Penn State announces tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2026

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has announced academic promotions for tenured and tenure-line faculty members, effective July 1, 2026.

A list of non-tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2026, is available here.

Tenured and tenure-line faculty promotions

The following individuals have been promoted to professor:

• Christos Argyropoulos, professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Elaine Barry, professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University College
• Catherine Berdanier, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Eugenio Bianchi, professor of physics, Department of Physics, Eberly College of Science
• Robin Bower, professor of Spanish, Spanish, University College
• Elisa Bradley, professor of medicine and cell and biologic systems, Department of Medicine and Cardiology, Penn State College of Medicine
• Scott Bunce, professor of psychiatry and behavioral health, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine
• Laura Cabrera Trujillo, professor, Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, College of Engineering
• Guoray Cai, professor, Department of Human-Centered Computing & Social Informatics, College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Michela Centinari, professor of viticulture, Department of Plant Science, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Bo Cheng, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Huanyu Cheng, professor, Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, College of Engineering
• Sukwon Choi, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Francis Dardis, professor, Department of Advertising/Public Relations, Bellisario College of Communications
• Jonathan Daw, professor of sociology and demography, Department of Sociology and Criminology, College of the Liberal Arts
• Abraham Falcone, professor of astronomy and astrophysics, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Eberly College of Science
• Frederico Fonseca, professor, Department of Human-Centered Computing & Social Informatics, College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Galen Foulke, professor of dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Penn State College of Medicine
• Steffany Fredman, professor of human development and family studies, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Development
• Brian Fronk, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Amy Gaudion, professor of law, Penn State Dickinson Law
• Alison Gernand, professor of nutritional sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development
• Jennifer Gibbs, professor of criminal justice, School of Public Affairs, Penn State Harrisburg, The Capital College
• Joy Giguere, professor of history, History, University College
• Taylor Greer, professor of music, School of Music, College of Arts and Architecture
• Matthew Gruwell, professor of biology, School of Science, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
• John Hammond, professor of history, Arts & Humanities, University College
• Allison Henward, professor of education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education
• Tawny Holm, professor of Jewish studies and classics and Ancient Mediterranean studies, College of the Liberal Arts
• John Holst, professor of education, Department of Learning and Performance Systems, College of Education
• Carter Hunt, professor of recreation, park, and tourism management, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, College of Health and Human Development
• Kilic Kanat, professor of political science, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
• William Kenyon, professor, School of Theatre, College of Arts and Architecture
• Younhee Kim, professor of public administration, School of Public Affairs, Penn State Harrisburg, The Capital College
• Aaron Knochel, professor of art education, School of the Visual Arts, College of Arts and Architecture
• Prakash Kumar, professor of history and Asian studies, Department of History, College of the Liberal Arts
• Jesse Lasky, professor of biology, Department of Biology, Eberly College of Science
• Bin Li, professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Jude Liu, professor of agricultural and biological engineering, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Margaret Luciano, professor, Department of Management and Organization, Smeal College of Business
• Thomas Lynn, professor of English, Department of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Penn State Berks
• Shaun Mahony, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eberly College of Science
• Guhaprasanna Manogharan, professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Daniela Martin, professor of psychology, Psychology, University College
• Katherine Mclean, professor of criminal justice, Department of Criminal Justice, University College
• Richard Mergenthaler, professor of accounting, Department of Accounting, Smeal College of Business
• Holly Nguyen, professor of sociology, criminology and public policy, Department of Sociology and Criminology, College of the Liberal Arts
• Xingjie Ni, professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Marissa Nicosia, professor of Renaissance literature, Department of Division of Arts and Humanities, Abington College
• Xiaoyue Niu, professor of statistics, Department of Statistics, Eberly College of Science
• Holly Overton, professor, Department of Advertising/Public Relations, Bellisario College of Communications
• Samantha Prince, professor of law, Penn State Dickinson Law
• Elizabeth Ransom, professor, School of International Affairs
• Idan Shalev, professor of biobehavioral health, Department of Biobehavioral Health, College of Health and Human Development
• Brendan Taff, professor of recreation, park, and tourism management, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, College of Health and Human Development
• Jonte Taylor, professor of education, Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, College of Education
• Chloe Tergiman, professor of risk management, Department of Risk Management, Smeal College of Business
• Brian Thiede, professor of rural sociology, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Navin Viswanathan, professor of communication sciences and disorders, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health and Human Development
• Christelle Wauthier, professor of geosciences, Department of Geosciences, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Laura Weyrich, professor of biological anthropology, Department of Anthropology, College of the Liberal Arts
• Boni Wozolek, professor of education, Department of Division of Social Sciences, Business, and Education, Abington College
• Arpan Yagnik, professor of advertising, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

The following individual has been promoted to librarian:

• Stephen Borrelli, librarian, head of library assessment, University Libraries and Scholarly Communications

The following individuals have been promoted to associate professor:

• Flor Acevedo, associate professor of entomology and arthropod ecology, Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Syed Billah, associate professor, Department of Human-Centered Computing & Social Informatics, College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Caio Brunharo, associate professor of plant sciences, Department of Plant Science, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Frances Buderman, associate professor of quantitative wildlife ecology, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Liana Burghardt, associate professor of root biology and rhizosphere interactions, Department of Plant Science, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Emily Burns, associate professor of graphic design, Department of Graphic Design, College of Arts and Architecture
• Jared Butler, associate professor, School of Engineering Design and Innovation, College of Engineering
• Thomas Cameron, associate professor of mathematics, School of Science, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
• Xingchao Chen, associate professor of meteorology and atmospheric science, Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Stephen Chmely, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Christine Costello, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Shannon Cruz, associate professor of communication arts and sciences, Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, College of the Liberal Arts
• Carolyn Dang, associate professor, Department of Management and Organization, Smeal College of Business
• Jeffrey Dodge, associate professor of law, Penn State Dickinson Law
• Dorukalp Durmus, associate professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering
• Nelson Yaw Dzade, associate professor of energy and mineral engineering, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Eric Fleisch, associate professor of Jewish studies and history, Department of Jewish Studies, College of the Liberal Arts
• Kurt Fowler, associate professor of criminal justice, Division of Social Sciences, Business, and Education, Abington College
• Jason Griffith, associate professor of education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education
• Mariantonieta Gutierrez Soto, associate professor, School of Engineering Design and Innovation, College of Engineering
• Tommy Hartung, associate professor of digital arts & animation, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
• Matthew Helm, associate professor of dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Penn State College of Medicine
• Sara Hermann, associate professor of arthropod ecology and trophic interactions, Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Andrea Hobkirk, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral health, neural and behavioral sciences, and public health sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine
• Hong Hu, associate professor, Department of Privacy and Cybersecurity Informatics, College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Yuqing Hu, associate professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering
• Daning Huang, associate professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering
• Yiwei Huang, associate professor of business, Business, University College
• Christian Huber, associate professor of biology, Department of Biology, Eberly College of Science
• Elizabeth Hughes, associate professor of sociology, Division of Social Sciences, Business, and Education, Abington College
• Michael Hunter, associate professor of human development and family studies, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Development
• Syed Rafiul Hussain, associate professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering
• Miquela Ingalls, associate professor of geosciences, Department of Geosciences, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Wael Jabr, associate professor of information systems, Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems, Smeal College of Business
• Bibo Jiang, associate professor of public health sciences, Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine
• Abenaa Jones, associate professor of human development and family studies, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Health and Human Development
• Yaakov Kabalek, associate professor of Germanic and Slavic languages and literatures and Jewish studies, Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures, College of the Liberal Arts
• Md Faisal Kabir, associate professor of computer science, School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg, The Capital College
• Kiana Karami, associate professor of electrical engineering, School of Science, Engineering, and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg, The Capital College
• Joshua Kellogg, associate professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Yubo Kou, associate professor, Department of Human-Centered Computing & Social Informatics, College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Aron Laszka, associate professor, Department of Informatics and Intelligent Systems, College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Kimberly Lau, associate professor of geosciences, Department of Geosciences, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Sean Laurent, associate professor of psychology, Department of Psychology, College of the Liberal Arts
• Mark Legg, associate professor of hospitality management, Department of Engineering, Business and Computing, Penn State Berks
• Yan Li, associate professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Xueting Liao, associate professor, Department of Film, Video and Media Studies, Bellisario College of Communications
