Posted on August 18, 2023 by College of Sciences

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New Faculty Begin their Bold Journey at UTSA College of Sciences

By KC Gonzalez and Ryan Schoensee

 UTSA begins the academic year with nearly 100 new full-time faculty joining its ranks. Marking another year of outstanding new hires, the tenured, tenure-track and full-time fixed-term-track faculty bring their talents from a host of prestigious institutions from around the nation and the world. 

Notably, within the university’s new faculty cohort, 87% of the 46 incoming tenured and tenure-track faculty received their terminal degrees from Carnegie R1 research institutions, which is the highest percent of all recent cohorts.  

"This is an extraordinary group of accomplished educators and researchers joining our vibrant UTSA community,” said Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Heather Shipley. “Bringing a diverse range of expertise as leaders in their respective fields, these distinguished faculty members will undoubtedly elevate our students' academic journey by delivering cutting-edge curricula and research opportunities that foster unparalleled learning experiences both within and beyond the classroom." 

Of these new faculty, 29 are joining the College of Sciences. On Thursday, August 10, the college hosted a new faculty welcome reception on the 4th floor of the John Peace Library where new faculty were welcomed by David Silva, Dean of the College of Sciences, Kelly Nash, associate dean for faculty success, Terri Matiella, assistant dean for innovative instruction and assessment, and Tim Yuen, associate dean for undergraduate studies. The faculty also gathered at tables to meet with their department chairs and share a meal together. 

When asked why they chose UTSA, several faculty members said they were impressed by the university’s classifications as both an HSI and Tier One university and shared excitement about working with its diverse student body. 

“UTSA, in every aspect, is a fascinating opportunity to me. Its rapid development, inclusive community, and dedication to serving underrepresented groups offer a unique opportunity for innovative research and nurturing future leaders,” said Philipp Schmidpeter, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry. 

“It is an exciting time to be at UTSA with it being one of a handful of institutions to be considered both R1 and HSI. What sets UTSA apart from many of the other HSI-R1 schools is the order in which this has happened—first HSI, followed by R1,” said Stephen Wirkus, professor in the Department of Mathematics. “This has allowed UTSA to achieve its R1 status with intentionality and while maintaining its student-centered approach. I’m looking forward to being part of UTSA’s upward trajectory as it continues to grow as a Hispanic-thriving institution and research leader.” 

UTSA has nearly 1,500 faculty members across eight colleges who serve as the core of the institution, at the forefront of academic and research excellence. 

The list of new COS faculty is as follows:

  • Nandeo Choony, Chemistry Lecturer
  • Fatima Mustafa, Chemistry Lecturer
  • Mohammad Osama, Chemistry Assistant Professor of Instruction
  • Philipp Schmidpeter, Chemistry Assistant Professor
  • Syed Usama, Chemistry Assistant Professor
  • Marilyn Wooten, Chemistry Assistant Professor of Instruction
  • Maryam Tabar, Computer Science Assistant Professor
  • Fred Martin, Computer Science Professor & Department Chair
  • Kirsten Webbe, Computer Science Associate Professor of Instruction
  • Ke Yang, Computer Science Assistant Professor
  • Zijie Zhang, Computer Science Assistant Professor
  • Afra Mahsa, EPS Lecturer
  • Kaushik Mitra, EPS Assistant Professor
  • Mary Sears, Integrative Biology Lecturer
  • Andrew Foster, Integrative Biology Lecturer
  • Stephani Slowik, Integrative Biology Lecturer
  • Eugene Sprague, Integrative Biology Lecturer
  • Lisa Trevino, Integrative Biology Lecturer
  • Samuel Ang, Mathematics Assistant Professor of Instruction
  • Sara (Shaun) Buckley, Mathematics Lecturer
  • Henry Chimal-Dzul, Mathematics Assistant Professor
  • Stephen Lee, Mathematics Lecturer
  • Benjamin Sencindiver, Mathematics Assistant Professor of Instruction
  • Patrick Warren, Mathematics Assistant Professor of Research
  • Stephen Wirkus, Mathematics Professor
  • Tatiana Camacho, Mathematics & NDRB Professor
  • Ana Chamoun-Emanuelli, MMI Lecturer
  • Marina Silveira, NDRB Assistant Professor
  • Jeffrey Vedanayagam, NDRB Assistant Professor
— College of Sciences