2006-2007 New Faculty Brochure

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The College of Education and Human Development has hired 22 full-time, tenure-track and clinical faculty for 2006 - 2007 and will be conducting 14 faculty searches for 2007 - 2008. Our new faculty will broaden and deepen our community’s expertise. Their background and experiences will enhance our ability to prepare professionals and conduct research that will improve the education and health of an increasingly diverse citizenry.

�College of Education and Human Development • Texas A&M University

Mary Alfred has won several awards highlighting her commitment to adult education, including the Commission of Professors of Adult Education Early Career Award and the Cyril O. Houle Scholars of Adult Education Award.

Her research interests include learning and development among women of the Diaspora, sociocultural contexts of immigration, welfare reform as it relates to women’s economic development, and diversity issues in higher education and the workplace. Alfred received her bachelor’s and her master’s from the University of Central Texas and her doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mary Alfred

Mary AlfredAssociate ProfessorEducational Administration and Human Resource Development

7College of Education and Human Development • Texas A&M University

From teaching courses and professional involvement to his number of publications, Fred Bonner has insightful experience into the field of higher education with an emphasis on African-American academic achievement.

Bonner has written publications about higher education including several on academically gifted African-American male college students, teaching in the multicultural classroom and diversity issues in student affairs.

Bonner received his bachelor’s from the University of North Texas, his master’s from Baylor University and his doctorate from the University of Arkansas.

Fred Bonner, II

Fred Bonner, II Associate ProfessorEducational Administration and Human Resource Development

�College of Education and Human Development • Texas A&M University

Anthony Rolle has conducted K-12 education finance and policy research for such organizations as the University of Washington’s Institute for Public Policy & Management, the Washington State Legislature and Democratic House Majority Whip, the Indiana Education Policy Center, and the National Education Association.

His current professional interests intend to contribute to the knowledge of organizational productivity and public finance equity by investigating under-cultivated dimensions. Specifically, Rolle’s primary research explores and improves relative measures of economic efficiency for public schools. His research also explores and applies measures of vertical equity to analyses of state education finance mechanisms.

Rolle received a bachelor’s from Santa Clara University; a master’s from the University of Washington’s Graduate School of Public Affairs; and a doctorate from the School of Education at Indiana University. His work received the American Educational Finance Association’s Jean Flanigan Dissertation Award for his empirical work that modified budget-maximizing theory and questioned traditional notions of efficiency in public education.

Anthony Rolle

Anthony Rolle Associate ProfessorEducational Administration and Human Resource Development


Glenda Byrns hopes that her experience as a speech-language pathologist in private practice, medical settings and in public schools will provide insight and practical application to preservice teachers. Byrns’ experience and goals come together in her research interests of language and language development and preservice teacher education.

Byrns received both her bachelor’s and her master’s from Southwest Texas State University and her doctorate from Texas A&M University.

Glenda Byrns

Glenda Byrns Clinical Assistant ProfessorEducational Psychology


In a world where many people live with chronic diseases, Tim Elliott hopes to study the behavioral, psychological and social factors that influence the health and well being of a person.

Elliott received his bachelor’s from Freed-Hardeman University, his master’s from Auburn University and his doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His research interests include personal and familial adjustment following chronic illness, disability and stress.

Tim Elliott

Tim Elliott ProfessorEducational Psychology

“For several years I have studied the effectiveness of community-based, problem-solving training provided to family caregivers of persons with severe disabilities,” he said. “I plan to continue this work, wrapping up my current grant-supported projects (funded by National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research) and initiating new ones.”

1�College of Education and Human Development • Texas A&M University

Yolanda Padron’s proficiency in both English and Spanish has contributed greatly to her experience in and commitment to bilingual education. Padron has taught a number of elementary school bilingual classes, English-only classes and Spanish-only classes. Additionally, Padron has taught a number of multicultural education classes at the university level.

Padron, who received her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate from the University of Houston, will conduct her research in issues that improve teaching and learning for English language learners.

Yolanda Padron

Yolanda Padron ProfessorEducational Psychology


Lisa Perrott has formed close relationships with administrators and teachers in public and alternative schools throughout her research, and she hopes that strong relationships, strong research skills and a strong work ethic will contribute greatly to her new position at Texas A&M.

