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Graduate Council

Membership List

2023–2024 Graduate Council

Elected Members (voting)

College of Agricultural Sciences

  • Elizabeth Boyer, Professor of Water Resources (2023-2026)
  • Kathy Brasier, Professor of Rural Sociology (2022-2025)
  • Edward Dudley, Professor of Food Science (2023-2024)

College of Arts and Architecture

  • Andy Cole, Professor of Landscape Architecture (2022-2025)
  • Sarah Watts, Assistant Professor of Music (2022-2025)

Smeal College of Business

  • Hans Baumgartner, Smeal Professor of Marketing (2022-2025)
  • Suresh Muthulingam, Professor of Supply Chain Management (2023-2026)

Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications

  • Holly Overton, Associate Professor of Advertising and Public Relations (2022-2025)

College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

  • Nasim Alem, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering (2023-2026)
  • Kenneth Davis, Professor of Atmospheric and Climate Science - Immediate Past Chair (2023-2024)
  • Matthew Fantle, Professor of Geosciences (2023-2024)
  • Joshua Inwood, Professor of Geography (2022-2025)

College of Education

  • Amber O'Shea, Assisant Professor of Education (2023-2026)
  • Dana Mitra, Professor of Education (2022-2025)

College of Engineering

  • Reuben Kraft, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering (2023-2026)
  • Anne Martin, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering (2023-2026)
  • Esther Obonyo, Associate Professor of Engineering Design and Architectural Engineering (2023-2024)
  • Susan Stewart, Associate Teaching Professor of Aerospace Engineering (2022-2025)
  • Ming Xiao, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering (2022-2025)

College of Health and Human Development

  • Seoki Lee, Associate Professor of Hospitality Management (2023-2026)
  • Michael Robb, Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders (2023-2024)
  • David Vanness, Professor of Health Policy and Administration (2022-2025)

College of Information Sciences and Technology

  • Kelley Cotter, Assistant Professor (2023-2026)
  • John Yen, Professor (2023-2024)

College of the Liberal Arts

  • Xun Cao, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy (2022-2025)
  • Andrew High, Associate Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences (2023-2025)
  • Mary Shenk, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Demography, and Asian Studies (2023-2024) - Chair-Elect
  • Nicolai Volland, Associate Professor of Asian Stuides and Comparative Literature (2022-2025)
  • Chris Witko, Professor of Public Policy and Political Science (2023-2026)

College of Medicine

  • John Flanagan, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2022-2025)
  • Anirban Paul, Assistant Professor of Neural & Behavioral Sciences (2022-2025)
  • Yang Yang, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology (2022-2025)
  • Jessica Yingst, Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences (2022-2025)

College of Nursing

  • Susan Loeb, Professor of Nursing (2023-2026)

Eberly College of Science

  • E. Christopher Byrne, Teaching Professor (2024-2026)
  • Jan Reimann, Associate Professor of Mathematics - Chair (2023-2024)
  • Hong Ma, Professor of Biology (2022-2025)
  • Gabriele Monshausen, Associate Professor of Biology (2023-2024)
  • Emily Weinert, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2022-2025)

Penn State Behrend

  • Brian Boscaljon, Associate Professor of Finance (2022-2025)

Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate and Professional Studies

  • Adrian Barb, Associate Professor of Information Science (2022-2025)

Penn State Harrisburg, Capital College

  • Renee Flasher, Assistant Professor of Accounting (2023-2024)
  • Ovgu Kaynak, Assistant Professor of Psychology (2023-2026)
  • Issam Abu Mahfouz, Professor of Mechanical Engineering (2022-2025)

School of International Affairs

  • Johannes Fedderke, Professor of International Affairs and African Studies (2023-2026)

University College

  • Ramakrishnan Rajagopalan, Associate Professor of Engineering (2023-2026)

Additional Members and Participants in the Council

Dean of the Graduate School (voting)

  • Levon Esters, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School

Senior Associate Dean (voting)

  • Michael Verderame, Senior Associate Dean of the Graduate School

Associate Dean (voting)

  • William Clark, Associate Dean

Associate Dean (voting)

  • Stephanie Preston, Associate Dean for Graduate Educational Equity

Assistant Dean (voting)

  • Michelle Corby, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services

Senior Vice President for Research (non-voting)

  • Andrew Read, Interim Senior Vice President for Research

Associate Vice President for Research and Director of Strategic Initiatives (non-voting)

  • Douglas Wolfe, Interim Vice President for Research and Director of Strategic Initiatives

World Campus Liaison (non-voting)

  • Karen Pollack, Assistant Vice Provost for Online and Blended Programs

Dickinson School of Law Member (non-voting)

  • William Butler, John Edward Fowler Distinguished Professor of Law

Penn State Law Member (non-voting)

  • Dara Purvis, Associate Dean for Research and Partnerships, Professor of Law

University Faculty Senate Council Liaison (voting)

  • Kent Vrana, Elliot S. Vesell Professor and Chair of Pharmacology

University Registrar (non-voting)

  • Robert Kubat, University Registrar

Graduate and Professional Student Association Members (voting)

  • Aaron Bonsu
  • Mahmudul Hasan
  • Gabriel Ricardo Lara
  • Carolyn Mariel Henzi Plaza
  • Ayah Rub

Participants from the Graduate School (non-voting non-members)

  • Robert Bannon, Director of Graduate Council Administration and Secretary to Graduate Council
  • Erika Bowser, Director of Graduate Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions
  • Lorraine Donahue, Executive Director of Graduate Education Operations and Administration
  • Jon Hartzler, Financial Officer, The Graduate School, Undergraduate Education & Millennium Scholars Program
  • Lori Hawn, Director of Graduate Admissions
  • Fawn Hosterman, Director of Graduate Records
  • Liam Jackson, Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications
  • Cathy Murgas, Executive Assistant to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School
  • Michael Shanafelt, Director of Network Operations and Data Systems
  • Brooke Snider, Director of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration 
  • Jennifer Theiss, Director of Alumni and External Relations

Administrative Support to Graduate Council (non-voting non-members)

  • Jessica Aguilar, Graduate Education Curriculum and Assessment Specialist
  • Tina Santacroce, Administrative Support Coordinator
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