University of Nebraska Omaha

College of Arts and Sciences

Welcome to New A&S Faculty and Staff

We've had lots of new faces join the College of Arts and Sciences over the last few months, and we want to say welcome to all!

New Faculty
New Staff

New Faculty

Name	Title/Department
Rachel Bash	Instructor, Exploratory Studies	I've spent the past ten years in Oregon completing doctoral work in literary modernism, teaching writing and literature, and advising low-income, first-generation students at the University of Oregon. I'm a devoted auntie, reader, and wanderer with a passion for storytelling.
Isabelle Beulaygue	Instructor, Exploratory Studies and Sociology	I earned my doctorate in Sociology from the University of Miami and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Promise at Boston University. There, I explored the social, educational, wellness, and economic conditions necessary for children and youth to thrive. My research focuses on adolescent development and substance use and its impacts on education and well-being during adulthood. My hobbies include horseback riding, learning Italian, and my favorite book is the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante.
Pedro Cantisano	Assistant Professor, History	I am originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and I came to the United States in 2011 for graduate studies at the University of Michigan. After two years teaching at a small liberal arts college in Ohio, I join UNO as an assistant professor of history. My research focuses on the histories of law and urban segregation in Brazil. I teach courses on Latin American history, and specifically on human rights, legal, and environmental history. I am a big soccer fan, and I have played in amateur leagues my whole adult life.
Mary Dinsmore	Instructor, Exploratory Studies, Biology and Environmental Science	I recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with her Ph.D. in Environment and Resources. I'm interested in primate conservation, human-wildlife interactions, behavioral flexibility, and conservation management. My dissertation focused on the impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on the behavior and habitat of northern sportive lemurs (Lepilemur septentrionalis) in Madagascar. When not studying conservation issues, I enjoy hiking, playing trivia, and finding the best happy hours in town. I'm an Omaha native, so I'm thrilled to be joining UNO.
Cameron Evans	Instructor, Exploratory Studies	I'm excited to join UNO’s Exploratory Studies Program. Coming from a highly interdisciplinary research and teaching background, I look forward to helping students find their academic passions. My research synthesizes insights from philosophy, psychology, and social theory, but I'm always eager to learn something new. In my free time, I help out local nonprofits and youth mentoring organizations. Otherwise, I'm enjoying new trails and my two Bernese Mountain dogs.
Yimin He	Assistant Professor, Psychology	I completed my Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational psychology at Texas A&M University in May 2020. My research interests include occupational health psychology (e.g., safety climate and behavior, safety and health training, psychological well-being), diversity and inclusion (e.g., diversity climate, discrimination, workplace mistreatment), personality assessments, and quantitative methodologies (e.g., social network analysis, machine learning, computational modeling, metaanalysis). In my spare time, I enjoy yoga and cooking.
John Hribljan	Assistant Professor, Biology	I am a wetland scientist with expertise in wetland ecosystem carbon cycling and wetland ecology. I have studied wetlands in diverse climates across temperate and tropical regions including USA, Canada, Africa, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. My research program integrates ecohydrology, plant physiology, soil science, and water chemistry. When I am not exploring wetlands, I enjoying spending time with my family, cooking, playing guitar, and woodworking.
Hannah Kim	Assistant Professor, Political Science	Previously, I was a postdoc at the Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. I received my Ph.D. in political science at the University of California, Irvine where I was also an affiliate with the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD). My research examines public opinion, political behavior, gender, and democracy in East Asian countries. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling to new places. I also enjoy cooking Korean food and hiking with my dog.
