Drake University Welcomes 14 New Faculty Members for the Fall 2024 Semester

Adrien Halliez will serve as Assistant Professor of Political Science. Halliez was an English and U.S. studies major at the Université Lyon in France. He earned his doctorate in political science in 2023 from Georgia State University. He studies the impact of visible politics on the polarization of interpersonal communication in the U.S. One of his current research projects is on immigration communication and the construct of “elites” in populist rhetoric in the U.S., France, Mexico, and Brazil. Halliez has taught undergraduate classes on public opinion, ideology and partisanship, media effects, and political participation in his previous position as a visiting assistant professor at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

Sascha Crasnow will serve as Assistant Professor of Art History in the department of Art and Design. Crasnow received her doctorate in art history, theory, and criticism from the University of California San Diego in 2018 with a specialization in contemporary art from South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA), especially Palestine. Previously, she taught art and visual culture as a lecturer in the Residential College of the University of Michigan. She is interested in how artists’ works articulate their experiences of their socio-cultural conditions, in particular as it relates to race, gender, and sexuality. This fall Crasnow is teaching classes on Art & Resistance: Global Responses to Oppression, Art & Conflict in the Modern Middle East, Gender & Sexuality in Contemporary Islamic Art, and Palestinian Art: 1948-Present.

Andrea Van Wyck will serve as Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Van Wyck earned her doctorate from the University of Iowa in May 2024 where she worked as an adjunct assistant professor. For her scholarship, Van Wyck conducts chemistry education research wherein she investigates ways to support student learning in chemistry. More specifically, her work focuses on designing and assessing more authentic research experiences in the laboratory setting. This fall she will be teaching two sections of General Chemistry I.

Alfred Limbere will serve as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science. Limbere holds a doctorate in mathematics education and a master’s in mathematics from Montclair State University, as well as a master’s in mathematics education from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Alfred’s research focuses on the preparation of pre-service mathematics teachers and professional development of in-service mathematics teachers. Limbere’s recent work is on developing a model in which pre-service mathematics teachers develop knowledge for teaching calculus, specifically, the concept of derivative in high school. He will be teaching pre-calculus and calculus I this fall.

Noah Files will serve as Director of the Theatre Design and Technology Program in the department of Theatre Arts. Files has a master’s in theatre scenic design from Minnesota State Mankato. In his professional career, he has worked as a scenic artist for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, New York Stage and Film, and most recently the Des Moines Metro Opera. He is the Vice-Chair of Design and Technology for Region 5 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. This fall he will teach classes related to scenic and sound design.

Jinmyung Choi will serve as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Math and Physics. He earned his doctorate in physics from the University of Florida in 2010. Choi previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the field of biomedical data science. Most recently, he completed training in biostatistics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His primary research interest is in addressing mathematical and data analytical challenges in the field of biomedical data science to discover novel insights into human health and diseases. Choi gained teaching experience in introductory physics lab and discussion courses as a graduate teaching assistant for several years. This fall he will be teaching calculus 3, business calculus, and introductory physics lab courses.

Mary Owens has been named Director and Associate Professor of Nursing within Drake’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Owens will lead Drake’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program that began this fall. She is a board-certified family nurse practitioner as well as a certified nurse educator. She brings 14 years of teaching experience to her role at Drake and has developed nursing programs at a variety of institutions. Her areas of expertise include community health, home care, and end of life. Owens will be teaching Introduction to Professional Nursing, Nursing Informatics and Research, and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing courses.

Mary Amanda McGraw will serve as Associate Professor of Nursing. McGraw was previously the nurse residency coordinator in one of the local healthcare systems and brings forth a wealth of medical, surgical, and geriatric care knowledge. She will teach Care Concepts and Management and Practicum courses this fall.

Katherine Scott will serve as Assistant Professor of Nursing. Scott is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner and brings several years of teaching experience to her role, including developing an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. Her areas of expertise include pediatrics and health assessment. Scott’s primary role will be teaching Health Assessment, Leadership, and Transition to Professional Nursing, and will serve as a clinical instructor for the pediatric portion of the Care Management and Practicum course.

Sayoko Blodgett-Ford will serve as Associate Professor of Law, Sease Faculty Research Scholar. Blodgett-Ford joins Drake Law from private practice at the GTC Law Group PC & Affiliates where her practice area included artificial intelligence, intellectual property, privacy and data protection, and mergers and acquisitions. She has taught intellectual property courses at Boston College Law School, the University of Hawai’i Law School, and the University of Washington School of Law. She has extensive practice experience as the general counsel of Tetris Online and as senior manager of the intellectual property group at Nintendo of America. Prior to Nintendo, Blodgett-Ford practiced at Foley Hoag LLP and was a law clerk for Judge Douglas P. Woodlock, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She holds a bachelor’s in physics from the College of William and Mary, a master’s in physics from the University of Maryland, a master’s in philosophy from Columbia University, a master’s in bioethics (artificial intelligence) from New York University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. Blodgett-Ford will teach Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and related courses.

Colleen Cullen will serve as Assistant Professor of Law and Director of the Criminal Defense Clinic. Cullen previously served as the Lasch Teaching Fellow at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law’s Criminal Defense Clinic. Cullen’s career history includes serving as a public defender in Milwaukee. Cullen was also a student in the Criminal Defense and Prison Advocacy Clinic at Georgetown University Law Center. At Drake, Cullen will supervise law students in the direct representation of individuals charged with crimes in Iowa courts. In addition to teaching, she plans to pursue her scholarly agenda that advances critical conversations in the criminal legal system.

Brian Coleman will serve as Clinical Assistant Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership. Coleman comes to Drake with more than 35 years in K-12 education, starting as a science teacher and ending with 16 years as a superintendent. This fall Coleman will teach within Drake’s principal and superintendent licensure programs and coordinate the superintendent program. 

David Lubbers, former ESPN investigative feature producer and writer, and multi-award-winning sports journalist, will join the Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication as an Assistant Professor of Multimedia News Journalism. During Lubber’s 18-year tenure at ESPN, he contributed to programs including Outside The Lines, E:60, SportsCenter, NFL Countdown, NBA Today, Baseball Tonight, and ESPN.com. He covered stories in the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Spain, and Russia with exceptional storytelling and a commitment to journalistic excellence. Lubbers’ professional honors include two Peabody Awards, three national Sports Emmy Awards, and the Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Journalism Award.

Sydney Ornelas will serve as a Global Scholar in Residence in the Zimpleman College of Business. Ornelas is currently a full-time marketing and data analysis professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey, one of Drake University’s key partners in Latin America. She brings needed international expertise to teach courses including quantitative research methods in a manner that will provide a unique experience for students. Ornelas holds a doctorate in business management from Tecnológico de Monterrey’s AACSB-accredited business school. She has amassed an extensive international teaching, learning, scholarship, and outreach record. In addition to teaching, Ornelas is interested in mentoring students, giving public lectures, and engaging in internal and external collaborations.