New faculty members for 2011-12: Part 4

Sariel Birnbaum
Sariel Birnbaum, visiting assistant professor of Judiac studies, received his doctorate in contemporary Middle East and cinema from Hebrew University in Israel.

Birnbaum, from Jerusalem, Israel, did his undergraduate work at Open University in Israel.

In November 2009, Birnbaum published an article in “East Wind,” the e-journal of the Middle East & Islamic Studies Association of Israel under the title “Get ready to the revolution of the hungry in Egypt 2013.”

Elizabeth Casteen
Elizabeth Casteen, assistant professor of history, will teach courses about early medieval Europe, later medieval Europe, and the Crusades at Binghamton University.

Casteen, from Charlottesville, Va., received her undergraduate degree in history (modified with art history) from Dartmouth College and her graduate degree in medieval European history from Northwestern University.

She specializes in gender, sexuality, reputation and queenship in the later Middle Ages; and medieval Christianity.

Casteen enjoys hiking, cooking and gardening.

Paul Chiarot
Paul Chiarot, from Toronto, is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Binghamton University.

He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto.

Chiarot also did post-doctoral work at the University of Rochester.

Sidney Dement
Sidney Dement, lecturer in German and Russian studies, will teach elementary Russian, intermediate Russian and Slavic Folklore at Binghamton University.

Dement, from Joplin, Mo., received his undergraduate degree in international agricultural development from MidAmerica Nazarene University and his graduate degree in Slavic languages and literatures from the University of Kansas.

His research interests include 20th century Russian literature, Slavic folklore and Moscow in literature.

Dement’s hobbies include music and gardening. He also enjoys travel, reading and watching films.

Carmen Carrion Flores
Carmen Carrion Flores, assistant professor of economics, specializes in environmental economics.

Flores, from Veracruz, Mexico, received her undergraduate degree in economics from Monterrey Institute of Technology and her graduate degree in environmental economics from the University of Arizona.

She previously taught at the University of Florida.

At Binghamton University, Flores will teach advanced environmental economics.

Rachel Jaffe
Rachel Jaffe, metadata/catalog librarian for the University Libraries, specializes in metadata for digital collections.

Jaffe, from Santa Cruz, Calif., received her undergraduate degree in anthropology from Mount Holyoke College and her graduate degree in library and information science from McGill University.

She enjoys running and learning Korean.


Ye Li
Ye Li, assistant professor of mathematics, will teach ordinary differential equations at Binghamton University.

Li, from Shanghai, China, received his undergraduate degree in math from Fudan University in China and his graduate degree in differential geometry from Princeton University.

He has worked as a visiting assistant professor at Cornell University and Duke University.

Li specializes in differential geometry and general relativity.

Eid Mohamed
Eid Mohamed, visiting assistant professor of Arabic and Near Eastern Studies, specializes in Middle Eastern studies, Arab culture and history, and U.S. -Middle East cultural encounters.

This spring Mohamed will teach a course on the Arab Spring.

Mohamed, from Egypt, did his undergraduate at Al-Azhar University; and his Master’s degree in English at Minia University. He received his master’s degree and doctorate in American Studies and Middle Eastern Studies from George Washington University.

He previously taught at George Washington University.

Mohamed enjoys coaching and playing soccer, watching movies and—when his busy schedule allows—vacationing and traveling to new places.

Molly O’Brien
Molly O’Brien is metadata/catalog librarian and music bibliographer for University Libraries.

O’Brien received her undergraduate degree in environmental science/music from the University at Albany.

She received her master’s degrees in music history from the University at Buffalo.

Orly Shoer
Orly Shoer, lecturer in Judiac studies, will teach Hebrew courses at Binghamton University.

She received her undergraduate degree in elementary/Hebrew language from Hakibbutzim College in Israel.

Shoer enjoys painting and art.