John Lyden	Professor, Religious Studies and and the Blizek Professor of Religion and Film	I formerly taught at Grand View University and at Dana College. I'm the author of Film as Religion: Myths, Morals, and Rituals (2003, 2019) and the editor of the Routledge Companion to Religion and Film among other publications. I'm also the Editor of the Journal of Religion & Film. I love movies (obviously), science fiction, and play jazz clarinet when I get the chance.
Sara Marzioli	Instructor, Exploratory Studies	I received my Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the Pennsylvania State University. I've taught Black American and Black European cultures, Italian Studies, Globalization and Migration literatures, and World Literature and Cinema. I'm currently at work on a book manuscript titled, The Color of The Archive: Afro-Modernism Between the Atlantic and The Mediterranean, which brings into conversation Twentieth-Century African American and Italian writers and film directors, whose work addresses the intersection of history, narrative, and coloniality in Europe and the black Atlantic. I've been published in African American Review, Atlantic Studies, and Modernism/Modernity.
Sarah Mason	Instructor, English	I'm a winner of an Academy of American Poets Prize, two Nebraska Book Awards, and the recipient of a Sewanee Writers’ Conference Tennessee Williams Scholarship in poetry. I earned my MFA and my M.A. from UNO and authored two books of poetry: Cradling Monsoons and This Bright Darkness. My poetry was most recently anthologized in Nebraska Poetry: A Sesquicentennial Anthology. Originally from Albuquerque, I was raised on a steady diet of technicolor sunsets and green Chile, and I'm married to the Nebraska State Poet, Matt Mason.
Aaryn Mustoe	Visiting Assistant Professor, Biology	I am a behavioral endocrinologist and primatologist who studies neural, hormonal, and behavioral mechanisms underlying individual differences in prosocial behavior and vulnerabilities and resilience to social stressors. I am also passionate about teaching and student mentorship in research with emphasis on techniques that advance non-human primate models in behavioral neuroscience and animal welfare.
Allison Schlosser	Assistant Professor, Sociology & Anthropology	I'm a Medical Anthropologist who studies health and healthcare experiences among socioeconomically marginalized populations in the U.S. My work focuses on illegal drug use and related interventions, drawing on ethnographic and mixed research methods to examine residential treatment, community-led prevention efforts, and harm reduction programs. My recent research examines cultural concepts of “addiction” and patient experiences of its treatment in context of the U.S. opioid epidemic. I also teach yoga, meditation, and mindful movement classes in community and university contexts.
Robert Steel	Assistant Professor, Philosphy	I received my Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh, before working as a postdoctoral fellow first at the bioethics department in the National Institute of Health’s Clinical Center, and then at the Center for Population-Level Bioethics at Rutgers University. My academic work focuses on the ethical regulation of risk in biomedical research.
Karina Uhing	Instructor, Mathematics	I am a Nebraska native who recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Ph.D. in Mathematics. My research focuses on studying departmental change efforts to improve student success in lower-division mathematics courses. This research informs my teaching practice, which centers on building relationships with my students and engaging them in their learning. In my free time, I enjoy staying active with my husband; our newest hobby is playing pickleball.
Cong Wang	Assistant Professor, Mathematics	I received my M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree in mathematics concentrating on mathematical statistics from New Mexico State University. I'm the author or coauthor of many papers in international refereed journals and conference contributions and have given several invited/contributed talks at workshops and conferences. My research interests cover several aspects on skew normal families, mainly about parameters estimations and multivariate linear models. Besides research, I also enjoy hiking and cooking.
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New Staff

