The University of Illinois Springfield has announced eight new faculty appointments. Four faculty members will teach in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, one in the College of Business and Management and three in the College of Public Affairs and Administration.
Dusty Day, instructor of communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned a master’s degree in communication from Illinois State University. Day’s research interests include public speaking, organizational communication and communication skill development in business. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, playing music, his children and cats.
Kate Harney, instructor of allied health/exercise science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, holds a master’s degree in physical education from Adelphi University. Her research and professional interests include emergency care. Her personal interests include anything that requires movement: skiing, swimming, biking, soccer, softball and ice hockey.
Jose Irizarry, assistant professor of public administration in the Public Management and Policy Department in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, earned a doctorate in public administration from Florida Atlantic University. His research and professional interests include public service and administration, nonprofits, human resources, organization studies, public policy, community engagement and diverse and inclusive pedagogy. His personal interests include spending time with family, cooking, helping others and exploring new places.
Serkan Karadas, assistant professor of accounting, economics and finance/accountancy in the College of Business and Management, holds a doctorate in economics from West Virginia State University. His research interests include politics and finance (monetary benefits of political connections for firms and individuals). Outside of work, he enjoys gardening, travel and languages.
Arwi (Sai) Kriz, visiting assistant professor of public administration in the Public Management & Policy Department in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, holds a doctorate in public administration from the University of Illinois Springfield. Her research and professional interests include fiscal policy, public infrastructure finance, performance management, economic growth, and public budgeting. Her personal interests include reading, listening to soul and jazz music, and salsa dancing.
Allison Lacher, instructor of visual arts in the Art, Music & Theatre Department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned a master of fine arts degree in sculpture from Indiana University. Her professional interests include contemporary art and arts administration. Her personal interests include plants and cooking.
Yu-Sheng Lee, assistant professor of public health in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, earned a doctorate in epidemiology from the University of Memphis. His primary research interests include clinical epidemiology and epigenetic epidemiology in lung cancer and lung disease. He has been working with large datasets from longitudinal studies, e.g., the Mid-South Quality of Surgical Resection (MS-QSR) lung cancer cohort in the U.S. and the Isle of Wight Birth Cohort (IOWBC) in U.K.
Natalya Zinkevich, assistant professor of biology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, holds a doctorate in genetics from the Russian Academy of Sciences. Her research and professional interests include cardiovascular physiology, vascular health and disease, voltage-gated potassium channels and their role in vasoreactivity. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, going to museums, watching movies, hiking, golfing, doing yoga and Zumba.