Promotions of Lecturers and Faculty with Modified Titles on the Charles River Campus

From Dr. Gloria Waters, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Each year, we have the pleasure of recognizing the promotions of talented faculty on the Charles River Campus to the ranks of full and associate professor, as we did in June.

Other faculty colleagues, equally important to our teaching and research mission, have their promotions reviewed in the schools and colleges throughout the academic year. These accomplished educators are among our most devoted teachers, scholars, mentors, and contributors to their schools’ and students’ success.

President Gilliam and I are pleased to recognize the promotions of 45 faculty members on the Charles River campus during the 2024-2025 academic year. Their commitment to their work, in service of their students and the world, represents the very best of what Boston University has to offer across a diverse range of fields.

Please join us in recognizing our colleagues for their commitment to excellence in teaching and scholarship and congratulating them on their promotions.

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES 

Angelica Avcikurt, Romance Studies, teaches courses ranging from introductory, intermediate, and advanced language to translation theory and anti-racist pedagogy. She is especially interested in sociolinguistics, theology, translation, and the cultures of the Caribbean. A linguist by training, she has completed extensive work in pragmatics and linguistic variation. Her doctoral research examines language change and death in the Judeo-Spanish speaking community in Istanbul, Turkey. She also dedicates her time to Terrier F1RSTS, which focuses on providing support and mentorship to first-generation students. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Gavin Benke, Writing Program, teaches first-year writing seminars, including Narratives of Finance and The 2008 Financial Crisis, an elective in public writing, as well as courses in the Kilachand Honors College and Cross-College Challenge. A scholar of business history, Benke is the author of Risk and Ruin: Enron and the Culture of American Capitalism and many other publications and presentations on business history. He has been promoted to master lecturer.

Jacob Burg, Writing Program, is an associate director for the Writing Center. He teaches first-year writing seminars on genre fiction and courses preparing undergraduate writing consultants to tutor their peers. Burg has contributed to the Writing Program’s curricular approach to portfolios and created teaching resources on critical language awareness. He publishes and presents on writing pedagogy and mentoring. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Alexis Courtney, Chemistry, teaches Organic Chemistry I and Principles of Organic Chemistry. She also teaches the organic chemistry Integrated Science Experience, providing a specialized lab curriculum that integrates theory and techniques from multiple disciplines, simulating modern medicinal chemistry research. Outside the classroom, she has developed an updated lab curriculum for the year-long organic chemistry sequence. She also conducts chemistry education research and regularly presents her work at chemistry education conferences. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Thomas Enkosky, Mathematics, has taught courses spanning a wide array of topics, including applied algebra, applied statistics, calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, graph theory, introductory statistics, mathematics of personal finance, multivariable calculus, optimization methods, probability, and real analysis over the past decade. He developed a new course on graph theory, as well as fully online courses in Elementary Statistics and Calculus I. His research interests are in graph theory, combinatorics, and discrete mathematics. He serves as the departmental summer term coordinator and regularly as a teaching fellow coordinator. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Perta Hundemer-Friedman, World Languages & Literatures, teaches German language at all levels, along with advanced, content-based courses in Science and Culture and Music, Art, and History in the German-speaking World. She coordinates the German program with energy, diligence, and a flair for organizing co-curricular events, including an interesting series on German climate activism supported by a grant from the German government. In addition to curriculum revision and extensive outreach and advising, she played an instrumental role in setting up the study abroad program in Berlin. She gives talks on campus and at regional and national conferences and co-organized the Boston Area Pedagogy Conference. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Jessica Kent, Writing Program, is the associate director of the Writing Program. They teach classes on the graphic memoir and lead a range of initiatives advocating for inclusion and accessibility in the classroom and the workplace. Kent has also collaborated closely with Neuroscience, Economics, and Math/Statistics to help those units develop discipline-specific writing pedagogies. They publish and present on writing in the disciplines, accessible pedagogy, and equitable grading practices. They have been promoted to master lecturer.

