Professional Track Faculty Promotions Announced by UMD College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences

The University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) promoted seven professional track faculty members during the 2014-2015 academic year.

Those promoted to Senior Lecturer:

• Bonnie Dixon, chemistry and biochemistry, joined the university in 1995. She has taught a wide variety of chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry courses, and has developed new curriculum and approaches that have led to improved student success. In addition, she conducts research on how inherent spatial-visual skills impact learning of organic chemistry.
• Tammatha O'Brien, entomology, joined the university as an undergraduate student in 1992 and was appointed lecturer in 2009. She teaches biological science courses in a wide variety of formats: hybrid (blended), online, massive open online courses (MOOCs), large lectures and small seminars. O’Brien has also helped design learning spaces in labs and lectures that promote and engage students in active learning.
• Beth Parent, biology, joined the university in 1997 as a graduate student and was appointed lecturer in 2005. She teaches biological science courses while also directing the Biological Sciences Program at the Universities at Shady Grove. In her director role, Parent engages prospective students at local high schools and community colleges, serves as a mentor and advisor for students in the program, and oversees the curriculum and student services for the two-year upper-division curriculum offered in Montgomery County.

Those promoted to Associate Research Scientist:

• Sinead Farrell, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, joined the university in 2009. Her research interests include understanding the seasonal and inter-annual variability of Arctic sea-ice thickness and volume, the mean dynamic topography and circulation of the Arctic Ocean, and the marine gravity field of the Arctic Ocean.
• Michael Kelley, astronomy, joined the university in 2009. His research interests include observing and modeling dust properties in comets and asteroids to determine what their characteristics may reveal about the formation and evolution of primitive bodies.
• Cezar Kongoli, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, joined the university in 2009. His research interests include monitoring the hydrologic and energy cycle of the cryosphere.
• Alfredo Ruiz-Barradas, atmospheric and oceanic science, joined the university in 2004. His research interests include North American hydroclimate variability and change.

Media Relations Contact: Abby Robinson, 301-405-5845, abbyr@umd.edu

University of Maryland
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
2300 Symons Hall
College Park, MD 20742
www.cmns.umd.edu
@UMDscience

About the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences

The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland educates more than 7,000 future scientific leaders in its undergraduate and graduate programs each year. The college's 10 departments and more than a dozen interdisciplinary research centers foster scientific discovery with annual sponsored research funding exceeding $150 million.