Summer Research Fellows - Office of Research

Professional Development and Mentoring

KSU’s Office of Research sponsors and hosts an annual intensive professional development and mentoring program designed to help faculty members successfully apply for research grants from state and federal agencies, foundations and non-profits.

The goal of the Summer Research Fellows is to enhance the research capacity of KSU and institutionalize systemic support for the advancement and success, especially of early- and mid-career faculty by:

(1) providing comprehensive training in the preparation of competitive grant proposals,

(2) establishing a research mentoring program, and

(3) creating a community of practice aimed at facilitating and promoting the engagement of diverse groups of faculty in disciplinary and interdisciplinary research.

Questions? Email: researchdev@kennesaw.edu.

Past Fellows

2023 Fellows

College of Architecture and Construction Management
Sanjeev Adhikari, assistant professor of construction management, Department of Construction Management
- Google Scholar Page
- ResearchGate Page
College of Computing and Software Engineering
Jiho Noh, assistant professor of computer science, Department of Computer Science
- Google Scholar Page
- ResearchGate Page
Xinyue Zhang, assistant professor of computer science, Department of Computer Science
- Google Scholar Page
Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Science
Chanler Hilley, assistant professor of psychology, Department of Psychological Science
- ResearchGate Page
Victoria Lagrange, assistant professor of English, Department of English
- Google Scholar Page
Kaelin Lee, Postdoctoral Researcher
College of Science and Mathematics
Whitney Preisser, Assistant Professor of Ecology and Organismal Biology, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
- Google Scholar Page
- ResearchGate Page
Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Da Hu, assistant professor of engineering in smart infrastructure, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Google Scholar Page
- ResearchGate Page
Luisa Valentina Nino de Valladares, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Google Scholar Page
Wellstar College of Health and Human Services
Cameron Greensmith, associate professor of human services, Department of Social Work and Human Services
- Google Scholar Page
- ResearchGate Page
Melissa Osborne, assistant professor of nursing, Wellstar School of Nursing
- ResearchGate Page

2023 Mentors

Heather Abbott-Lyon
- Interim Director of Research Development and Strategic Initiatives
- habbott@kennesaw.edu
Veronica Kulon
- Grants Writer
- vkulon@kennesaw.edu

2022 Fellows

Bagwell College of Education
Soon Lee, assistant professor of science education, Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education
- ResearchGate Profile
College of Computing and Software Engineering
Sungchul Jung, assistant professor of gaming, Department of Software Engineering and Game Development
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Md Abdullah Al Hafiz Khan, assistant professor of computer science, Department of Computer Science
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Tu Nguyen, assistant professor of computer science, Department of Computer Science
- ResearchGate Profile
Maria Valero de Clemente, Assistant Professor of Information Technology, Department of Information Technology
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Science
Minaho Dai, assistant professor of communication, School of Communication & Media
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Roslyn Satchel, professor of communication, School of Communication & Media
College of Science and Mathematics
Brandon Carpenter, assistant professor of molecular biology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Graham Collier, assistant professor of chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Carl Saint-Louis, assistant professor of organic chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- ResearchGate Profile
Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Parth Bhavsar, assistant professor of civil engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Jian Zhang, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Wellstar College of Health and Human Services
Amy Roach, assistant professor of nursing, Wellstar School of Nursing

LaNita Wright, Associate Professor of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education
- ResearchGate Profile

2022 Mentors

Evelina Sterling

esterlin@kennesaw.edu
Heather Abbott-Lyon

habbott@kennesaw.edu
Amanda DesLauriers
Veronica Kulon

vkulon@kennesaw.edu

2021 Fellows

Bagwell College of Education
Jinhee Kim, associate professor of elementary and early childhood education, Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education
College of Computing and Software Engineering
Ahyoung Lee, assistant professor of computer science, Department of Computer Science
Kun Suo, assistant professor of computer science, Department of Computer Science
- ResearchGate Profile
Gita Taasoobshirazi, assistant professor of statistics, School of Data Science and Analytics
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
College of Science and Mathematics
Chitan Dhitel, assistant professor of physics, Department of Physics
Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Tyler Collette, postdoctoral researcher & postdoctoral associate of psychology, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
- Website
Sara Doan, assistant professor of technical communication, Department of Technical Communication and Interactive Design
Erica Holliday, lead principal investigator, Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery (CYAAR) & assistant professor of psychology, Department of Psychological Science
- ResearchGate Profile
Brian Moore, assistant professor of psychology, Department of Psychological Science
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Israel Sanchez-Cardona, assistant professor of psychology, Department of Psychological Science
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Dal Hyung Kim, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty Website
- Google Scholar Profile
Laura Ruhala, associate professor of mechanical engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Richard Ruhala, professor of mechanical engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Muhammad Hassan Tanveer, assistant professor of mechatronics engineering, Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering
Wellstar College of Health and Human Services
Garrett Hester, associate professor of exercise science, Department of Exercise Science and Sport Management
Afekwo Mary Ukuku, assistant professor of public health, Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile

2021 Mentors

Evelina Sterling

esterlin@kennesaw.edu
Heather Abbott-Lyon

habbott@kennesaw.edu
Amanda DesLauriers

2021 Fellows

Bagwell College of Education
Kate Zimmer, associate professor of special education, Department of Inclusive Education
- ResearchGate Profile
College of the Arts
Page Burch, lecturer of sculpture, School of Art & Design
- Faculty Website
College of Architecture and Construction Managment
Arash Soleimani, assistant professor of architecture, Department of Architecture
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Sara Evans, assistant professor of criminal justice, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice
- Google Scholar Profile
Paul McDaniel, associate professor of geography, Department of Geography and Anthropology
College of Science and Mathematics
Anton Bryantsev, assistant professor of development biology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Kisa Ranasinghe, associate professor of physics, Department of Physics
- Faculty Website
- ResearchGate Profile
Eric Stachura, assistant professor of mathematics, Department of Mathematics
Jared Taglialatela, associate professor of biology, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology
Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
David Guerra-Zubiaga, assistant professor of mechatronics engineering, Department of Mechatronics Engineering
M.A. Karim, associate professor of civil engineering, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering
WellStar College of Health and Human Services
Ping Johnson, professor of health promotion and physical education, Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education
- Google Scholar Profile
Mary Dioise Ramos, assistant professor nursing, WellStar School of Nursing
- ResearchGate Profile
Darlene Rodriguez-Schaefer, associate professor of social work and human services, Department of Social Work and Human Services
- Google Scholar Profile
- ResearchGate Profile
Lynn Varagona, assistant professor of nursing, WellStar School of Nursing
- ResearchGate Profile

2020 Mentors

Evelina Sterling

esterlin@kennesaw.edu
Amanda DesLauriers