Myeongok Lee, World Languages & Literatures, teaches Japanese language at all levels, as well as Japanese for the Professions and Japanese Media. She develops supplemental materials to enhance proficiency and assigns a “challenge project” to allow students to research topics of personal interest. As coordinator of first-year Japanese, one of the largest multi-section courses, she excels at training part-time instructors. She previously organized a seminar with the Boston Career Forum to introduce BU students to career opportunities within Japanese companies. She also presents research at conferences, including a published paperon the perception and production of L2 Sounds delivered at the Princeton Japanese Pedagogy Forum. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Rebecca Loy, Chemistry, teaches introductory organic chemistry lectures and laboratory courses such as Organic Chemistry 1 and 2 and Intensive Organic Chemistry. She has developed new lab curricula to encourage effective engagement of her students and has helped unify and restructure the organic chemistry lecture series for a more equitable learning experience. Her chemical education research focuses on the use of organic chemistry pre-lecture videos in Organic Chemistry 1 and 2 for better lecture engagement and the development of safety videos and activities for undergraduate teaching labs. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Marie McDonough, Writing Program, teaches first-year writing classes on interdisciplinary topics including Indigenous Resistance and The French Revolution, as well as courses in the English department; the Core Curriculum, where she serves as writing coordinator; and the Women, Gender & Sexuality Program, where she has served as director of Graduate Studies. She has published in disability studies and brings this expertise to the writing classroom. She is also a frequent translator of Michel Foucault, with a new translation of his Birth of the Clinic forthcoming in 2026. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Rachel Meade, Political Science, joined Boston University as a lecturer in 2020. She teaches Introduction to Public Policy, Media and Politics in the United States, Public Opinion in American Politics, US Social Movements, Comparative Populism, and Identity Politics. She is preparing a book manuscript on populism in Latin America and the United States, and she regularly engages in public-facing scholarship and commentary on this topic. Meade is a popular advisor for Honors and BA/MA theses. She has helped develop recommendations for revising the department’s Honors Program and implementing pedagogical training for the PhD program. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Swati Mehta Rani, Writing Program, brings expertise in language and literacy to first-year seminars on race, language, and Asian identity. As part of her pedagogical and scholarly interest in social justice, Rani is especially dedicated to mentoring minoritized students. She has chaired the program’s DEIJ committee, served on CAS’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Team, and publishes and presents on inclusive and anti-racist pedagogy. She is a Susan Jackson Award recipient. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Richard Reibstein, Earth & Environment, is an integral part of the law and policy side of teaching for the Department of Earth & Environment, teaching courses such as Law for Sustainability and Research for Environmental Agencies and Organizations. As a government official and citizen volunteer, Reibstein has been a leader in pollution prevention and policy innovation. As an educator at BU, his immersive projects have directly involved students in environmental and public health work, interacting with and developing solutions for real-world issues. Reibstein’s support through teaching and mentoring has helped many students embark on environmental and public health careers. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Joshua Robinson, Archaeology, is an archaeologist with research interests in the paleoecological context of Plio-Pleistocene biological and behavioral adaptations of the human lineage. His primary research is focused on investigating the diets of our ancestors and the environmental context of the Middle to Later Stone Age transition in sub-Saharan Africa. He has received funding for his research from the Leakey Foundation and the American Philosophical Society. As a lecturer in the Archaeology Program, Robinson teaches the large introductory course, Great Discoveries in Archaeology, and upper-level courses on environmental archaeology and archaeological science methods. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Holly Schaaf, Writing Program, offers writing seminars on environmental and ecological themes that include experiential learning, such as Boston Wildlife Now and Biodiverse Sustainability Now. In addition to her expertise in Irish literature, she has published and presented frequently on experiential learning in the writing classroom. Schaaf serves as co-director of Boston Now, the Writing Program’s experiential learning initiative. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Salima Slimane, World Languages & Literatures, teaches Arabic language at all levels, Arab Media, Arab Culture Through Film, as well as French language in Romance Studies. She specializes in developing instructional strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners; she also incorporates social justice into her courses and finds creative ways to connect students with Arabic culture and native speakers. Her exemplary dedication to supporting students earned her a CAS Award for Distinction in First-Year Undergraduate Education. As coordinator of the Arabic Program, she does extensive outreach and extra-curricular planning. She also advocates for education in the greater Boston area, gives talks at local libraries and film festivals, and presents at regional and national conferences. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Etsuko Okita Snyder, World Languages & Literatures, teaches Japanese at all levels, in courses equally rigorous and engaging. She teaches Intensive Kanji, Gateway to Japan, and is planning a new course on anime director Hayao Miyazaki. She organizes immersive cultural events and initiatives to introduce students to Japanese culture, calligraphy, clothing, and food. She also builds bridges with local organizations such as the Showa Boston Institute. She presents her work at regional and national conferences, with a focus on language instruction through innovative practices and new technologies. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Hongyun Sun, World Languages & Literatures, teaches all four levels of Chinese language, as well as advanced content-based courses on Chinese Media and Business Chinese. She developed a new course, funded by a special grant, titled Chinese American Stories: History, Identity, and Community. As the department’s lecturer coordinator, she supports instructors in all ten language programs. She co-authored a textbook, and holds conference talks, lectures, and professional development workshops for K-16 educators. In addition to extensive service to the college, she is president of the New England Chinese Language Teachers Association and advocates in this capacity for Chinese language education. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS 

Douglas Sumi, School of Music, has been an active performer, guest clinician, and resident staff pianist and vocal coach for such organizations as Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, Indianapolis Opera, Opera on Tap, and New Orleans Opera Company since his appointment in 2018. He has also collaborated with such luminaries as Itzhak Perlman, Jennifer Koh, Gustavo Dudamel, and Thomas Ades, and founded a chamber organization entitled Prospect Park Chamber Players. In addition to having taught 12 separate courses during his time at BU, he has maintained an active presence nationally through masterclasses, lectures, and performances. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Steven Weigt, School of Music, has been an active composer, performer, and faculty member at the School of Music since his hiring in 2001. Weigt has been involved in major restructuring of the music theory curriculum and sequence while maintaining a presence as a performer and recorder of contemporary works. He plays a vital role in the School of Music’s academic and artistic work. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

COLLEGE OF GENERAL STUDIES

Sandra Buerger, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, is an expert in environmental microbiology and microbial ecology, and works regularly with undergraduate researchers to both develop their lab skills and engage them in novel research projects. She regularly attends and presents at undergraduate research and education conferences, was a co-editor on a book on career development in the sciences and authored a chapter in a book about the impact and state of research on the human microbiome. In addition to other microbial ecology projects, she is currently collaborating on a project involving bacterial communities in marine animals. She is a two-time past recipient of the Ismail Sensel Award for teaching and scholarship. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Stephanie Byttebier, Rhetoric, teaches courses as part of the Boston-London program in the College of General Studies (CGS); she also regularly teaches electives at Kilachand Honors College (KHC). Byttebier serves as the chair of the rhetoric division at CGS, and she won the Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2023. Her research currently focuses on the impact of service learning, which she engages in with her students in conjunction with the Boston Debate League. Byttebier has served on several university-wide committees including Faculty Council, the University Advising Network, the KHC advisory board, and the Provost’s Faculty Teaching Awards Committee. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Rick Cole, Rhetoric, teaches courses in composition and rhetoric. He has been an active member of the Boston-London program since 2018. For his dedication to student-oriented service and excellence in teaching, he has been nominated for numerous awards across the University. He regularly attends national and regional conferences on writing pedagogy. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Sheila Cordner, Humanities, is a specialist in Victorian literature and a pioneer in experiential learning. She has published in both scholarly journals and public-facing outlets on topics ranging from  Aurora Leigh to Roald Dahl. The author of Education in Nineteenth-Century British Literature (2016) and the children’s book Who’s Hiding in This Book? Meet Ten Famous Authors (2019), she has a forthcoming historical series aimed at middle-grade readers. Through her service-learning projects, she has partnered with many Boston-area organizations and contributed to numerous curriculum-reform efforts across the university. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Michael Holm, Social Sciences, teaches courses in the Boston-London program; he also serves as chair of the social sciences division. Holm has published two books, How Democracy Survives: Global Challenges in the Anthropocene (2022), and The Marshall Plan: A New Deal for Europe (2016). He also co-hosted an international conference on the future of democracy in conjunction with the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, and he serves as a Faculty Research Fellow at the Pardee Center for the Study of the Long-Range Future. He was promoted to master lecturer.

