At the Honors College, we take pride in the exceptional quality of our instructors. Below you will find brief summaries of our faculty’s many accomplishments as both academics and educators.
Robin Amonker, Professor
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Robin Amonker has been teaching at MSU in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology since 1968. He has earned several awards including Service and Research Awards in the College of Humanities and Public Affairs, as well as an Excellence in Teaching Award and an Outstanding IDS 110 Teacher of the Year Award from MSU. Dr. Amonker teaching interests include Demography and Population Study, Urban Sociology, Social Problems, and Introduction to Society. Because of his research and publications, Dr. Amonker has conducted over forty scholarly presentations at the international, national, state, and regional levels.
Mahua Barari, Professor
Department of Economics/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Mahua Barari earned her Ph.D. in Economics with concentration in International Economics and Agriculture Production and Finance. Dr. Barari was the Acting Head of the Economics Department in 2005-2006. She has received College of Humanities and Public Affairs Research and Teaching Awards. Dr. Barari’s research interests include International Economics and Financial Markets.
James Baumlin, Professor
Department of English/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. James Baumlin earned his Ph.D. in English Literature from Brown University. His research areas include Seventeenth-Century English poetry, the history of rhetoric, historical and contemporary literary criticism, and composition theory and pedagogy. Aside from his dedication to research and his extensive repertoire of publications, Dr. Baumlin also has written creative works like Vaudeville! and Messiah Live (co-authored with Tita French Baumlin) which are both scripts for musical dramas. Dr. Baumlin has received the MSU College Award for Teaching and the MSU University Award for Research.
Timothy Bender, Professor
Department of Psychology/ College of Health and Human Services
Dr. Timothy Bender has been teaching in the Psychology department at MSU since 1983. He is clearly dedicated to research and education as he has published numerous journal articles and book chapters, as well as presented his findings at the regional, state, and national levels. Dr. Bender has created over thirty internet demonstrations and tutorials to aid others in the teaching of psychology. His research interests include the psychology of humor and students’ learning from classroom demonstrations. Dr. Bender is a past recipient of the University Teaching Award at MSU.
Anita Brand, Lecturer
Department of Accounting/ College of Business Administration
Anita Brand earned her Masters of Business Administration from Missouri State University. She was an auditor for the United States Air Force for over thirty years before becoming a part of the Honors College faculty. Ms. Brand’s research interests are Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting.
Margaret Buckner, Associate Professor
Department of Sociology and Anthropology/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Margaret Buckner received her Ph.D. from the University of Paris in 1993. Previously, she was a Medical Anthropologist employed by the Medical Research Council (London) for an HIV research project in West Africa. She is fluent in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Zande, Sango, Manjako, and Portuguese Creole.
Marcus Cafagña, Associate Professor
Department of English/ College of Arts and Letters
Marcus Cafagña has been teaching Creative Writing classes and American Literature through poetry at MSU since 1998. A well respected poet, Mr. Cafagña has published two books of poetry, Roman Fever and The Broken World. His talents have earned him nominations for prestigious awards such as the Missouri Arts Award and the Pushcart Prize in Poetry. His work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals such as American Poetry Review, The Iowa Review, Ploughshares, Poetry, The Southern Review, TriQuarterly, among many others.
John Catau, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs/ Professor
Department of Geography, Geology, and Planning/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. John Catau came to MSU in 1978 as Assistant Professor of Geography. Later he was named to administrative positions such as Director of the Center for Assessment and Instructional Support (1988-1991), Acting Head of Geography, Geology and Planning (Fall, 1994), Associate Dean of the University College (1995-2006), and Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Programs (2006-present). Dr. Catau is also the faculty advisor to Golden Key International Honor Society. Aside from his administrative duties, Dr. Catau also teaches Freshman Honors Seminar.
John Chuchiak, Assistant Professor/ Young Honors College Professor 2007-2010
Department of History/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
As one of the first two recipients of the Young Honors College Professorships, Dr. John Chuchiak is planning on starting an Honors Student research journal. He has already worked extensively with students on research projects, and he believes these projects could result in co-authored works for publication and/or conference presentations. Also, Dr. Chuchiak plans to develop an Honors section of his Latin American History course with a study abroad component. Aside from his work with the Honors College, Dr. Chuchiak is also very dedicated to improving the History Department. He has been involved in re-designing and creating the History Department’s new undergraduate curricula in World History. Dr. Chuchiak has received Research, Teaching, and Service Awards from the College of Humanities and Public Affairs.
Thomas Dicke, Professor
Department of History/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Dicke earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 1988. His research interests are business, education, and the Ozarks. Dr. Dicke also devotes time to service through work with groups such as the Springfield Public Schools Social Studies Development Committee. At MSU, he has been involved with SOAR and currently serves on the Honors Committee and as Faculty Advisor for Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society. Dr. Dicke has won MSU College Service and Teaching Awards.