Name	Title/Department
Manger Baw	Life Coach, Exploratory Studies	I am a former UNO student (Communication degree) and previously served as an AmeriCorps College Coach with College Possible. I am a Karen, an ethnic group from Myanmar (Burma) but was born and grew up in Thailand refugee camp due to the religious and ethnic persecution by the Burmese government. I am passionate about helping youth becoming well-rounded leaders by providing them education and leadership skills. Ultimately, I am hoping I can be a part of the peace building process in Myanmar.
Katie Berger	Advisor/Coordinator, Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking	I am a UNO alum (BFA, Creative Writing) and previously worked as a success coach in Project HELP at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, a grant program that assists income-eligible students achieve their healthcare education goals.
Katrina Brooks	Associate Director, Exploratory Studies	I previously worked in the Thompson Learning Community, first as an advisor (2011-2015) and then as assistant director (2015-2020). I received my Certified Public Manager Certificate from UNO, and my M.A. in Educational Administration/Higher Education and B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Angie Centarri	Academic Advisor, Psychology	I am a UNO alum and currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking at UNO. I was previously an academic advisor for Guild Partnership Programs at Bellevue University and have also worked in financial advising, non profit campaign management and event production, as well as being a life-long part-time server at Stella’s Bar and Grill in Bellevue.
Emily Cook	Academic Advisor, Mathematics	I studied food science and the Ancient Maya (separately) at Louisiana State University, and have spent the last two years working in the pastry industry. I realized that I missed the academic world and really wanted to help students navigate it! I spend my weekends baking and playing board games, and would love to do so with my new coworkers once we can meet in-person again!
Angel Garcia	Assistant Dean of Business and Financial Affairs	In my 20-year career in administration and financial management, I've worked as an Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance at the University of Denver, as well as various positions at the Baylor College of Medicine, University of Colorado, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. I received my MBA from Regis University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Colorado at Denver. I'm looking forward to the challenge of developing this brand-new position and working with faculty and staff to learn more about their needs and develop solutions.
Mike Gutierrez-Madrigal	Pre-Health Advisor/ Recruiter, Health Careers Resource Center	I was born and raised in Omaha and graduated from Creighton Prep in 2012. I graduated from UNO in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies, with emphases in English, History, and Sociology. I've previously worked with organizations such as Boys Town, Heartland Family Service, and Metropolitan Community College.
Haley Hassenstab	Animal Care Supervisor, Biology	I was a graduate student in the biology department here at UNO before taking this position. My Master’s degree was focused on the interactions between the gut microbiome and host health.
Lacey LeGrand	Academic Advisor, Biology	I earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees at UNO (biology, geography) and have taught part-time at UNO since 2013. I feel at home in academia and enjoy not only advising and teaching but also taking classes. My academic interests focus primarily on the natural world (thesis topics: lichen diversity and soil mineralogy) but I have also taken a recent interest in sociology. My creative outlet is cooking & baking and I play Pokémon Go and Wizards Unite in my spare time.
Lupe Marquez-Eberly	Life Coach, Exploratory Studies	I've previously worked as a Thompson Learning Community Specialist and a Circulos Facilitator at the Latino Center of the Midlands. I received my B.A. at UNO in Psychology with a focus in development and minors in Spanish and Chicano Studies. I'm currently working on my Masters in Counseling in Student Affairs in Higher Education.
Jacques Musavyimana	Life Coach, Exploratory Studies	I’ve been working for UNO since 2017, working first in the Thompson Learning Community as a specialist in their second-year program. I have an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a graduate degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. I like to sit down with students and exchange conversations, and I love to hear what students have on their minds. I also like to read books about historic events and run outdoors.
Doug Nading	Life Coach, Exploratory Studies	I've previously worked as a Work Experience Trainer at Goodwill Industries, an Academic Advisor at MCC, as a teacher/substitute and a football coach. I received my B.S. Social Studies, M.S. Urban Instruction, and M.S. Counseling Student Affairs at UNO. My interests/hobbies include cycling, gym, movies, and cosplay.
Tyler Payne	Life Coach, Exploratory Studies	I take advantage of the privilege and grand opportunity to teach impactful life lessons, advance community networking, navigate career & major exploration, along with personal and professional identification development and quality skills investment and strengths application training. I've previously worked in the Susan Thompson Buffet, Thompson Learning Community as a Scholarship Specialist. My educational background is in Criminology & Criminal Justice and Black Studies, and my research interests include domestic violence and the impact on juveniles.
Jennifer Peters	Greenhouse Manager, Biology	I started work as the Biology Department Greenhouse Manager in Allwine Hall after spending several months as interim manager. I am also a lab instructor teaching Flora of the Great Plains. I have completed coursework for my Master's degree in Biology and am currently conducting wetland research at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge for my Master's thesis. I hope to increase the accessibility and research focus of the greenhouse.
Michelle Quick	Academic Advisor, Interdisciplinary Studies	I moved from Missouri to Omaha in February and remember my one month on campus fondly. I genuinely love working with students, having wild and wonderful conversations and helping in any way I can. I have an M.S. in English Education and an MFA in Writing. On the weekends, I conduct emotional intelligence writing workshops with recovering teens in behavioral centers across the Midwest, and in my free time, I play a lot of Scrabble and like to wander.
Tim Schwanbeck	Lab Stockroom Manager, Chemistry	Last December, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and chemistry from Iowa State University. I have completed research internships for Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center and Poet LLC. I spend most of my free time exploring and hiking with my dog, and I am excited to be a part of UNO.
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