition; Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

Underriner has been selected as a 2023-2024 Fulbright U.S. Scholar and was awarded a fellowship as an artist-in-residence at Q21, the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna, Austria. As a composer, intermedia artist and performer, he has compiled a long list of accolades. Underriner has composed works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, chamber and symphony orchestras, jazz combos, electronics, film and others. He plays multiple string instruments and has performed internationally. At Stetson, he teaches digital arts with a focus on the juxtaposition of video projections, audio recordings and live performers. Underriner received his doctorate in music composition with a concentration in intermedia from University of North Texas, and his master of fine arts in music composition is from California Institute of the Arts.

Sean Kennard, Doctorate, Musical Arts; Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

An internationally acclaimed classical pianist, Kennard has been recognized for his performances — and recordings — endowed with exceptional agility, nuance and power. Considered by critics to be a gifted pianist, he has been awarded top prizes and audience- choice awards in numerous competitions around the globe. At Stetson, Kennard will serve as the chair of the piano division of the School of Music starting in the 2023-2024 academic year. He has a doctor of musical arts from Yale University, a master of music from Juilliard School and a bachelor’s of music from Curtis Institute of Music.

Karen Coker-Merritt, DMA, Music; Tenured, Promoted to Associate Professor

Coker-Merritt is a soprano who began her professional career with Pittsburgh Opera, studying as an apprentice with opera legend Renée Fleming, before debuting with Baltimore Opera. She’s toured Europe, performing in England and at the Ravenna Festival in Italy, followed by performances in New York. In 2021 she released her CD, “Joseph Canteloube: L’arada/Chants de France.” A voice professor, Coker-Merritt’s areas of expertise include song literature and linguistics. She received her doctorate of musical arts from Florida State University. She also holds a bachelor’s and master’s of music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Tara Schuwerk, PhD, Communication; Promoted to Professor

Schuwerk serves as the chair for the communication and media studies department and has been affiliated with the Sustainable Food Systems program. She uses qualitative research methods to explore communication as food, and food as communication. Her research focuses on the connection between food and culture and identity as it relates to hunger relief, nutrition and food in the media. Her recent articles regarding food and COVID-19 have been published in Popular Culture Studies Journal. Schuwerk earned her doctorate in communication at The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University and her master’s in communication from the University of Central Florida. (Photo not available.)

William Miles, PhD, Mathematical Sciences; Promoted to Professor

His passion for both mathematics and teaching brought Miles to Stetson. Although he started his career in the private sector as special projects administrator for the Rock Hill Telephone Co., Miles changed courses to pursuing a teaching career and become a full-time professor at the college level. He returned to school and earned a master’s in mathematics from Virginia Commonwealth University, followed by a doctorate in mathematical sciences from Clemson University. Miles also has a bachelor’s in mathematics from Presbyterian College. His areas of expertise include calculus, algebra and analysis of numbers.

-Patricia Letakis