Arnold School of Public Health

Ahmer Afroz, Ph.D. – Health Promotion, Education and Behavior

Prior to joining USC, Ahmer Afroz dedicated his public health career to the implementation of systems level changes to achieve health equity, particularly in the areas of HIV/STIs and access to care. He is dedicated to public health education by bringing real world experiences and lessons into the classroom to prepare students to work in the field. Afroz holds a Master of Public Health from Boston University, with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and a Doctor of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University with a concentration in the Health, Equity, and Social Justice concentration.

Monique Brown, Ph.D., MPH – Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Monique J. Brown is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina (USC). She is also a Faculty Affiliate in the SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality, the Rural Health Research Center and the Office for the Study on Aging. Brown serves as Deputy Director of the USC Maternal and Child Health Leadership, Education, and Advancement in Undergraduate Pathways Program. She is also a Research Fellow in the Centre for Health Systems Research and Development at the University of the Free State in South Africa.

Kelly Fleming, M.D., MPH – Environmental Health Sciences

Kelly Fleming is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Undergraduate Program Director in Environmental Health Sciences, dedicated to fostering innovation in environmental and public health education. She coordinates and teaches Environmental Pollution and Health, a foundational course that connects environmental science and public health for several hundred students each year. Fleming's teaching emphasizes evidence based pedagogy, interdisciplinary learning, and meaningful mentorship. She also developed Climate Change Impacts on Human Health to help students explore how a changing climate affects populations and ecosystems. She is passionate about empowering students to think critically and apply scientific knowledge to real world environmental and health challenges.

College of Education

Elizabeth Currin, Ph.D. – Leadership, Learning Design, and Inquiry

Elizabeth Currin primarily teaches action research courses in the Curriculum Studies concentration of the online Ed.D. in Educational Practice and Innovation and also serves as a liaison for fellowship recipients in the university’s Professional Development Schools Network. Her prior experience as a high school English teacher influences her scholarly interest in stories by and about teachers, encompassing practitioner research, the history of education, and representations of schools in popular culture.

Jeff Eargle, Ph.D. – Teacher Education

Jeffrey (Jeff) C. Eargle, a Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Education’s Department of Teacher Education, serves as the Secondary Social Studies Program Coordinator. He teaches secondary and middle level preservice teachers, serves as a university liaison to Dutch Fork High School, and partners with the S.C. Council on the Holocaust to provide professional development for teachers. Eargle has published in Journal of Social Studies Research, The Social Studies, Social Studies Research and Practice, and PDS Partners: Bridging Research to Practice and is the lead coeditor of the forthcoming volume Teaching Holocaust Geographies in Middle and Secondary Schools.

College of Information and Communications

Clayton Copeland, Ph.D. – School of Information Science

Clayton A. Copeland is the director of the Accessibility Leadership Lab (ALL) at the University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science. Much of her research focuses upon equity of access to information for people with disabilities. Copeland also pursues research interests in universal design and Universal Design for Learning, literacy, facilities planning, technology, and materials and programming for children and young adults. She manages the Linda Lucas Walling Collection for Disabled Children and recently co–authored and edited Disabilities and the Library Fostering Equity for Patrons and Staff with Differing Abilities.

Jacqueline Keisler, M.B.A. – School of Journalism and Mass Communications

Jacqueline Keisler brings more than a decade of experience in public relations to her work in higher education. She holds an MBA from Webster University and a BA from the University of South Carolina. Prior to joining the university, Keisler served as Public Information Director for a South Carolina government agency. She has also consulted on public relations initiatives for nonprofit organizations and provided strategic communications counsel for local political campaigns. Keisler teaches Writing for Mass Communications and Public Relations Writing. Her teaching philosophy centers on mentorship and cultivating enthusiasm for learning. She employs a range of instructional approaches and integrates technology to actively engage students and support practical skill development. She is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America and currently serves as the Accreditation Chair for the South Carolina Chapter. Keisler is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) through the Universal Accreditation Board and is a South Carolina Certified Public Manager.

Tara Marie Mortensen, Ph.D. – School of Journalism and Mass Communications

Tara Mortensen is an Associate Professor of Visual Communications in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Her research examines visual news in a time of decreased professional visual journalists, including content creators, the content itself, and audience perceptions. Related areas of research include visual mis– and dis–information and visual stereotyping. Mortensen teaches graphics–related courses in the visual communication sequence, including Principles of Visual Communication, Graphics for Visual Communication, Informational Graphics for the Mass Media, Design of Online Content, and Capstone Portfolio.

