New Faculty Mentor Profiles

Dr.  Ryan Bowers, Counselor Education & Student Affairs

Teaching: I have been teaching Clinical Counseling and Psychology courses for the past eight years at Kutztown University, Immaculata University, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Duquesne University, and Lehigh-Carbon Community College.  I primarily teach Graduate Level courses at KU in Tests and Assessment, Research Methods, and Supervising Internship students.

Research: While I have conducted qualitative and mixed-method research projects in the past, I focus more on quantitative research and, specifically, looking at psychometric properties of newly created assessments, as well as assessing the quality and effectiveness of mentoring relationships.  Outside of my own research interests, I enjoy working in research teams and having the ability to teach what I have learned about advanced research methodology, as well as learning from others about their own interests and techniques. 

Service: University service includes: University Senate Member, Graduate Exceptions Committee Member, University Calendar Committee Member, Graduate Program Committee Member, Student-Faculty Review Board Member, APSCUF Membership Committee Chair, Counselor Education Admissions Committee Member, and formerly, Open Space Committee Member. Professional/Community Service includes: Parzival Executive Board Member, ACES Conference Committee Member, ACA Conference Committee Member, Chi Sigma Iota Workshop Presenter, and offering pro-bono LGBTQI Counseling through the Humanistic Therapy Center.

Personal: I enjoy being a State Certified Motorcycle Safety Instructor, playing golf around the Berks County Area, working on my Jeep Wrangler (it’s the bright yellow one in the Old Main parking lot), playing drums in my cover band as well as playing the snare drum in the Kutztown Pipe Band, and spending time with my wife, our two foster children, and our retired racing greyhounds. 

Dr.  Diana Elliott, Counselor Education & Student Affairs

Teaching: I'm an associate professor in the Counseling & Student Affairs Department. I teach graduate students in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Master's program within the School of Education where I lead courses on assessment, legal issues in higher education, diversity, and field experience. Although this is my fourth year at Kutztown, I previously taught at Bloomsburg University, North Carolina State University, and Holy Family University. 

Research: I have two lines of research. The overarching purpose of my first line of research is to explore issues of educational equity from postsecondary student access and success perspectives and focuses specifically on marginalized populations which I conceptualize broadly to account for multiple identities across race/ethnicity, gender, age, and social class backgrounds. My research seeks to understand disparities in postsecondary attainment rates by examining barriers associated with college readiness, college transitions, and degree persistence. My second line of research focuses on the assessment and evaluation of postsecondary student learning and learning outcomes. From a macro perspective, this research seeks to understand issues of assessment validity, but more granularly, I explore the assessment of student learning and how assessment is related to academic success.  I consider my research productivity to be a strength and have been successful in securing grants, completing studies, and presenting/publishing my work. I would happily offer mentorship on this topic. 

Service: I sit on a number of committees including the Latinx Faculty Caucus (co-lead), Technology Committee, Academic Honesty Committee, Strategic Enrollment Committee, and serve as coordinator of my program.  In addition, I serve on an editorial board for a journal in my discipline, conference proposal reviewer,  research grant reviewer for a professional organization in my field, and the planning committee for an annual regional conference.

Personal: I work in academia and I'm a mom to 2 kids (9, 12), 3 chickens (don't ask), and 1 "active" dog. I enjoy binging Netflix and TikTok, preferably looking at content with no redeeming intellectual value and being outdoors (biking, hiking, gardening). I am excited to welcome a new cohort of faculty to Kutztown! 

Dr.  Carol Watson, Elem, Middle Level, Library & Tech Educ

Teaching: I taught public school for 23 years, in 4 different states, and for a few months, in Malawi, Africa! At Kutztown, I teach in both the Early Childhood and the Middle Level programs with areas of expertise in literacy, social studies methods, qualitative research, and teaching diverse populations.

Research: I have multiple publications and particularly enjoy guiding undergraduate students through research projects with me. My interests are in social justice, middle level philosophy and best practices, and always student voice.

Service: I hold several offices in state level associations and am very active in AMLE, PAMLE, EERA, and PaNAME. I enjoy organizing conferences for these organizations and all the networking and meeting new people.

Personal: I am a runner (5K races), a kayaker, and a hiker. I also lift weights and bike. I love music and play guitar and piano, and am a trained singer. I love working in my garden and doing projects on my gorgeous historic home circa 1865.

Dr.  Michele Baranczyk, Psychology

Teaching: I teach many courses in the psychology department, including my area of industrial/organizational, as well as research methods courses and psychology of gender.

Research: Research projects vary, and tend to be applied, such as evaluating teaching techniques, and examining gender in the workplace.

Service: My longest standing committee work at KU has been on the Undergraduate Research Committee, and I am active in departmental assessment work.

Personal: Outside of work, when not occupied with my elementary aged kids, I enjoy baking, reading, yoga and wine (not necessarily in that order).

Dr.  Mario Cardozo, Geography

Teaching: I teach a variety of geography classes that explore human-nature interactions like environmental hazards, environmental conservation, physical geography, and spatial analysis and digital mapping. My classes often involve lively discussions on these topics, from different perspectives; with these discussions I learn as much as I hope students are learning. I also enjoy creating and teaching labs for my technical classes. 

Research: I do research on the influence of conservation policies and large-scale agriculture on traditional farming communities in South America. I also research relationships between street art and various geographic themes like land-use conflicts in South America and urban change in Philadelphia.

