Harpur College: 2019-20 new faculty members
Meet faculty from departments such as music, mathematics, psychology, cinema, art
Fikreab Solomon Admasu, visiting assistant professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences
Fikreab Solomon Admasu, a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, specializes in group theory and number theory.
Admasu, from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Addis Ababa University and his doctorate in mathematics from the City University of New York.
He previously taught at Baruch College. At Binghamton University, he will teach an undergraduate course in linear algebra and a graduate course in group theory.
Admasu enjoys sports, traveling and science fiction.
Kym McDaniel, lecturer, Cinema Department
Kym McDaniel, a lecturer in the Cinema Department, will teach Introduction to Video and Filmmaking I, Physical Cinema, and Experimental Narrative at Binghamton University.
McDaniel, from Carol Stream, Ill., received bachelor’s degrees in psychology and contemporary performance and choreography from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She also received her master’s degree in film, video, animation and new genres from the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin.
She specializes in dance and movement in film/video, experimental narratives, personal work and the body/performance in relation to gender/sexuality.
McDaniel, who has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, earned a juror’s award at the Milwaukee Underground Film Festival.
She enjoys traveling, photography, writing, going to readings and meditations, and looks forward to becoming involved with the local Humane Society.
Paul McShee, visiting assistant professor, Music Department
Paul McShee, a visiting assistant professor in the Music Department, will lead the University Symphony Orchestra.
McShee, from Edinburgh, Scotland, received his undergraduate degree in music and medieval literature from Gettysburg College. He received his master of music in conducting from the University of Connecticut and his doctor of musical arts in orchestral conducting from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University.
He has taught at the University of Minnesota and the University of Connecticut. At Binghamton University, McShee will teach Conducting I and a seminar in orchestration.
McShee, who is the founding music director of Edinburgh PopUp Opera, specializes in the music of Margaret Bonds and Johannes Brahms, along with music and cultural pessimism in late 18th-century Austro-German cultures.
He enjoys skiing, golf, card tricks and impressions.
Brittany Race, lecturer, Psychology Department
Brittany Race, a lecturer in the Psychology Department, will teach Social Psychology and seminars in psychology at Binghamton University.
Race, from Arlington, Texas, received her undergraduate degree in psychology and a graduate degree in experimental psychology from the University of Arkansas.
Race, whose research interests include eyewitness testimony and confidence, has taught at the University of Arkansas and the University of Texas-San Antonio.
She enjoys live theater, movies, comic books and board games.
Alexandros Skouras, lecturer, Department of Art and Design
Alexandros Skouras, a lecturer in the Department of Art and Design, will teach graphic design at Binghamton University.
Skouras, from Tripoli, Greece, received his bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Columbia College Chicago. He received his master’s degree in graphic design from the University of Illinois-Chicago. Skouras also studied at HGK Basel School of Design in Switzerland.
He has taught at Illinois State University and the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Skouras’ work has been featured at 2019 TYPECON in Minneapolis, Minn., and at the 2018 Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Tim Thistleton, lighting designer/master electrician, Theatre Department
Tim Thistleton, a lighting designer and master electrician in the Theatre Department, previously worked with PCPA – Pacific Conservatory Theatre in Santa Maria, Calif.
Thistleton, from Stormville, N.Y., received his bachelor’s degree in theatrical production and design from SUNY Fredonia and his master’s degree in lighting design from West Virginia University.
He specializes in LED technology and lighting networks.
Thistleton, who will teach Introduction to Lighting Technology and a technical practicum in lighting, enjoys disc golf and hiking.
Ayae Uwabo, lecturer, Department of Asian and Asian American Studies
Ayae Uwabo, a lecturer in the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, will teach Japanese language courses at Binghamton University.
Uwabo, from Tokyo, received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Keio University in Japan, and a master’s degree in Japanese linguistics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
She taught Japanese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a teaching assistant and has served as an instructor of Japanese at Kanagawa University.
Uwabo’s teaching focuses on inclusivity and intercultural understanding. Students are encouraged to express themselves with the goal of creating an environment in which they can share their thoughts and findings safely and become more motivated.
Sara Velardi, lecturer, environmental studies program
Sara Velardi, a lecturer in the environmental studies program, has taught at the University of Maine and SUNY Onondaga Community College.
Velardi, from Monroe, Conn., received her bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Skidmore College, and a master’s degree in environmental and forest biology and a doctorate in environmental and natural resources policy from College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF).
Her research interests include food security, agrifood policy, biotechnology in the food system, and human dimensions of agriculture and research.
At Binghamton University, Velardi will teach Ecology of the Northeastern U.S., Environmental Impact Statements, Qualitative Methods for Environmental Studies and a class on the history and social practices of maple syrup and beekeeping in the Northeast.
Velardi enjoys hiking, reading, sporting events and trying out new restaurants.