Five Women Scholars Who Are Taking on New Duties at Universities

Jeannine Tang was appointed an assistant professor of performance studies at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, effective for the 2023-24 academic year. Currently, Dr. Tang is an assistant professor of modern/contemporary art history & visual studies at The New School in New York City.

Dr. Tang is a graduate of the National University of Singapore, where she majored in English literature. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in the history of art from Courtauld Institute of Art in London.

Kimberly Christen, professor and chair of the department of digital technology and culture in the College of Arts and Sciences at Washington State University, has been given the added duties of associate vice chancellor for research advancement and partnerships. Her research and scholarship explore the intersections between data management, software systems, and information ethics.

Professor Christen holds a Ph.D. in the history of consciousness from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Phaedra Corso has been named associate vice president and vice chancellor for research at Indiana University-Indianapolis. She will also hold a tenured faculty position in the Fairbanks School of Public Health at the university. She has been serving as vice president for research at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. She has also held several leadership positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Dr. Corso earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master of public administration degree from the University of Georgia. She holds a Ph.D. in health policy from Harvard University.

Leslie LaConte has been named associate dean for research at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke. Dr. LaConte joined the faculty at the medical school in 2011. She holds faculty appointments as an associate professor of basic science education and as an associate research professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.

LaConte earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Denver. She holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota and did postdoctoral work at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Bree Alexander was appointed clinical assistant professor and interim coordinator for the bachelor of social work degree program at the University of South Carolina. Earlier, she was a school-based therapist at the South Carolina Department of Mental Health.

Dr. Alexander completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Furman University in South Carolina. She earned a master of social work degree at the University of South Carolina and a Ph.D. in social work at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She is the youngest person to ever earn a Ph.D. in social work at Baylor.