Fifteen distinguished and diverse new tenure-track faculty members have joined the University of La Verne\u2019s College of Arts and Sciences this fall, bringing bold ideas and fresh perspectives that will broadly redefine the college\u2019s approach to teaching and research.<\/p>\n
The new professors span 10 academic disciplines ranging from health science to theater, as well as\u00a0 graduate and undergraduate programs. Two will fill prestigious endowed chair positions in biology.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have some real game-changers in this group,\u201d said Lawrence Potter, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. \u201cEach of them is engaged not only in their fields, but also in their communities. They are collaborative, they are pushing the boundaries of their disciplines, and they will prepare our students to succeed in the 21st<\/sup> century.\u201d<\/p>\n The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most diverse college at the university. It includes programs that encompass arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.<\/p>\n Both of the endowed chair positions are supported by The Fletcher Jones Foundation. Dr. David Bickford will serve as the Fletcher Jones Endowed Chair in Biology. Dr. Tatiana Tatarinova is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Chair in Computational Biology.<\/p>\n Tatarinova\u2019s field of computational biology relies upon mathematics to describe and explain processes that occur inside of cells, which, she says, \u201chas the potential to become the most important science of the century.\u201d The professor, who comes to the University of La Verne from the University of Southern California (USC), has researched cancer and other diseases, as well as ancient DNA.<\/p>\n Bickford, most recently an assistant professor at National University of Singapore, is an evolutionary ecologist, a conservation biologist, and a tropical herpetologist. He has lived most of his adult life in tropical and developing countries, and among indigenous people.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that these experiences enable me to bring a fresh perspective to many issues \u2013 both as a scientist and as a citizen,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cI would like to see society make science-based policies a main focus for meeting the challenges we face, such as climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n The incoming professors are diverse in ethnicity and thought. Many are experienced in research grant writing and publication. Some hold patents for their discoveries. All view their work through creative and innovative lenses.<\/p>\n Dr. Elaine Padilla is an expert in liberation theology \u2013 a movement that rose initially in Latin America in the 1960s and 1970s. The discipline focuses on the plight of oppressed and marginalized people.<\/p>\n \u201cIt arose side by side with black liberation thought and has continued to carry its torch in dialog with it,\u201d said Padilla, who comes from New York Theological Seminary. \u201cToday, we can speak of multiple marginalizations that are being addressed as a result of the birth of liberation in theological education, religious studies, and communities of faith beyond Christianity as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Karlita Warren, most recently an instructor, internship coordinator, and academic advisor at Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC, will apply her expertise in minority success in athletic training toward boosting college enrollment, retention, and completion for first-generation and underrepresented students. She chose the University of La Verne, in part, because of its inclusive environment.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat resonates most with me is the university\u2019s commitment to excellence and its commitment to embracing and encouraging diversity, all while developing the whole person,\u201d Warren said.<\/p>\n Additional professors starting at the College of Arts and Sciences this fall are:<\/p>\n Photo: From left, Tom Ontiveros, Jane Beal, Yesim Keskin, Gilbert Benitez, David Bickford, Alma Martinez, Tatiana Tatarinova, Michel Warren, Karlita Warren, Quinn Tang, Elaine Padilla, Lindsey Hoffmann, James Garcia, Ahmad Abu Shanab, and Nicholas Athey.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fifteen distinguished and diverse new tenure-track faculty members have joined the University of La Verne\u2019s College of Arts and Sciences this fall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3560,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[379,1549],"tags":[219,550],"class_list":["post-535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faculty","category-news-and-events","tag-cas","tag-lawrence-potter","ulv_author-university-of-la-verne","legacy_tags-1152","legacy_tags-college-of-arts-sciences","legacy_tags-la-verne","legacy_tags-lawrence-potter","legacy_tags-new-faculty","legacy_tags-university-of-la-verne"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n