Six Women Scholars Who Are Taking on New Faculty Assignments

Veronica Terriquez has been appointed director of the Chicano Studies Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles. The center is home to one of the most robust archives of Latino and Chicano materials in the country. Dr. Terriquez will become the tenth director in the center’s 51-year history and its first woman leader. She was an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Dr. Terriquez is a graduate of Harvard University. She earned a master’s degree in education from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. in sociology at UCLA.

Dana Yang will join the department of statistics and data sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She has been conducting postdoctoral research at the School of Business at Duke University. Her research is focused on high-dimensional statistics and machine learning.

Dr. Yang is a graduate of Tsinghua University in China. She holds a master’s degree in statistics and a Ph.D. in statistics and data science from Yale University.

Julea Vlassakis was hired as an assistant professor of bioengineering at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Her research has focused on developing novel methods to detect protein complexes from single cells using precision microfluidic devices.

Dr. Vlassakis is a graduate of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she double majored in chemistry and physics. She holds a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

Diane Thiel was named a Regents Professor at the University of New Mexico. She is a professor of English and creative writing and the associate chair for Undergraduate Studies. Professor Thiel is a widely published translator, fluent in Spanish, German, French, and nearly fluent in Greek.

Professor Thiel holds a bachelor’s degree and a master of fine arts degree from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

Alena Allen was appointed associate dean for research and faculty development and professor of law at the University of Arkansas. For the last decade, Professor Allen taught at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis.

Professor Allen is a graduate of Loyola University, where she majored in psychology. She earned a juris doctorate at Yale Law School.

Barbara MacKenzie-Wood was appointed a University Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She joined the faculty in 1986 and has been serving as the Raymond W. Smith Professor of Drama in the College of Fine Arts.

Professor MacKenzie-Wood holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in acting from Boston University and a master of fine arts degree in directing from Carnegie Mellon University.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

Latest News

Jennifer Glowienka Named the First Woman President of Carroll College in Montana

“I have dedicated my professional career to this remarkable institution, which prepares ethical leaders who engage the world with purpose and hope,” said Dr. Glowienka. “I look forward to strengthening and expanding the ways Carroll fulfills its mission, serving learners across all stages of their educational journey.”

Susan Stuebner Elevated to President of Simpson College in Iowa

Dr. Stuebner has led Simpson College on an interim basis since July 28. She has nearly 30 years of professional experience, including service as president of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire.

Shari Veil Appointed Provost at North Dakota State University

“It is a privilege to work with people who care so deeply about students, discovery, and the future of North Dakota,” said Dr. Veil. “With its strong academic profile and land-grant mission, NDSU is well positioned for meaningful impact, and I look forward to partnering with my fellow Bison to advance that work.”

Mary Ann Villarreal to Lead California State University, Dominguez Hills

“As one of the most diverse campuses in the CSU system, Dominguez Hills is a vital anchor institution for the community it serves,” said Dr. Villarreal. “A beacon of inclusivity, it inspires hope – both for the community and for higher education in California.”

Penny Elkins Named the First Woman President of Mercer University

A member of the Mercer University community for over 25 years, Dr. Elkins is slated to become the institution's first woman president on January 1. She has been serving as Mercer's interim provost.

Assistant Professor Tenure Track Position — Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Cardiovascular Institute

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania seek candidates for an Assistant Professor position in the tenure track.

Assistant Professor of Political Science, Quantitative Methods

The Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago invites applications for an Assistant Professor in Quantitative Methods. This position will begin on or after July 1, 2026.

Tenure Track Position in Macro-Organizational Behavior and Organizational Theory

The University of Pittsburgh School of Business seeks to fill a full-time, tenure-track assistant or associate professor position in the Organizations and Entrepreneurship Area, starting as early as Fall 2026. 

Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice and John Carter Brown Library Joint Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University and the John Carter Brown Library invite applications for a postdoctoral research associate position focused on any area/theme of historical scholarship around racial slavery, and/ or Indigenous dispossession and slavery.

Teaching Faculty Position in Information Systems and Technology Management (ISTM)

The University of Pittsburgh School of Business invites applications for a full-time, appointment-stream faculty position at the Clinical Assistant Professor level in our Information Systems and Technology Management area starting Fall 2026.