Marcia Purday, APR, M.B.A. – School of Journalism and Mass Communications

Marcia Cook Purday is an Instructor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at USC. With more than 30 years of professional experience in public relations, advertising, and strategic communications, she brings extensive real–world insight to her teaching. Purday is deeply engaged in integrating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies into higher education, helping faculty and students explore innovative ways to enhance learning and creativity. A passionate educator and practitioner, she bridges industry and academia to prepare the next generation of communicators for success in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

College of Nursing

Teresa Bowers, DNP, APRN, ACNP–BC, CNEcl

Teresa Bowers is an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing and a three–time graduate of the program. A nurse for over 20 years and an NLN Certified Nurse Educator, she brings 11 years of experience as an oncology nurse practitioner.  Bowers is trained through the Institute for Simulation Educators/NLN in simulation debriefing and is passionate about fostering innovation in the classroom. She is deeply committed to mentorship and student development, serving as a faculty advisor for the Student Nurses Association and guiding students in community health outreach.

Karen Worthy, Ph.D., MPH, RN, CNE, CNEcl

Karen Worthy has a 28–year history in professional nursing with 19 years devoted to academics. She received an ADN, BSN, MSN, MPH, a Graduate Certificate in Leadership Studies, and a PhD in Higher Education Administration, all from the University of South Carolina. Her research interests include health equity and social justice advocacy. Worthy is a Certified Nurse Educator and Certified Academic Clinical Nurse Educator. Selected awards include the USC CON Outstanding Equity and Justice Inquiry Award (2025), Outstanding Clinical Scholar Award (2025), and Innovation Award (2024).

College of Pharmacy

Caroline Asbill, PharmD - C – Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences

Caroline Asbill is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the USC College of Pharmacy, where she coordinates health–systems pharmacy laboratory courses. Her teaching centers on immersive simulation, instructional innovation, and meaningful student relationships. As a practicing inpatient pharmacist at Prisma Health Richland, she bridges academic and clinical practice to foster real–world readiness. Asbill is committed to collaborative curriculum development, student mentorship, and promoting a culture of teaching excellence across the college.

Mengqian (Max) Chen, Ph.D. – Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences

Mengqian (Max) Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences at the College of Pharmacy, with more than two decades of experience in cancer research. He enjoys helping students understand complex scientific concepts through historical perspectives, analogies, interdisciplinary connections, and real–world applications. In both classroom and laboratory settings, Chen emphasizes curiosity and critical thinking over memorization, bridging knowledge and practice. As a mentor, he is committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive environment that promotes independent learning and professional growth for students at all levels.

College of Social Work

Margaret Janse van Rensburg, Ph.D.

Margaret Janse van Rensburg is an Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work. She identifies as a neurodivergent person, and her work focuses on enhancing outcomes for Autistic people and their communities of care. Janse van Rensburg is interested in community–engaged research and practice. She is currently teaching a first–year course on epistemology, ontology, and methodology,  a fancy way of saying “how do we know what we know? how do we become responsible knowledge creators?” Next semester, she will teach SOWK 201, an introductory social work course. In her spare time, you might find Janse van Rensburg at the pool. She shares that she is excited to contribute as a Faculty Ambassador for our Faculty in Focus program.

Betty Wilson, Ph.D.

Betty Wilson is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at USC and a licensed social worker with background experience in community engagement and nonprofit program development and outreach in rural communities. An interdisciplinary scholar working at the intersection of social work, criminal justice, and sociology, her research explores how police interactions influence citizens’ mental health, with a focus on improving police–community relationships and reducing disparities in public safety and community well–being. Wilson has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in online and in–person formats. She was recognized with the 2025 Thank–A–Teacher Award from USC's Center for Teaching Excellence and the Honored Faculty and Staff Award from Washington State University for her dedication to high–quality teaching and instruction.

Joseph F. Rice School of Law

Zoe Niesel, J.D.

Zoe Niesel is a Professor at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law. She teaches Civil Procedure, Remedies, and Drafting with Generative AI. Her scholarship spans civil procedure, federal courts, administrative law, and law–and–technology, with articles in Alabama Law Review, Indiana Law Journal, Tulane Law Review, and SMU Law Review. Niesel's recent work examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping judicial decision–making and administrative processes. A co–author of Legal Research Guide: Patterns and Practice (9th ed. forthcoming 2026), she previously served as Albert Herrmann Professor and Associate Dean at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas.

McCausland College of Arts and Sciences

Erin Davenport, Ph.D. – Anthropology

Erin Davenport is a sociologist who focuses on creating policies that support equity. She is very proud to work at a public institution that advances access in the state and has a special passion for mentoring returning, non–traditional age students, inspired in part by her husband’s decision to return to school later in life. Davenport loves facilitating discussion, and her students tease her for talking too fast when she gets excited about a particularly interesting answer. She also enjoys seeing students in their element by attending their athletic events or listening to their bands. She is excited to meet you and learn from you.

Na Sil Heo, Ph.D. – History

Na Sil Heo teaches East Asian history from global perspectives and through beyond–the–classroom experiences, including a Maymester course in South Korea. She received her Ph.D. in East Asian Studies from the University of Toronto and held postdoctoral fellowships at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania. Her first book (under review) examines how childhood became a central site for reconstructing the South Korean nation on the basis of Cold War liberalism. Heo's second book project traces a gendered history of dairy production in South Korea at the intersection of animal studies, science and technology, and gender and sexuality.