Beth Kramer, Rhetoric, teaches courses in composition and rhetoric with research interests in writing and podcasting pedagogy. She is a frequent speaker at national and regional conferences and a co-founder of the Humanities Podcast Network. She is a co-editor of the upcoming Palgrave Handbook of Humanities Podcasting and co-author of the Digital Teaching Manual for Podcast Pedagogy. She has been an active member of the Boston-London faculty since 2017 and is recognized within the division for her innovation in teaching. She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Scott Marr, Social Sciences, is a historian who specializes in sixteenth and seventeenth century French religious and political history. He is the author of “Protestants Under the Edict of Nantes (1598-1685)” in the Routledge Encyclopedia of the Renaissance World. His work has also appeared in the journal French Historical Studies. He has taught at Boston University since 2010. He has been promoted to master lecturer.

Daniela Melo, Social Sciences, is a political scientist who specializes in social movements, European politics, and Portuguese politics. She is the editor of The Captains’ Coup: From Dictatorship to Democracy in Portugal (1974-1976) (2025) and editor and contributor to After the Carnations: Social Movements in Portugal Since the 25 April 1974 Revolution (2025). She is a former Fulbright Fellow, co-founder and chair of the board of The New Bedford Light, an innovative digital news outlet, as well as a political analyst for CNN Portugal. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

QUESTROM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Ann Marie Asadoorian, Accounting, has been a member of the department for 20 years and transitioned to full-time lecturer in 2021. With a background that includes earning her CPA, working at KPMG, and running her own tax and accounting practice, she brings a wealth of real-world experience to her teaching. She has taught over 100 sections of Managerial Accounting, with students praising her teaching for its clarity, enthusiasm, real-world applicability, and supportive approach.  She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Yoo Jin Chung, Management & Organizations, joined the department in 2011 and became a full-time lecturer in 2014. Her teaching is widely praised for its engagement and impact. She advises independent concentrators, supports the Center for Team Learning, and led the Humphrey Fellows Program for several years until its conclusion. Chung has received the Broderick Award for Excellence in Teaching and the James E. Freeman Leadership Development Award.  She has been promoted to master lecturer.

Moshe Cohen, Management & Organizations, has been with the Questrom School of Business for 25 years, becoming a full-time senior lecturer in 2017. He teaches negotiation and leadership across graduate programs and is known for his dynamic, student-centered approach. He has contributed to curriculum development, faculty mentoring, and cross-campus engagement. Cohen has published three books and numerous articles, and his thought leadership in negotiation and leadership has elevated Questrom’s national and international reputation. He has been promoted to master lecturer.

Paul Cosway, Strategy & Innovation, joined the department in 2015 and has taught the core undergraduate course Strategy, Innovation, and Global Competition (SI 422) to nearly 3,000 students. He has contributed significantly to the evolution of the SI 422 curriculum, experimenting with new methods of assessments and mentoring students. As evidenced by the lines of students outside his office door, Cosway is appreciated for his accessibility and commitment to learning.  He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

John DeVoy, Finance, joined the department as a full-time lecturer in 2022 after serving as an adjunct since 2014. With expertise in asset management and distressed debt, he brings valuable industry insight to his teaching. He has taught and coordinated graduate and undergraduate courses, helped redesign core curricula, and earned multiple honors, including the James E. Freeman Leadership Development Award, Beckwith Teaching Award, and Broderick Award for Excellence in Teaching.  He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Paul “Hutch” Hutchinson, Management & Organizations, joined the department over 15 years ago and became full-time faculty in 2013. His teaming and leadership courses are foundational to the graduate curriculum. He has developed experiential materials for the online MBA, leads mental health training, and directs Graduate Teaming. Known for his transformative teaching, Hutchinson supports numerous Questrom initiatives. He has received the Broderick Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Graduate Community, Questrom Award for Institutional Leadership, and James E. Freeman Leadership Development Award. He has been promoted to master lecturer.

Dionne Lomax, Markets, Public Policy & Law, joined the department in 2019. A former Department of Justice trial attorney and law firm partner, Lomax brings deep expertise in antitrust law and mergers & acquisitions, teaching courses in business law, healthcare antitrust, and crisis management. Dionne has served as Faculty-in-Residence at the Questrom Center for DEI, advises the Black Business Students Association, and is a recipient of the Broderick Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning and the James E. Freeman Leadership Development Award.  She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Louis Salemy, Finance, joined the department in 2016 and became a full-time lecturer in 2022. He has developed high-enrollment electives blending theory with real-world finance and created a no-credit financial modeling workshop supporting career readiness. He serves on departmental committees and fosters collaboration between research faculty and teaching faculty. His work has improved student outcomes and recruitment. He is also a recipient of the Dean’s Teaching Fellow Award, Beckwith Award for Excellence in Teaching, and James E. Freeman Leadership Development Award. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