Service: My service at KU and beyond includes being a representative at the university senate, working on assessment for my program, writing book-review essays related to my discipline, helping with digital mapping projects, and being part of the board of a regional geography professional organization, among other activities.

Personal: I enjoy going for long walks, reading fiction and non-fiction, traveling and exploring new places, and going to music shows.

Dr.  Richard Heineman, Biological Sciences

Teaching: I teach some large STEM lectures and STEM labs, primarily for majors. 

Research: I research how viruses that infect bacteria evolve. I also do pedagogical research.  

Service: APSCUF Social Justice Committee and assorted other things.

Personal: Parody songs (I write them for my classes), board games, video games. 

Dr.  Erin Kraal, Physical Sciences

Teaching: I am in the department of Physical Sciences. I teach at a range of levels at KU from general education, writing courses, major introduction, upper level/senior seminar, and graduate courses (in collaboration with my ArtEd colleagues).  However, most of my students are enrolled in non-major, general education courses.  My teaching is focused on bringing student-centered, authentic pedagogies into all classrooms.  For over a decade my intro-level majors course has been a CUR (course based undergraduate research project).  Two books sitting on my desk right now that are inspiring my current teaching are "Creating Wicked Students" by Handstedt and "Ungrading" by Blum.   

Research: My research is all about process.  Trained originally as a planetary scientist, I focus my scientific disciplinary research on surface processes across the Solar System.  Generally, I love things that flow - glaciers, rivers, avalanches and figuring how and why they work and what they can tell us about planetary conditions.  In the past decade, my interest in process has lead me to the scholarship of teaching and learning to focus on the process of student learning.  I have an NSF funded grant examining the pedagogy of using student-produced audio narrative on student perceptions of their learning environment in general education science courses.  I collaborate on projects involving transdisciplinary connections including integrating art and science across the curriculum and scientific communication.   

Service: Off campus, I have been a nationally elected councilor for the Council for Undergraduate Research and lead (or co-lead) workshops on undergraduate research and course based research classes across all disciplines.  I also serve on the Art-Science sub-group for my professional society.  At KU, I serve on Senate, am a member of the Undergraduate Research Committee, and have been a member of the sabbatical committee in addition to my 'regular' department service. 

Personal: Food and travel (obviously over the past 18 months more food than travel, ha ha!).  I love hiking across landscapes of any kind.  I have a family, our daughter is about to graduate from high school and our son (who was 10 months when I started here at KU) is in middle school now.   

Dr.  Khori Newlander, Anthropology/Sociology

Teaching: As an anthropological archaeologist, I teach a variety of introductory, topical, field, and lab courses in archaeology. The courses I teach especially reflect my expertise in the archaeology of North America and the debunking of pseudoscientific claims about the past. 

Research: I am actively engaged in archaeological research into the historic and prehistoric occupation of eastern Pennsylvania. These projects regularly provide students with opportunities to conduct and present archaeological research.  

Service: I serve on the General Education Committee and Professional Development Committee. 

Personal: I live in Fleetwood with my wife and two small children. I play the saxophone. 

Dr.  John Stanley , History

Teaching: I teach the classes in the history department focusing on East Asia, world history, and research methods. I am also teaching on of the composition courses (CMP 201) for the General Education program. 

Research: Research interests focus on the history of missions and Christianity in China. 

Service: I am currently the Chair of the General Education Committee and the Chair of the Assessment Committee in the History Department. 

Personal: I have many interests that focus on outdoor activities: biking, hiking, skiing, volleyball, golf, and tennis. I also enjoy science fiction/fantasy books and movies.

Dr.  Stephen Stoeffler, Social Work

Teaching: I teach across the sequences (policy, practice, research, human behavior and the social environment, and field) and programs (BSW, MSW, and DSW) in the Department of Social Work.  My teaching style is both professional and congenial through engaging students with enthusiastic delivery of complex concepts.

Research: My scholarship focuses on poverty alleviation and community empowerment. I enjoy working with students and colleagues on peer-reviewed presentations and publications.

Service: My service reflects my commitment to the betterment of the University, College, and Department, as well as the community and my profession. I view my service as congruent with my teaching and scholarship.  The majority of the service I have undertaken has a social justice bent, whether improving conditions for those experiencing poverty in the local community, supporting macro social work practice at the national level, advising a student organization that focuses on advocacy, chairing an annual conference on suicide prevention, or serving on University Commissions concentrating on marginalized populations.

Personal: I enjoy spending time with my family that consists of my wife, children (biological, adopted, and foster), and two cats. 

Prof.  Rose DeSiano Galjanic, Art & Design

Teaching: My teaching expertise is in fine art photography and studio arts - specializing in digital photography, and conceptual practices surrounding landscape, identity and cultural criticism. In addition, I oversee a campus digital photo lab that requires purchasing, budgeting and managing student workers through e-time.

Service: I have served on university grants committees, Chair of Sabbatical Committee as well as a wide variety of college and department initiatives. Recently, I have turned my attention to college service in curriculum development.

Personal: I am a internationally exhibited artist specializing in public art that examines cultural symbolism, and the collective consciousness by bringing to the surface lost or undiscussed topics of history. My studio practice includes;  photography, sculpture fabrication, institutional archive research, grant writing, and city and state level contract negotiations.