Rachel Mann, Ph.D. – English

Rachel Mann is a Senior Instructor in the Department of English, where she currently teaches Speech 213: Communicating Moral Issues. She has research interests in 18th century British literature and the history of science as well as in active–learning pedagogies. Mann has published articles in Review of English Studies, Eighteenth–Century Life, The Eighteenth–Century Intelligencer, Hemispheres and Stratospheres and Debates in the Digital Humanities, and was co–editor for Poems by a Lady by Helen Craik.

Shannon M. Roberts, Ph.D. – Chemistry and Biochemistry

Shannon Roberts holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Penn State University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Maryland. Currently, she serves as an instructor and the laboratory coordinator for organic chemistry labs here at the University of South Carolina. Roberts is passionate about curriculum design and instructional innovation, striving to create engaging and effective learning experiences for students.

Tara Sutton, Ph.D. – Criminology and Criminal Justice  

Tara Sutton's work on gender–based and family violence addresses both victimization and perpetration. Specifically, her research addresses child abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and the cycle of violence, especially among LGBTQIA2S+ people, women, and Black youth. Sutton takes a student–centered and trauma–informed approach to educating students and views the classroom as a collaborative environment. She enjoys teaching classes on topics such as criminological theory, women & crime, juvenile delinquency, and victimization in addition to statistics and methods courses.

Hanne van der Iest, M.S., M.A. – Sociology

Hanne van der Iest is a Senior Instructor in Sociology at the University of South Carolina, specializing in online pedagogy, course design, and program development. She has led college–wide initiatives to improve teaching equity and evaluation across modalities and has secured multiple grants supporting innovation in online learning. Drawing on her experience as a film producer, van der lest integrates creative and experiential elements into her teaching and service, using human stories and visual design to strengthen student engagement. Her work focuses on making online education engaging, transparent, and accessible for students, and on helping other instructors do the same.

David Weaver, Ph.D. – Statistics

David Weaver joined the University of South Carolina as a Statistics Instructor in the fall of 2022. Prior to USC, David served as an executive in the federal government for several years at the Social Security Administration and the Congressional Budget Office. He has published articles in professional journals on federal programs, income, and poverty. Weaver is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and received a bachelor's degree in economics from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He also holds a Ph.D. in economics from Duke University and a Masters in Statistical Science from George Mason University.

Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Mostafa Mobli, Ph.D. – Mechanical Engineering

Mostafa Mobli is an Instructor and Faculty Undergraduate Lab Director in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Carolina. He teaches courses spanning fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and aerospace systems while coordinating the mechanical engineering laboratory curriculum. Mobli is passionate about innovative pedagogy, currently researching virtual reality applications in engineering education and developing new Carolina Core scientific literacy courses. As a Faculty Ambassador to the Center for Teaching Excellence, he champions evidence–based teaching methods and curriculum modernization. His work bridges traditional hands–on laboratory experiences with emerging educational technologies to enhance student learning outcomes.

Sarvesh Sawant, Ph.D. – Computer Science and Engineering  

Sarvesh Sawant is an Instructor of Industrial Engineering at the Molinaroli College of Engineering at the University of South Carolina. His teaching focuses on Industrial Engineering applications in manufacturing, ergonomics and human systems integration, and operations research. He is passionate about creating inclusive, hands–on learning environments that connect theory with real–world application. Sawant is excited to serve as a Faculty Ambassador with the Center for Teaching Excellence and looks forward to learning from this opportunity to grow as an instructor and help students learn more effectively.  

School of Medicine – Columbia

Janel Hagar, Ph.D.

Janel Hagar is a neuroscientist and educator with over a decade of experience teaching undergraduate and graduate students. She earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, where she studied the effects of aging on the orexin system. She also holds an M.S. in Biology from Grand Valley State University and a B.S. in Health Sciences. Hagar has coordinated courses and designed curricula across five neuroscience–related programs, focusing on student success in high challenge STEM environments. She is committed to creating engaging, equitable learning experiences that support future health professionals.

School of Medicine – Greenville

Joanna Appel, Ph.D. – Biomedical Sciences

Joanna Appel is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the USC School of Medicine Greenville. She is a passionate medical educator dedicated to creating engaging, learner–centered environments through innovative pedagogy. As a two–time recipient of the USC Center for Teaching Excellence Innovative Pedagogy Grant, her work involves planning and implementing active learning strategies to enhance student success in neuroanatomy and neuroscience. Her scholarly focus is on motivating students to become effective, self–regulated learners.

School of Music

Kunio Hara, Ph.D.

Kunio Hara is Associate Professor of Music History at the School of Music. He teaches courses on history of Western music, nineteenth–century music, and special topics courses on opera history, exoticism in music, nostalgia, anime music, and other subjects. Hara is on the editorial board of the Journal of Music History Pedagogy and is also a member of the Pedagogy Study Group of the American Musicological Society. He has published on Puccini’s operas, the music in the film My Neighbor Totoro, and on the Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu.