Faculty Research Spotlight

The New Faculty Debut is a nearly weekly gathering to welcome and learn about the research of our new faculty. Each week an hour is scheduled for two new faculty to present their research for about twenty minutes and discuss for about ten minutes. We will gather in the Contreras Lounge, next to the Contreras Patio and the Pub on the west side of the Blume Library, adjacent to Alkek Plaza. Adult beverages and soft drinks will be available to employees, setting a casual mood. The target audience is other faculty. Students and mentees are also welcome. The New Faculty Debut is co-sponsored by the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Compliance (SPARC), the University Research Council, the Community of Teaching & Learning, and the Louis J. Blume Library. If you have questions, please contact Diane Duesterhoeft, Katie Thonen, or Tyler Davis.

Gatherings during the Fall 2024 Semester will be from 4:00-5:00 p.m. in the Contreras Lounge (west end of Learning Commons in the Blume Library, adjacent to the Contreras Terrace and Alkek Plaza), alternating between Wednesdays and Thursdays. The scheduled dates are:

Wednesday, September 10: 

• Vivian Kalu, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science, "Income Inequality, Judicial Independence, and Electoral Democracy in Africa"

Thursday, September 18:

• Amanda Stephens, Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, "Problematizing Anti-Non-Disclosure-Agreement Laws in Sexual Harassment Employment Discrimination Cases"
• Yike Zhang, Assistant Professor of Software Engineering, "Data Retrieval and Fact-Checker in Large Language Models" 

Thursday, October 2:

• Mauricio Aristizabal, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, "Derivative-enhanced Computational Mechanics using Automatic Differentiation via Order Truncated Imaginary Numbers"
• Alisa Isaac, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, "Damaged Tissue Mimetic Materials For Wound Regeneration" 

Thursday, October 16:

• Andrew J. Wilson, Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, "Playable Histories vs. Playable Hegemonies: Examining Player Debates on Marginalized Identity Representation in Call of Duty: Vanguard"

Wednesday, October 22:

• Tara Van Ho, Associate Professor of Law, "The Trump Lustrations" 
• Mason Clark, Assistant Professor of Law, "Sobering Inferences: Privacy, Targeted Ads, and the Vulnerable Consumer"

Thursday, October 30:

• Cesar Cantu, Visiting Assistant Professor of Forensic Science (Criminology), "Forensic Entomology and DNA Applications"
• Abigail Willie, Assistant Professor of Law, "Saying the Quiet Thing Out Loud: The Limits of the Bankruptcy Court as a Court of Equity Post-Purdue"

Wednesday, November 5: 

• Lucie Lu, Assistant Professor of International Studies and Global Affairs, TBD

Thursday, November 13:

• Heather Trick Ostroff, Assistant Professor of Law, "From Football to Film Club: Due Process Protections in Public Schools"
• Jerry Gonzalez, Professor of History and O'Connor Chair in the History of Hispanic Texas and the Southwest/Director of the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS), "Alamo City Rebel: Mario Cantu and Transnational Chicanx Struggle" 

Wednesday, November 19:

• Grace Edgar, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Director of Theatre Arts, "Performing Childlessness: Motherhood in Performing Arts Academia"
• Sunkyung Chung, Assistant Professor of Counseling and Human Services, "Navigating Counselor Education: Cross-Cultural Supervision, Counselor Educator Well-Being, and the Impact of Microaggressions ​​ in Graduate Counseling Programs" 

New Faculty - Fall 2025

The following faculty have been invited to present their research. This list includes all schools and the College, those new to full-time faculty status, but not to St. Mary's, and administrators with faculty rank.

• Sharmin Aktar, Assistant Professor of Computer Science 
• Samantha M. Alecozay, Faculty-In-Residence (Law)
• Mauricio Aristizabal Cano, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering 
• Alexandra Berroyer, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
• Cesar Enoc Cantu, Jr., Visiting Assistant Professor of Forensic Science (Criminology)
• Margaret Cantu-Sanchez, Assistant Professor of English Literature and Language 
• Sunkyung Chung, Assistant Professor of Counseling and Human Services
• Mason R. Clark, Assistant Professor of Law 
• Shawna Corley, Assistant Professor of Counseling and Human Services 
• Sarah Martino Dingivan, Moody Foundation Visiting Assistant Professor of Law 
• Grace Caroline Edgar, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Director of Theatre Arts
• Anjelica Elizondo, Visiting Assistant Professor of Public Health (Sociology)
• Tritia M. Finley, Visiting Assistant Professor of Counseling and Human Services
• Jerry Gonzalez, Professor of History and O'Connor Chair in the History of Hispanic Texas and the Southwest/Director of the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) 
• Andrea Beleno Harrington, Clinical Assistant Professor of Law
• Alisa Helen Isaac, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering 
• Vivian Ogechukwu Kalu, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science 
• John J. LoCurto, III, Associate Professor of Practice of Law 
• Nicole Lopez, Assistant Professor of English Literature and Language 
• Lucie Lu, Assistant Professor of International Studies and Global Affairs
• John Miscione, Senior Lecturer of Finance 
• Heather Marie Trick Ostroff, Assistant Professor of Law 
• Amanda Stephens, Visiting Assistant Professor of Law 
• Ruben U. Tovar, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
• Tara Van Ho, Associate Professor of Law 
• Kristen Michelle Vega, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology 
• Sigrid Vendrell-Polanco, Assistant Professor of Law 
• Mary Whiting, Visiting Assistant Professor of Counseling and Human Services 
• Abigail Willie, Assistant Professor of Law 
• Andrew Wilson, Visiting Assistant Professor of Communication Studies
• Yike "Nicole" Zhang, Assistant Professor of Software Engineering