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As part of a top academic and research university, Ģ����Ƶ’s faculty drive pioneering research across disciplines, making real-world impact. The university welcomed for the 2026–27 academic year. Get to know some of our newest faculty members across our 12 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools—and our pathbreaking —as they explain what excites them about their transformative work and the benefits it can have for society.

Professor and associate dean for special initiatives
College of Connected Computing
Research focus: human-computer interaction

Tawanna Dillahunt is an interdisciplinary researcher who works on human-computer interaction and how computing and artificial intelligence can expand economic and social opportunities for communities that have historically been underserved by technology.

“At Ģ����Ƶ, I look forward to teaching students how to design technologies that are grounded in the lived experiences of the communities they are intended to serve,” Dillahunt said. “I want students to understand that technologies do not exist on their own; they are part of larger sociotechnical systems, shaped by people, community practices, organizations and policies.”

Dillahunt, who worked as a software engineer at Intel Corporation before launching her academic career, is inspired to help build a better world with the help of technology and lots of human collaboration.

“What excites me is that many of the problems shaping our future require interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration,” she said. “Whether we are working to improve transportation or healthcare access, supporting entrepreneurs or understanding the social implications of AI, some of the most interesting questions arise where computing intersects with people, communities and organizations.”

Associate professor of the practice of finance
Owen Graduate School of Management
Research focus: corporate finance and banking stability

Adonis Atoniades teaches corporate finance courses at the MBA and undergraduate levels. His research focuses on banking stability and the role of commercial real estate in financial crises.

“I am particularly interested in bridging rigorous academic work with practical policy and market applications,” Antoniades said. “Finance carries a special sense of gravity because the stakes are so high. I often tell my students that when we get things wrong in finance, we get the Great Depression.”

Atoniades holds graduate degrees in economics, business and engineering, and he is also trained in law, which gives him a truly interdisciplinary perspective. He said what excites him most about his work is the direct connection between his research and real economic outcomes, as well as its deep interplay with history, law and human behavior.

Assistant professor of physics and astronomy
College of Arts and Science
Research focus: millisecond pulsars

H. Thankful Cromartie’s research involves millisecond pulsars, a population of dead stellar cores that are second only to black holes in density and speed. Pulsars are city-sized, and they can spin hundreds of times a second.

“Millisecond pulsars are faster than a blender and rotate with a clocklike regularity that we harness to study a wide array of exotic phenomena,” she said. “I focus specifically on using pulsar observations to measure the subtle stretching and squeezing of spacetime induced by merging supermassive black holes, as well as high-precision measurements of pulsar masses to constrain the poorly understood physics of their ultra-dense interiors.”

She teaches undergraduate- and graduate-level classes and said she loves studying phenomena that are essentially inconceivable on human scales.

“Pulsar astrophysics, and especially the use of pulsars to study gravitational waves, is a rapidly growing field that offers endless mysteries to explore,” Cromartie said. “I can’t wait to help students feel the awe that comes with studying the cosmos, the self-empowerment that hands-on observing projects can impart, and the feeling of support and growth offered by participation in large scientific collaborations.”

Assistant professor in the practice of music technology
Blair School of Music
Research focus: music technology and composition

Carolyn Borcherding is a composer who uses audio and visual components in her works, and she is inspired by themes in literature, history and science. Her body of work ranges from pieces for solo instruments to multimedia ensembles consisting of video, electronically produced sound and acoustic instruments.

She is teaching music technology, audio editing, creative software, composing and art-making—with new and old audio technology.

“The field is always growing and developing new technologies, so I’m constantly learning something new,” she said. “I’m also thrilled to see how others engage with these technologies. The field has endless avenues for art-making and research.”

Assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering
School of Engineering
Research focus: fluid mechanics and molecule separation

Yang Han’s research expertise centers around the engineering of polymers for molecular membrane separations.

“I teach fluid mechanics and heat transfer—subjects that reveal the physical principles governing everything from ocean waves to the cooling of a cup of coffee,” he said. “My research focuses on designing soft materials and polymer membranes that can efficiently separate small molecules. We connect fundamental molecular interactions to practical applications such as carbon capture, hydrogen purification, resource recovery and water security. We then work to translate these materials into ultrathin membranes and scalable separation devices.”

Han said his work could transform industrial processes.

“I am fascinated that a membrane only a fraction of a micrometer thick can distinguish between very similar molecules,” he said. “Membrane science allows me to work across scales, from molecular interactions and polymer chemistry to manufacturing and process design, while addressing major challenges in energy and sustainability.”

Assistant professor of leadership, policy and organizations
Peabody College of education and human development
Assistant professor in the College of Connected Computing
Research focus: adaptive learning technologies with AI

Conrad Borchers develops adaptive learning technologies research using human-centered design and artificial intelligence. He then studies how well these technologies are working across K-12 and higher education settings.

“My research focuses on designing and evaluating AI-supported learning systems, adaptive educational technologies, and learning analytics that promote motivation, self-regulated learning and long-term student success,” he said.

Borchers works closely with educators and schools to develop tools that are scientifically grounded and practical for classrooms.

“What excites me most is the opportunity to improve educational opportunities for millions of learners,” he said. “Advances in artificial intelligence allow us to personalize learning in ways that were not previously possible, but lasting impact comes from designing these technologies around the needs of students and teachers.”

Associate professor of sociology
College of Arts and Science
Research focus: population growth and life expectancy gap

Arun Hendi is a demographer who studies population growth and structure, American life expectancy, and racial and socioeconomic inequality. Hendi’s recent work explores the fundamental causes of the life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans, how differences in education affect mortality, and the central role of immigration in reshaping U.S. life expectancy.

“My research focuses on questions of how and why populations grow, why some Americans live so much longer than others, and how migration is reshaping mortality trends in high-income countries,” said Hendi, who has served as an expert adviser for the Congressional Budget Office.

Hendi teaches courses on demography, population dynamics, inequality and policy.

“The most exciting part about being a demographer is the immediate policy relevance of population research,” Hendi said. “The science I do translates immediately into recommendations for how to improve the lives of all Americans.”

Assistant professor of the practice in climate and environmental studies
College of Arts and Science
Research focus: climate and environmental policy

Alina McIntyre’s research focuses on climate and environmental policy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental health, environmental justice and community-engaged research. She examines how environmental exposures, including extreme heat, air pollution and emerging contaminants, affect communities—particularly those disproportionately burdened by environmental hazards.

“What excites me most about environmental health and climate research is its interdisciplinary nature. Addressing complex environmental challenges requires drawing on insights from science, policy, public health, community knowledge and lived experience,” she said. “I am especially inspired by opportunities to work alongside communities to generate knowledge that can inform meaningful action and improve health and environmental outcomes.”