Nineteen new faculty members joined the ranks of the teaching professionals at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College this week as ABAC prepares for the start of the fall semester on Aug. 13. 

In the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the new faculty members include Dr. Olumide Aborisade, assistant professor of agricultural economics/agribusiness; Dr. Shannon D. Kidombo, assistant professor of forestry, and Dr. Farish Mulkey, Jr., assistant professor of agricultural education.

Dr. Matthew Anderson, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and a professor of psychology, heads up the new faculty in that area.  Other new faculty in Arts and Sciences include Dr. Mathew Casimiro, assistant professor of biology; Dr. Sara Eastwood, assistant professor of band; Arielle Hunt, anatomy and physiology lab instructor; Dr. Eric Larson, assistant professor of rural sociology; Dr. Rajanikanth Rajendran, assistant professor of mathematics; Sarah Rooks, biology lab instructor; Dr. Joseph Weakland, lecturer of English; Dr. Shubha Chatterjee, lecturer of psychology; and Dr. Israel Martinez-Franco, part-time lecturer.

In the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, the new nursing lecturers include Sarah Roberts, Monica Springer, Crosby Steen, and Hannah Whitaker.  New faculty members in the Stafford School of Business include Jeffrey Conley, lecturer of economics; and Randy Minton, lecturer in business.

The new faculty members, their positions at ABAC and their academic credentials are as follows:

School of Agriculture and Natural Resources

DR. OLUMIDE ABORISADE, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness. Ph.D. (Agricultural and Applied Economics), Texas Tech University; M.S. (Environmental & Natural Resource Economics), University of Birmingham, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Technology (Agricultural Economics & Extension), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria.

DR. SHANNON D. KIDOMBO, Assistant Professor of Forestry. Ph.D. (Renewable Natural Resources), Louisiana State University and A&M College; M.S. (Urban Forestry), Southern University and A&M College; B.S. (Forestry), Moi University.

DR. FARISH A. MULKEY, JR., Assistant Professor of Agricultural Education. Ph.D. (Agricultural Education), Texas A&M University; M.Ed. and B.S. (Agricultural Education), University of Georgia.

School of Arts & Sciences

DR. MATTHEW J. ANDERSON, Professor of Psychology and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. Ph.D. and M.A. (Experimental Psychology), Kent State University; B.A. (Psychology), Susquehanna University.

DR. MATHEW C. CASIMIRO, Assistant Professor of Biology.  Ph.D. (Microbiology), University of Sunderland; M.S. (Biochemistry), University of Sussex at Brighton; B.S. (Molecular Biology), University of Portsmouth.

DR. SARA K. EASTWOOD, Assistant Professor of Band. D.M. (Music Performance), Florida State University; M.M. and B.M. (Clarinet Performance), University of Michigan.

ARIELLE L. HUNT, Anatomy & Physiology Lab Instructor. M.S. (Exercise Science), Florida State University; B.S. (Kinesiology), Arizona State University.

DR. ERIC C. LARSON, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology. Ph.D.  (Rural Sociology), Pennsylvania State University; M.S. (Sociology), Utah State University; B.S. (Sociology), Southern Utah University.

DR. RAJANIKANTH RAJENDRAN, Assistant Professor of Mathematics. Ph.D. (Mathematics), University of North Texas; B.S. (Mathematics), University of Peradeniya.

SARAH A. ROOKS, Biology Lab Instructor.  B.S. (Biology) and A.S. from ABAC, completed 21 credit hours in immunology and food microbiology, toxicology, chemistry & analysis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

DR. JOSEPH P. WEAKLAND, Lecturer of English.  Ph.D. (English), University of Florida; M.A. and B.A. (English), Florida Gulf Coast University.

DR. SHUBHA CHATTERJEE, Counselor in Student Development and Lecturer of Psychology.  Ed.D. (Prof Counseling & Supervision) University of West Georgia; Ed.S. (Professional Counseling) University of West Georgia; M.S. (Mental Health Counseling) and M.S. (Art Therapy), Emporia State University; M.S. (Management of Children with Learning Disorders), Bangalore University; B.A. (Education) and B.A. (Visual Arts), Rabindra Bharati University; B.S. (Biology) Calcutta University.

DR. ISRAEL MARTINEZ-FRANCO, part-time Lecturer. A 2017-18 Fulbright Scholar, he received the following degrees from National Autonomous University of Mexico: Doctor of Medicine, Master’s in Health Systems Management and Specialty in Executive Management.

School of Nursing & Health Sciences

SARAH K. ROBERTS, Lecturer of Nursing.  M.S. and B.S. (Nursing), University of Alabama at Birmingham.

MONICA A. SPRINGER, Lecturer of Nursing. M.S. and B.S. (Nursing), Nova Southeastern University; A.S., Pasco-Hernando Community College.

CROSBY T. STEEN, Lecturer of Nursing. M.S. (Nursing Education), B.S. (Healthcare Administration) and A.A. (Health Care Administration), University of Phoenix; A.S. (Nursing), Bainbridge State College. 

HANNAH W. WHITAKER, Lecturer of Nursing. M.S. (Nursing), Walden University; B.S. (Nursing), Georgia Southern University.

Stafford School of Business

JEFFREY W. CONLEY, Lecturer of Economics.  M.S (Economics), Florida State University; B.A. (Economics), University of Michigan-Flint.

RANDY F. MINTON, Lecturer in Business. M.B.A., Nova Southeastern University; B.A. (Accounting), University of St. Francis.