The Office of the Provost, Division of Diversity & Engagement, and the Office of Research & Engagement congratulate the following faculty for being selected into the Research Development Academy!

	Sangwoo Ahn Assistant Professor, Nursing“I came to think that the best way to manage Alzheimer’s disease is prevention given that there is no cure. My program of research focuses on determining effective strategies to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease using non-pharmacological approaches (e.g., healthy lifestyles such as physical activity). I also aim to find ways how to stick to healthy lifestyles among older adults, which helps curb the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease.”
	Leia K. Cain Assistant Professor, Evaluation, Statistics, and Methodology“I am a qualitative- and mixed-methodologist who examines liminal identities and how individuals approach the decision to disclose those identities within varying spaces. Most recently, I have been named the first Pride Center Faculty Fellow.”
	Sherley Cruz Assistant Professor, College of Law“My research explores the intersections of law, culture, and access to justice in the context of low-wage worker rights.”
	Felicia Francine Dean Assistant Professor, School of Interior Architecture“My research fosters the relationship of the design process to spatially latent material identities. My investigation explores the reconciling space and place through the lens of my bi-racial experiences that advance the methodologies of fabrication and design strategies.”
	Georgi Gardiner Associate Professor, Philosophy“I research epistemology, especially applied, social, and legal epistemology. Recently I have focused on profiling, prejudice, legal standards of proof, and on the relationships between rape accusations and evidence.”
	Denita Hadziabdic Guerry Assistant Professor, Entomology and Plant Pathology“My academic research encompasses focal areas including forest health, population biology, and conservation efforts for native plants. My lab colleagues and I are interested in understanding the complexity of host-pathogen-vector interactions and system-associated microbial communities within the host phytobiome across both introduced and native ranges of several plant species.”
	Jiangen He Assistant Professor, School of Information Sciences“My research focus on visual analytics, data-driven predictions, and metrics in science of science and studies of how social factors in artificial intelligence affect our information behavior.”
	Mary Laube Assistant Professor, School of Art“My paintings and drawings address the transformative relationship between identity and culture within the context of the Korean diaspora.”
	Katherine H. Morgan Assistant Professor, Nursing“My research focuses on the interactions between the microbiome, humans, and human ecology to discover how the microbiome influences human health.   We conduct cohort studies of humans with conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, by identifying the microbial community structure and its metabolic activities (the “metabolome”), then looking for biomarkers that may become intervention points where we may promote health and prevent disease.”
	Mustafa Oz Assistant Professor, Journalism & Electronic Media“My research interests lie in the area of political engagement and political participation in online spaces, particularly on social media platforms.  More specifically, I examine how people use new technologies and online platforms, such as social media websites, to participate and engage in politics.”
	Codou Samba Assistant Professor, Management and Entrepreneurship“My research interests fall into two overlapping categories: (1) the intersection of strategic leadership and decision-making, and (2) the socio-psychological foundations of strategic management. Overall, I aim to understand — from a socio-psychological perspective— how top management teams make decisions and how effective those decisions are.”
	Solange Muñoz Assistant Professor, Geography“I am an urban and cultural geographer and a Latin Americanist with long-standing interests in the political, economic, and socio-spatial processes of inequality, marginalization, and contestation in the urban landscapes of Latin America and the U.S. My research interests and objectives are part of current debates on the urban and social consequences of globalization, urban development, and gentrification. I focus on the social and spatial significance of housing, home and neighborhood infrastructures in the urban landscape.”
	Paris Whalon Student Success Librarian for Media Literacy, UT Libraries“My research interests include gaming as experiential learning, media influence and pedagogy in academia and black cyberculture during recent movements and events.”