Ten Women Professors Appointed to New Academic Positions

Victoria Xu has joined the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley as an assistant professor of physics. For the past three years, she has been a postdoctoral associate with the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Xu is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she majored in physics. She holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Noelle Selin has been appointed faculty director of the Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She currently serves as a professor in MIT’s Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, and the department of earth, atmospheric, and planetary sciences. Earlier in her tenure with MIT, she served as director of the technology and policy program.

Dr. Selin holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and public policy, a master’s degree, and Ph.D. in earth and planetary sciences from Harvard University.

Maureen Yuen has joined the University of Nevada, Reno faculty as a professor in the School of Music in the College of Liberal Arts. A professional violinist, she has previously taught at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Columbia University in New York City, Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, and the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Dr. Yuen holds a master of music degree from the University of British Columbia in Canada and a doctorate in education from Columbia University.

Betsy Barre has been appointed assistant provost at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She has been with the university since 2018, currently serving as executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching. Prior to her current role, she was associate director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Barre is a summa cum laude graduate of Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where she majored in philosophy. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in religion, ethics, and philosophy from Florida State University.

Hadas Kress-Gazit has been appointed associate dean for diversity and academic affairs for the College of Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. A member of the Cornell faculty for the past 15 years, she currently holds the title of Geoffrey S.M. Hedrick Senior Endowed Professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Dr. Kress-Gazit received her Ph.D. in electrical and systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Miracle-Rose Toppar has joined the faculty at Georgia State University as a clinical assistant professor in the department of economics. She most recently served as an assistant professor of economics and business management at Ripon College in Wisconsin. Earlier in her career, she taught economics at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and Iowa State University.

Dr. Toppar holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and Ph.D. in economics from Iowa State University.

Bonnie N. Dittel has been appointed to a five-year term as editor-in-chief of ImmunoHorizons. She currently serves as a professor of microbiology and immunology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is also a senior investigator and the Dr. Gilbert C. White II Endowed Chair of the Versiti Blood Research Institute.

Dr. Dittel holds a Ph.D. in pathobiology from the University of Minnesota.

Jessica Andrews-Hanna has been named interim director of the cognitive science program at the University of Arizona. She currently serves the university as an associate professor of psychology and cognitive science and director of diversity, equity, and inclusivity for the psychology department.

Dr. Andrews-Hanna received her master’s degree in neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and her Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University.

Karine Dupre has been named associate dean of research and creative scholarship for the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She comes to her new role from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, where she served as director of the bachelor’s degree program in architectural design and acting head of the architecture program.

Dr. Dupre earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in architecture from Ecole d’Architecture de Paris Charenton in France. She received a master’s degree in history and anthropology and Ph.D. in modern history from the University Antilles-Guyane in France. She holds a second Ph.D. in urban planning and design from Tampere Technical University in Finland.

Maysaa Basha has been promoted from interim chair to permanent chair of the department of neurology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. A faculty member since 2010, she has previously served on the medical school’s faculty senate and as director of the neurology training program.

Dr. Basha received her bachelor’s degree and medical degree from Wayne State University.