Randy Dillon, Professor
Department of Communication/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Randy Dillon came to MSU in 1994. Since then, he has been teaching all levels of Communication classes ranging from COM 115, Fundamentals of Public Speaking, to graduate courses like COM 632, Small Group Communication. Dr. Dillon’s areas of interests in teaching and research are intercultural communication, communication theory, public dialogue, and diversity. In 2006, Dr. Dillon received an MSU Teaching Award for his work in the Communication Department, and in 2002 he received a Service Award from the College of Arts and Letters.
Richard Garrad, Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical Sciences/ College of Health and Human Services
Dr. Richard Garrad earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology from Miami University in 1993. He is an avid researcher and has been awarded multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Garrad won the College of Health and Human Services Faculty Research Award in 2003. He is currently studying the way in which the P2 nucleotide receptors function at the molecular and physiological levels.
Larry George, Professor
Department of Modern and Classical Languages/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Larry George earned his Ph.D. in German from Michigan State University in 1971 and has been teaching at Missouri State University ever since. Dr. George is a former member of the Foreign Language Association of Missouri and Missouri Folklore Association. He has served as President of the Springfield Little Theater and American Association of Teachers of German.
Nicolay Gerasimchuk, Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. Nicolay Gerasimchuk received his first Ph.D. in coordination chemistry from Kiev State University, Kiev, Ukraine, and a second Ph.D. in bioinorganic chemistry from the University of Kansas. Dr. Gerasimchuk has authored or co-authored 67 journal articles since 1982 and has presented at 34 conferences.
Brian Greene, Assistant Professor
Department of Biology/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. Brian Greene earned his Masters of Science in Biology from MSU in 1988. After receiving his Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences in 1993, Dr. Greene returned to MSU to teach. His research is primarily focused on the ecology and conservation of reptiles, particularly snakes. He addresses population-level questions involving foraging ecology, reproductive life history, demography, activity patterns, spatial ecology, and habitat selection. Dr. Greene has received both the Excellence in Teaching Award and the Excellence in Service Award from the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.
Christopher Herr, Assistant Professor
Department of Theatre and Dance/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Christopher Herr is the Director of the Graduate Program in Theatre and a member of Faculty Senate. He has experience at all levels of production from playwright to performer to director. He performed in Vaudeville/Gillioz Gala at Missouri State University, and he directed stage productions such as Waiting for Lefty and The Trail to Fallen Timbers on the California State University campus and with North Coast Theatre respectively. Dr. Herr teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on Theatre History, Contemporary Theatre, Development of Modern Theatre, as well as a Freshman Honors Seminar.
Steven Jones, Professor
Department of Education/ College of Education
Dr. Steven Jones is the Assistant to the Director of the School of Teacher Education. He has designed and developed the Academy for Educational Studies, led a university-wide effort to redesign secondary education, and helped design the MAT program at MSU. Dr. Jones has been in the field of education since 1977, where he began his career as a high school English teacher. Dr. Jones has his MA in Educational Administration and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.
Rajinder Jutla, Professor
Department of Geography, Geology, and Planning/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. Rajinder Jutla has both a Masters of Science in Planning and a Masters of Landscape Architecture. He has also earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning. Dr. Jutla’s teaching and research interests include history and theory of planning, history of urban form, and urban design theory. He has received Excellence in Teaching Awards in 2000 and 2004, and an Excellence in Research Award in 2002. Dr. Jutla has also taught through the Missouri London Program.
Thomas Kane, Professor
Department of Psychology/ College of Health and Human Services
Dr. Thomas Kane earned his Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from George Mason University. Dr. Kane is an accomplished athlete and successful coach, and he brings this experience to his innovative work in Applied Psychology. His research focuses heavily on leadership and motivation in work, athletics, and in the classroom. In his 11 years at Missouri State University, Dr. Kane has won multiple awards from the College of Health and Human Services for research, teaching, and service.
Daniel Kaufman, Associate Professor
Department of Philosophy/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Daniel Kaufman earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy from City University of New York. At MSU, Dr. Kaufman teaches introductory and upper division Philosophy courses. Aside from research and publications, Dr. Kaufman is devoted to service to the University and the Department of Philosophy. He has been on Faculty Senate since 2005, and he designed and administers the Philosophy Department’s graduate advising program. As a member of the Philosophy Curriculum Committee, Dr. Kaufman helped rewrite departmental major and minor requirements.
Russell Keeling, Professor Emeritus
Department of Communication/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Russell Keeling has been at Missouri State University since 1968. Not only is he a distinguished Professor of Communication, but he also served as the Chief Executive Officer and Acting President of Missouri State University in 1992-93. He has held other administrative positions such as Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Letters.
Tim Knapp, Professor
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Tim Knapp earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Kansas in 1991 and has been teaching in the Sociology department at MSU since 1989. Dr. Knapp’s areas of interest include Social Stratification, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Sociological Theory, Sociology of Education, Gender, Ethnicity and Research Methods. He has published several articles and is currently working on “Service-Learning’s Impact on Student Motivation, Civic Skills and Self-Identity.” In 2004, Dr. Knapp received a University Award in Teaching from MSU.
Jack Knight, Professor
Department of Philosophy/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Jack Knight earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1975 and has been teaching at Missouri State University ever since. Dr. Knight’s research interests are Greek thought and African-American philosophy. He has published extensively on a wide variety of philosophical topics, especially over the works of W.E.B. Du Bois.
Richard Martin, Assistant Professor
Department of Computer Science/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. Richard Martin has been at MSU since 1984. He received his MS in Physics from Kansas State University and his Ed.D in Computer Science Education from Nova Southeastern University. Previous to working at the University, Dr. Martin was a Senior Physicist/Systems Analyst at the John Hopkins Physics Lab in Maryland, as well as a Senior Software Engineer at Science Applications International Cooperation.
Victor Matthews, Associate Dean of College of Humanities and Public Affairs/ Professor
Department of Religious Studies/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Victor Matthews has been teaching Religion and History since the late 1970s. His experience at the University is not limited to teaching, however. He has held administrative positions at MSU since the early 1990s. These positions include serving as the Associate Dean of the College of Humanities and Public Affairs and Acting-Head of Economics Department and the Religious Studies Department. Devoted to research, Dr. Matthews has published a vast number of books and journal articles and continues to work with topics from the Old Testament. Dr. Matthews was also an Area Supervisor for the Banias Excavation in Israel.
Fred Maxwell, Professor
Department of Psychology/ College of Health and Human Services
Dr. Fred Maxwell received his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University in 1971 and has been teaching at Missouri State ever since. Dr. Maxwell has served as the Head of the Department of Psychology for 24 years and over the years has amassed an impressive array of research publications in multiple fields of psychological study. Dr. Maxwell has been chairman of the Council of Undergraduate Programs in Psychology and is currently an active member of the St. John’s Institutional Research Board.
Linda Moser, Associate Professor
Department of English/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Linda Trinh Moser is the Director of Graduate Studies in the English Department. She teaches an Honors section of Life Stages in Literature, as well as regular sections of undergraduate and graduate courses such as Ethnic-American Literature, Women’s Literature, Multi-Ethnic American Literature and Theory, and Gender Issues in Language and Literature. In addition to advising and teaching, Dr. Moser also dedicates time to researching and publishing. One of her most recent publications is book she co-edited, “A Half Caste” and Other Writings by Onoto Watanna.
Amy Muchnick, Professor
Department of Music/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Amy Muchnick is a member of the Hawthorne String Trio. She is also the Principal Violist in both the Springfield Symphony and the Springfield Opera. Dr. Muchnick has taught in the Missouri London Summer Program in 2003 and 2005 and will do so again in 2007. She is known for her out-of-the-box teaching styles, such as finger puppet opera and Beethoven Rap.
Michael A. Murray, Professor
Department of Music/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Michael Murray is the cellist for the Hawthorne String Trio, a faculty artist ensemble at MSU. He has also served as Principal Cellist for the Springfield Symphony for over twenty years. Dr. Murray teaches a variety of graduate and undergraduate music courses including music theory and music history classes. He also conducts Orchestral Clinics for the Springfield Public Schools as well as high schools across the country. He is a member of the artist faculty of the nationally acclaimed Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. Dr. Murray is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship at Harvard and is recognized by the College of Arts and Letters Award in Teaching. During his sabbatical Dr, Murray received an Artist/Scholar Residency at the American Academy at Rome.
Eric Nelson, Assistant Professor
Department of History/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Eric Nelson recently came to MSU from the University of Southern Mississippi. Here at MSU, Dr. Nelson teaches both undergraduate courses (World History I) and graduate courses (Explaining the Early Modern European Witchhunts). His research includes recent publications such as The Jesuits and the Monarchy: Catholic Reform and Political Authority in France (1590-1620) and current works-in-progress like “Sacred Spaces and Confessional Coexistence: The Religious Landscape of the Upper Loire Valley (1500-1750)” and “Reconfiguring Space: The Jesuits and the Sacred Landscape.” Dr. Nelson was named the 2006-7 Cameron Research Fellow at the Reformation Studies Institute at the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland.