Perrott, whose program area will be in special education, received her bachelor’s from Hampton University, her master’s from the College of William and Mary and her doctorate from the University of Virginia. Her research areas are academic and behavioral interventions for students with, or at risk for, behavior disorders and effective instruction for English language learners.

Lisa Bowman Perrott

Lisa Bowman Perrott Assistant ProfessorEducational Psychology


With her extensive research background and her doctoral and postdoctoral training, Demetra Christou is able to use a variety of mechanisms to conduct her research in investigating genetic and cellular/molecular mechanisms involved in the altered cardiovascular-autonomic function with aging/obesity.

Christou, who will focus her research on cardiovascular functions associated with human aging in the area of exercise physiology, received her bachelor’s from Northeast Missouri State University and both her master’s and doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Demetra Christou

Demetra Christou Assistant ProfessorHealth and Kinesiology


As a new professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology, Evangelos Christou is hoping to complement the existing strengths of the department with his own knowledge and expertise in his research area.

Christou will focus his research on neuromuscular mechanisms in human motor performance in the program areas of Exercise Physiology and Motor Behavior. He received his bachelor’s from Truman State University and his master’s and doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Evangelos Christou

Evangelos Christou Assistant ProfessorHealth and Kinesiology

“I think my skills complement the existing strengths of the [department], which include basic muscle physiology and motor behavior.”


Lisako McKyer is poised to bring a unique cultural focus to her area of research upon her arrival to the Department of Health and Kinesiology in the College of Education and Human Development.

McKyer, who speaks fluent Japanese, will focus her research on how environmental and social psychological factors mediate and moderate various health risk and health-promoting behaviors among African-American children and adolescents as well as other youth from disenfranchised groups. She has conducted research in this area cross culturally and has research collaborations taking place in Japan.

McKyer received her bachelor’s from California State University at Northridge and received a master’s and two doctorates from Indiana University. Her program area will be in health.

E. Lisako McKyer

E. Lisako McKyer Assistant ProfessorHealth and Kinesiology


Catherine Quatman, who received her bachelor’s from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and her master’s and doctorate from The Ohio State University, will be focusing her research on organizational behavior, consumer behavior, group dynamics and human resource management. Her program area will be sport management.

Catherine Quatman

Catherine Quatman Assistant ProfessorHealth and Kinesiology


With his qualitative research inquiry skills, John Singer seeks to understand the impact that race and racism has on sport management research, education and practice. Through his research, Singer will explore the impact that professors’ teaching and research has on students and the various stakeholder groups in the sport industry.

Singer will be conducting his research with a focus on career aspirations of marginalized groups in the sport industry. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s from Michigan State University and his doctorate from The Ohio State University.

John Singer

John Singer Assistant ProfessorHealth and Kinesiology


Chris Woodman’s research in vascular biology involves aging and endothelial dysfunction to determine mechanisms of age-induced endothelial dysfunction. Woodman conducts additional research in exercise training and coronary disease as well as training, muscle blood flow and capillary dynamics.

Woodman received his bachelor’s in biology from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, and his master’s in exercise science and doctorate in physiology from the University of Arizona. Prior to his appointment at Texas A&M, he worked as a research assistant professor in biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri. He also has been the recipient of the National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award from 1��7-2000, as well as a variety of other honors and awards.

Chris Woodman

Chris WoodmanAssistant ProfessorHealth and Kinesiology


Tracy Collins has taught almost every early childhood age group from infants to preschoolers. From her experience working with young children and their families before returning to graduate school, Collins has gained a variety of insight and interest in her research field.

Collins, who will be focusing her research on literacy development and parenting in the early childhood development program, earned her bachelor’s from Linfield College, a master’s of science from Wheelock College and her master’s of education and her doctorate from Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

Tracy Collins

Tracy CollinsAssistant ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture

“I’m definitely bringing a love and enjoyment of working with young children — I taught infants, toddlers and preschoolers for seven years before returning to graduate school,” she said. “With those years of working with children and families, I have a lot of experience to draw on.”


Trina Davis has been committed to furthering instructional technology in education through many projects. As the president-elect of the International Society for Technology in Education and her involvement in several technology programs in the College of Education and Human Development, Davis is providing leadership and service to advancing technology in education.

