Six Women Scholars Taking on New Roles in Higher Education

Yunhyae Kim is slated to joined the Princeton University faculty in July as an assistant professor of politics. Her research lies at the intersection of social and political philosophy, democratic theory, and political economy. Her primary project argues that we should reconceive the democratic political order as jointly constituted not just by how we organize formal politics, but also by how we organize production and investment.

Dr. Kim received bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and economics from Seoul National University in South Korea. She holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Harvard University.

Tycie Coppett has been selected to serve as interim assistant dean for Yale College. Dr. Coppett, who teaches in Yale’s department of sociology, had been serving as residential dean of the university’s Silliman College. Before joining the Yale community in 2023, she spent several years with the Harvard Graduate School of Education, ultimately serving as director for master’s studies.

Dr. Coppett earned her bachelor’s degree in speech communication and her Ph.D in workforce education from the University of Georgia. She also holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix.

Michelle Gervasio was named director of the Margaret Jones Wyllie ’45 Engineering Program at Sweet Briar College, a women’s liberal arts educational institution in Virginia. A faculty member since 2019, she currently teaches as an assistant professor of engineering and physics. Dr. Gervasio is also involved with several college-wide initiatives, including service as chair of the assessment committee and director of the Honors Summer Research Program.

Dr. Gervasio holds a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Virginia Tech.

Sonja Pruitt-Lord was promoted from interim vice provost to permanent vice provost for academic affairs at San Diego State University, where she has taught for the past two decades. A professor in the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Dr. Pruitt-Lord has served in several leadership roles throughout her tenure, including associate dean in the College of Health and Human Services and director of the joint doctoral program in language and communicative disorders. Her research focuses on improving assessment and intervention for children to reduce disparities in health and education.

Dr. Pruitt-Lord holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a Ph.D. in communications sciences and disorders from Louisiana State University.

Trina Fletcher has been named founding executive director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Dr. Fletcher, an associate professor of engineering and industrial technology, management, and applied engineering, currently serves as the university’s vice chancellor for research and innovation. Previously, she was an associate professor at Florida International University.

Dr. Fletcher is an alumna of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where she majored in industrial technology. She holds a master’s degree in operations management from the University of Arkansas, a second master’s degree in engineering management from George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in engineering education from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Rhea Banerjee will join the North Carolina State University faculty in August as an assistant teaching professor in counseling and counselor education in the College of Education. Currently, Dr. Banerjee is an assistant teaching professor in the department of psychiatric rehabilitation and counseling professions at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Her research centers on culturally responsive counseling practices with a specific focus on reducing stigma and improving mental health help-seeking among international and immigrant populations.

Dr. Banerjee holds a master’s degree in applied psychology from Women’s Christian College in India and both a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from Pennsylvania State University.

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