Rose Mary Owens, Professor
Department of Music/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Rose Mary Owens holds both a Master of Arts in Music History and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Music Education. Dr. Owens has been teaching and performing at Missouri State for 37 years and acts as Coordinator of Vocal Studies for the university. In addition to winning multiple awards and grants for her work, Dr. Owens has been appointed to write the official biography of famed opera singer Dame Eva Turner.
Joel Paddock, Professor
Department of Political Science/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Joel Paddock has been teaching in the Political Science department at MSU for twenty years. His experience lends itself to his research which includes his latest book, State and National Parties and American Democracy. Not only has Dr. Paddock written several articles and book chapters, he has also published numerous teaching materials for texts such as American Politics: Classic and Contemporary Readings and American Government: People, Institutions, and Policies.
Kevin Pybas, Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science/ College of Humanities and Public Affairs
Dr. Kevin Pybas received his Ph.D. from the University of Georgia with specializations in Public Law and Political Theory and American Politics. Dr. Pybas also has experience as an attorney where his concentration was corporate law. He has published articles on the U.S. Supreme Court’s religion jurisprudence and on contemporary liberal political thought. In the early 1990s, he was editor-in-chief of Tulsa Law Journal.
Russell Rhodes, Professor Emeritus
Department of Biology/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. Russell Rhodes has been teaching Biology on the collegiate level since 1966. He is the recipient the University Teaching Award and the Students’ Choice Award, an honor bestowed by the Student Government Association to the most outstanding faculty member on campus. In addition to his impressive teaching credentials, Dr. Rhodes has compiled an impressive list of research publications over the years.
Mark Richter, Professor/ Young Honors College Professor 2007-2010
Department of Chemistry/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. Mark Richter is one of the first two recipients of the Young Honors College Professorships. Dr. Richter devotes much of his time to working on research projects along side his students. He has 48 peer-reviewed articles to his credit, 28 of which were co-authored with students. Dr. Richter currently teaches his popular Honors Course, CHM 160, where his students get to witness him “blow things up” on a regular basis. A well respected teacher, he was nominated by one of his former students for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Dr. Richter was awarded a Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar award for excellence in mentoring student research, and has received several university awards for research. Dr. Richter has also received distinguished awards for teaching such as the Missouri Governor’s Award in Teaching, the University Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the University Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching. As a Young Honors College Professor, Dr. Richter would like to develop more Honors sections of courses in Chemistry including a course with a study away component. He will also continue to advise and conduct research with Honors College students.
Art Spisak, Director of the Honors College/ Professor
Department of Modern and Classical Languages/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Art Spisak was named Director of the Honors College in 2006. Upon becoming Director, Dr. Spisak has secured funds for two Young Honors College Professorships, and he has made changes to the program such as allowing students an extra semester to complete Honors College requirements. He has also developed a Fellowships Office where students can go to learn more about National and International Fellowships that are available, find a Faculty Advisor on campus, and receive advisement regarding the application process.
Dr. Spisak earned his Ph.D. in Classical Studies and has been teaching on the University level since 1987. Dr. Spisak came to MSU in 1996 and since then has become very involved on campus with various organizations such as the Scholarship Committee, Honors Committee, Executive Budget Committee, and Academic Council. In 2005-2006, Dr. Spisak served as Chair of Faculty Senate. In addition to his leadership roles on campus, Dr. Spisak has published several articles and a book and has presented his research at conferences across the country. He is a Modern and Classical Languages expert speaker on Classical Mythology.
Thomas Tomasi, Professor
Department of Biology/ College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Dr. Tom Tomasi’s research interests are in Physiological Ecology, Thermoregulation and Hibernation, Metabolism and Energetics, Thyroid Physiology, and Endocrine Disrupting Pesticides. Dr. Tomasi has done extensive research and publication in these areas. He serves as an advisor and thesis committee member for several graduate students, and he works alongside undergraduate research students in his lab. Dr. Tomasi is also the faculty advisor for the Premedical Society.
Stephen Trobisch, Adjunct Faculty
Department of Modern and Classical Languages/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Stephen Trobisch earned his Ph.D in Humanities and Interdisciplinary Sciences in 1988 from Universitat Wien in Austria. He also holds a Master’s in German Languages and Literature from Washington University and is a member of the American Translators Association. Dr. Trobisch’s academic work covers an impressive variety of Humanities topics in both English and German.
Margaret Weaver, Professor
Department of English/ College of Arts and Letters
Dr. Margaret Weaver specializes in Composition Theory and Rhetoric and English as a Second Language. She teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate composition courses at MSU ranging from ENG 110, Freshman Composition, to ENG 625, Gendered Rhetoric and Pedagogy. Not only does Dr. Weaver have extensive teaching experience, she also has administrative experience as she was the Director of the Writing Center at MSU for ten years.