• Justine Lindemann, associate professor of community development and resilience, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Nikolette Lipsey, associate professor of psychology, Social Sciences and Education, University College
• Nonna Litvak, associate professor of business, Business Administration, University College
• Brian Manata, associate professor of communication arts and sciences, Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, College of the Liberal Arts
• Martin Marinos, associate professor, Department of Film, Video and Media Studies, Bellisario College of Communications
• Ricardo Martinez, associate professor of education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education
• Travis Masterson, associate professor of nutritional sciences, Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Health and Human Development
• Gamini Mendis, associate professor of polymer engineering and science and plastics engineering technology, School of Engineering, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
• Rasoul Milasi, associate professor of engineering, Engineering, University College
• Jacob Nabel, associate professor of classics and ancient Mediterranean studies, Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, College of the Liberal Arts
• Joseph Najem, associate professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Rebecca Napolitano, associate professor, Department of Architectural Engineering, College of Engineering
• Sergey Naumov, associate professor of supply chain management, Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems, Smeal College of Business
• Lydia Ocasio-Stoutenburg, associate professor of education, Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, College of Education
• C. Denise Okafor, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eberly College of Science
• Burcu Ozden, associate professor of engineering, Division of Science and Engineering, Abington College
• Emily Pakhtigian, associate professor of public policy, Department of Public Policy, College of the Liberal Arts
• Jing Pan, associate professor of accounting, Department of Accounting, Smeal College of Business
• John Peters, associate professor of meteorology and atmospheric science, Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Harrison Pinckney IV, associate professor of recreation, park, and tourism management, Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, College of Health and Human Development
• Mauricio Pontes, associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Cell and Biological Systems, Penn State College of Medicine
• Zhuang Qian, associate professor of project and supply chain management, Business, University College
• Christine Roberts, associate professor of theatre, School of Theatre, College of Arts and Architecture
• Melissa Robinson, associate professor of corporate communication, Corporate Communication, University College
• Ashley Russell, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, School of Science, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
• Nicole Ryerson, associate professor of social science and education, Psychology, University College
• Jessica Saalfield, associate professor of social science and education, Social Sciences and Education, University College
• Autumn Sabo, associate professor of biology, Science, University College
• Kathleen Sexsmith, associate professor of rural sociology, Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, College of Agricultural Sciences
• Feifei Shi, associate professor of energy engineering, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Anna Sigmon, associate professor of science, Science, University College
• Justin Silverman, associate professor, Department of Informatics and Intelligent Systems, College of Information Sciences and Technology
• Tarkeshwar Singh, associate professor of kinesiology, Department of Kinesiology, College of Health and Human Development
• Michael Steudeman, associate professor of communication arts and sciences, Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, College of the Liberal Arts
• Jeffery Stoyanoff, associate professor of English and women's, gender, and sexuality studies, Business, Health, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Penn State Altoona
• Zachary Szpiech, associate professor of biology, Department of Biology, Eberly College of Science
• Haimeng Teng, associate professor of accounting, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg, The Capital College
• Hilal Ezgi Toraman, associate professor of energy engineering, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Juan Pablo Udaondo Alegre, associate professor of Spanish, Department of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, College of the Liberal Arts
• Shujie Wang, associate professor of geography, Department of Geography, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• Chunhao Wang, associate professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering
• Xing Wang, associate professor, Kenneth and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering, College of Engineering
• Yang Yang, associate professor, Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, College of Engineering
• Rui Zhang, associate professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering
• Linxiao Zhu, associate professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
• Ellen Wenting Zou, associate professor of education, Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education, College of Education

The following individuals have been promoted to associate librarian:

• Cori Biddle, associate librarian, student engagement and outreach librarian, Robert E. Eiche Library, Altoona, University Libraries and Scholarly Communications
• Lauren Cooper, associate librarian, Center for the Black Digital Research librarian, Department of Research Informatics and Publishing, University Libraries and Scholarly Communications
• Sara Hess, associate librarian, business and entrepreneurship librarian, William and Joan Schreyer Business Library, University Libraries and Scholarly Communications