Davis’ research focus will be on technology integration in teacher education in the program area of instructional design. Through her research she has looked at e-learning environments and statewide school technology progress. She received her bachelor’s from Virginia Commonwealth University, her master’s from Prairie View A&M University and her doctorate from Texas A&M University.

Trina Davis

Trina DavisAssistant ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture


With dissertation research conducted in Singapore and her current research in bilingual education, Dixon shows a commitment to bilingualism and second language acquisition.

Dixon received her bachelor’s from Bryn Mawr College and her master’s and her doctorate from Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Dixon’s area of research will be in the language and literacy development of bilingual children from early childhood through school age. She will specifically be looking at the Mexican-American population living in Texas and what kinds of programs can help preschool and school-aged children attain high levels of academic achievement in U.S. schools.

Quentin Dixon

Quentin DixonAssistant ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture

“I’m excited to be joining a faculty already strong in qualitative research,” she said. “And, I look forward to many kinds of rich collaboration among the faculty here.”


In her research collaborations with Harvard University, University of California at Berkeley and Boston University, Terry Jimarez has gained an enhanced working knowledge of teaching strategies. Her goal is to successfully pass on this knowledge to preservice teachers and to ultimately increase student learning.

Jimarez received her bachelor’s from the University of Texas El Paso, her master’s from Gannon University and her doctorate from New Mexico State University. Her research areas of interest include constructivist strategies, teacher preparation in pedagogical content knowledge and authentic assessment: performance-based and embedded assessment.

Terry Jimarez

Terry JimarezClinical Assistant ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture


While passionate about his research, Chance Lewis is excited about having the chance to mentor graduate students to produce their own quality research.

Lewis obtained his bachelor’s and master’s from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his doctorate from Colorado State University. His areas of research while at Texas A&M will focus on preparation of teachers for urban classrooms, recruitment of minority teachers in urban educational settings and academic achievement issues for urban students.

Chance Lewis

Chance LewisAssociate ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture

“[Research] will allow these students to pursue academic positions at prestigious universities or to become leaders in their respective fields as educational practitioners.”


In a subject area that can be hard for students to understand, Yeping Li is committed to developing ways for students to better comprehend and for teachers to better present mathematics material.

Li has written several publications on mathematics curriculum with topics ranging from middle school mathematics textbooks to cross-cultural comparisons of mathematics curriculum and instructional materials.

Li received his bachelor’s from Hangzhou Normal University, his master’s from Beijing Normal University and his doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

Yeping Li

Yeping LiAssociate ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture


Erin McTigue combines two very different backgrounds and brings them together in the educational reading field: science and elementary literacy. With her experience, she hopes to explore ways of designing more accessible science texts for students.

McTigue, who received her master’s from Wellesley College and received her doctorate from the University of Virginia, will be focusing her research on promoting a better understanding of effective literacy instruction. Specifically, she is interested in looking at how elementary and middle school children comprehend science texts and the role graphics play in helping or hindering student comprehension of science material.

Erin McTigue

Erin McTigueAssistant ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture

“There is much evidence that students often struggle more with science texts than their other content area texts, but the specific reasons behind this phenomenon are unclear.”


Hersh Waxman’s career as an inner-city public school elementary and secondary school teacher in Chicago had a profound impact on him as an educator.

Waxman’s research will focus on equity, excellence and social justice issues such as closing the achievement gap and improving the education of students at risk of failure.

Hersh Waxman

Hersh WaxmanProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture

“My teaching experiences have made me aware of the importance of quality teaching, especially for students from socially and economically disadvantaged circumstances.”


Bugrahan Yalvac hopes to bring a new perspective to the teaching and learning context of the nature of science upon his arrival to Texas A&M. He wants to bring a “sociological nature of science” perspective that will help students develop their own understandings through their own experience and practice.

Yalvac earned both his bachelor’s and master’s from Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, and his doctorate from Pennsylvania State University. At Texas A&M, his research area will be science education with a focus on writing and communities of practice in science teaching. Particularly, he would like to focus on how and why scientific knowledge is constructed, what students think about it and ways students can enhance their understanding of science.

Bugrahan Yalvac

Bugrahan YalvacAssistant ProfessorTeaching, Learning and Culture

“Instead of presenting students the ‘best’ understandings of science, we should let them develop their ‘own’ understandings.”

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4222 TAMUCollege Station, TX 77843-4222

2006-2007 New Faculty Brochure

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