Trustees approve faculty promotions

The University of Delaware Board of Trustees approved promotion and tenure decisions for 82 faculty members at its semiannual meeting on May 13. In addition, 23 faculty now have emeritus status.

Recommended for named professorships were five faculty members:

• Salil Lachke, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences
• Freda Patterson, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences
• Marianna Safronova, Unidel Professor of Physics and Astronomy
• Weisong Shi, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Computer and Information Sciences
• Carolyn Voter, Brigid Hawk McVaugh ’74 and John B. McVaugh Jr. ‘71’75M Term Professor of Environmental Engineering

Promoted to the rank of professor were 20 associate professors who had already been granted tenure:

• James Angelini, communication
• Emily Day, biomedical engineering
• Gregory Dominick, health behavior and nutrition sciences
• Valerie Earnshaw, human development and family sciences
• Asia Friedman, sociology and criminal justice
• Michael Herzenstein, business administration
• Hartmut (Charles) Hohensee, School of Education
• Guoquan (Paul) Huang, mechanical engineering
• Jessica Horton, art history
• Philip Edward Jones, political science and international relations
• Daniel Kinderman, political science and international relations
• Douglas Rizzolo, mathematical sciences
• Ilya Safro, computer and information sciences
• Edgard Sankara, languages, literatures and cultures
• Jennifer Saylor, School of Nursing
• Ju Young Shin, School of Nursing
• Deborah Steinberger, languages, literatures and cultures
• David Suisman, history
• Joanne Jung Eun Yoo, hospitality and sport business management
• Ryan Zurakowski, biomedical engineering

Promoted from associate professor to professor, without tenure, were five individuals:

• Erin Brannick, animal and food sciences
• Duane Cottrell, School of Music
• Jennifer Graber, School of Nursing
• Ellen Wruble, physical therapy
• Joanna York, School of Marine Science and Policy

Twenty-two assistant professors were promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure:

• Roghayeh (Leila) Barmaki, computer and information sciences
• Rahmatollah (Rahmat) Beheshti, computer and information sciences
• Roxana Burciu, kinesiology and applied physiology
• Dong Dai, computer and information sciences
• Kyle Davis, geography and spatial sciences
• Jodi Hadden-Perilla, chemistry and biochemistry
• Hans Holter, economics
• Aimee Jaramillo-Lambert, biological sciences
• Aditya Kunjapur, chemical and biomolecular engineering
• Colton Lynner, earth sciences
• Ana Oancea, languages, literatures and cultures
• Kimberly Oremus, School of Marine Science and Policy
• Xi Peng, computer and information sciences
• Karl Schmitz, biological sciences
• Michelle Segovia, applied economics and statistics
• Jennifer Semrau, kinesiology and applied physiology
• Sunita Shah Walter, School of Marine Science and Policy
• Bennett Stanley, English
• Rebecca Tollan, linguistics and cognitive science
• Jennifer Trivedi, anthropology
• Nektarios Tsoutsos, electrical and computer engineering
• Bryan VanGronigen, School of Education

Twenty-four assistant professors were promoted to associate professor, without tenure:

• Elizabeth Bayley, economics
• Kathryn Bender, economics
• Novi Herawati Bong, mathematical sciences
• Stephanie Smith Budhai, School of Education
• Jane Case, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration
• Neri de Kramer, Associate in Arts Program
• Michael Fields, English Language Institute
• Lauren Genova, chemistry and biochemistry
• Julia Hulings, languages, literatures and cultures
• Julie Karand, biomedical engineering
• Ashutosh Khandha, biomedical engineering
• Hanieh Javadi Khasraghi, accounting and management information systems
• David Kim, English
• Stephanie Kotch-Jester, School of Education
• Daniel Lee, business administration
• Heidi Lucas, School of Music
• Aurelia Rio, languages, literatures and cultures
• Anuradha Sivaraman, business administration
• Suresh Sundaram, business administration
• Tyson Sukava, languages, literatures and cultures
• Casey Taylor, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration
• Tibor Toth, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration
• Lillyrose Veneziano Broccia, languages, literatures and cultures
• Sheara Williamson, kinesiology and applied physiology

Jessica Madiraca in the School of Nursing was promoted from associate instructor to assistant professor without tenure.

All the appointments above are effective Sept. 1, 2025.

Ioannis Rekleitis, mechanical engineering, was awarded tenure at the rank of associate professor, effective Dec. 4, 2024, and Sheri Silfies, physical therapy, was awarded tenure at the rank of associate professor, effective Jan. 16, 2025.

Deans Pamela Norris, Brian Farkas and Caleb Everett were awarded tenure at the rank of professor in mechanical engineering, animal and food sciences, and anthropology, respectively, all effective earlier this year.

Faculty emeriti

In addition, it was noted that 23 faculty have received emeritus status, as of April 1, 2025:

• David Black, associate professor emeritus of economics
• James Butkiewicz, professor emeritus of economics
• Jesus Cruz, professor emeritus of history
• Kalia Draper, professor emerita of philosophy
• Lawrence G. Duggan, professor emeritus of history
• Steven Eidelman, H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Human Services Policy and Leadership Emeritus
• Evangelos Falaris, professor emeritus of economics
• Gladys Ilarregui, professor emerita of languages, literatures and cultures
• Heinz-Uwe Haus, professor emeritus of theatre and dance
• Murray Johnston, professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry
• Marie Laberge, associate professor emerita of women and gender studies
• Daniel Leathers, professor emeritus of geography and spatial sciences
• Charles Link, Bank of America Professor of Business Emeritus
• Sharon Neal, associate professor emeritus of chemistry and biochemistry
• Kathleen Schell, associate professor emerita, School of Nursing
• Cynthia Schmidt-Cruz, professor emerita of languages, literature and cultures
• Laurence Seidman, Chaplin Tyler Professor of Economics Emeritus
• David Shearer, Thomas Muncy Keith Professor Emeritus of History
• Steven Sidebotham, professor emeritus of history
• Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Alumni Distinguished Professor Emerita of Physical Therapy
• Donald Sparks, Unidel S. Hallock du Pont Chair in Soil and Environmental Chemistry Emeritus
• Scott Stevens, professor emeritus of the English Language Institute
• Bahira Trask, professor emerita of human development and family sciences