SARGENT COLLEGE OF HEALTH & REHABILITATION SCIENCES 

Anne Escher, Occupational Therapy, is an expert in clinical occupational therapy for adults in community-based settings and inclusive teaching and learning in higher education. She was made a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association in 2024 in recognition of her significant contributions to her profession. She is the author of “Inclusive Teaching and Learning for Occupational Therapy Experiential Education” and the principal investigator of a scholarly project to improve the health of individuals living in the Middlesex County House of Correction. She has been promoted to clinical associate professor.

Lisa Roberts, Health Sciences, is an expert in muscle physiology and human anatomy, and specializes in inclusive pedagogy and curriculum design. She co-directs BU’s Queer Understanding Equity and Educational Research lab, investigating inclusion and diversity in STEM education. She is a recognized leader and invited speaker on inclusive pedagogy at national and international meetings. She has authored numerous papers and is a past recipient of the Whitney R. Powers Award for Teaching Excellence. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

David Sechrest, Occupational Therapy, is the senior writing coordinator at Sargent College and an expert in instructing undergraduate students in writing. He is an experienced instructor who has taught more than eighty times at Sargent College since 2012 and demonstrated substantial leadership in developing writing-intensive components of courses as part of the Core Curriculum Committee. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Craig Slater, Occupational Therapy, is an expert in interprofessional education (IPE). Trained as a clinical occupational therapist, he has developed the IPE curriculum at Sargent College. His publications, book chapters, and presentations focus on healthcare leadership, team-based care, and advancing health professions education through collaborative, simulation-based, and self-directed learning approaches. He is a former committee chair of the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative and is currently on the steering committee of Interprofessional Research.Global. He has been promoted to clinical associate professor.

SCHOOL OF LAW

Julie A. Dahlstrom, Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Program, is an expert in human trafficking, immigration, public interest, gender-based violence, and clinical legal education. She serves as the Associate Dean of Experiential Education and co-chairs the Clinical Section of the Association of American Law School. Dahlstrom directs the Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Program, in which students provide pro bono representation. Her research on these topics is published in leading law journals and she frequently contributes to public conversation. She has been promoted to clinical professor.

Cody Jacobs, Legal Research and Writing, is an expert in Second Amendment and firearms policy, on which he frequently provides media commentary. Jacobs helped develop a new transactional curriculum for the lawyering program. Prior to academia, Jacobs was a staff attorney at the Giffords Law Center and recognized by the ACLU of Southern California with the Access to Justice Award for his pro bono work. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 

Rick Cresta, Clinical Department, is a dedicated educator, practitioner, and advocate who has made a lasting impact on the school and the field through his decades-long commitment to trauma-informed, culturally responsive care. Cresta teaches courses in clinical practice, substance use, ethics, and group work. In 2024, graduating students honored Cresta with the Excellence in Teaching Award, an accolade that reflects his outstanding dedication to teaching and mentorship. Outside the classroom, he is a frequent trainer and consultant for schools, mental health centers, law enforcement, and youth-serving organizations across the region. His contributions have helped shape culturally competent responses to youth violence, substance use, and trauma in underserved communities. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

WHEELOCK COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 

Gregory Benoit, Teaching & Learning, is a mathematics educator whose scholarship bridges culturally responsive pedagogy, game-based learning, and digital clinical simulations. He has published widely on mathematics identity, equity, and popular culture representations of math, including pioneering work on memes as vehicles for critical reflection. As assistant director of the Earl Center for Learning & Innovation, he develops creative practice spaces for teachers. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He has been promoted to senior lecturer.

Ariel Tichnor-Wagner, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, is an education policy scholar whose research centers on policy implementation, equity-focused school improvement, civic education, and global citizenship. Author of Becoming a Globally Competent Teacher and Becoming a Globally Competent School Leader, and a former Gordon Marshall Scholar, she leads funded projects with Boston Public Schools and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She has been promoted to senior lecturer.

AY2025 Promotions of Lecturers and Faculty with Modified Titles on the Charles River
Campus – 11.10.25