Faculty Advocating for the Commitment to Ethics Committee
Shanita Anderson
Dr. Shanita Anderson is a lecturer in the Department of Teaching and Learning in the College of Education. She is an active member of professional and academic organizations in her field, such as American Educational Research Association (AERA) and American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Dr. Anderson began her career in 2001 as a middle grades Social Studies teacher in Fayetteville, NC. Since that time, Shanita has served and supported the children and teachers of North Carolina as a classroom teacher, an AIG Coordinator, a Literacy Coach, Instructional Coach with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and most recently as a New Teacher Support Coach with the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education from East Carolina University and is certified in English Language Arts, Reading K-12, Social Studies, AIG, and Literacy Coaching. She has a master’s degree in Language Arts through Fayetteville State University as well as a Master’s of School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Dr. Anderson earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Her doctoral work primarily focused on trust and coaching practices geared to elicit instructional improvement. Anderson’s coaching philosophy is grounded in aligning effective “best practices” in professional development with individual teacher needs to improve educator efficacy and effectiveness in an effort to increase student achievement.
Scott Brame
Scott Brame is an Assistant Professor and Research Associate in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. His primary teaching and research interests are in modeling environmental and geological problems using spatial analysis techniques. His research efforts have been directed toward automating geographic information system software to create real-time spatial analysis applications. Project topics have included designing reverse osmosis systems for Constructed Wetlands, determining geologically suitable areas for construction of natural gas caverns using GIS, modeling steam extraction of heavy oil from the subsurface, and most recently creating a nationwide aquifer model.
He has a Bachelor of Science in Geologic Engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and a M.S. in Hydrogeology from Clemson University.
Karen Burton
Karen is a Lecturer for Clemson Libraries where she is the liaison for the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences, supports Clemson Extension, and manages the Open Access Publishing Fund. Karen is a Clemson graduate with a B.S. in Entomology and received her Master's of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina in 2021. Karen has worked in many different roles at Clemson over the years from raising beetles for biological control to tutoring student athletes as part of the Athletic Academic Services Department. Before joining the Clemson Libraries in 2022 she worked for the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville where she supported the Continuing Medical Education program for Prisma.
Brian Dominy
Karen is a Lecturer for Clemson Libraries where she is the liaison for the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences, supports Clemson Extension, and manages the Open Access Publishing Fund. Karen is a Clemson graduate with a B.S. in Entomology and received her Master's of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina in 2021. Karen has worked in many different roles at Clemson over the years from raising beetles for biological control to tutoring student athletes as part of the Athletic Academic Services Department. Before joining the Clemson Libraries in 2022 she worked for the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville where she supported the Continuing Medical Education program for Prisma.
Julian Nixon
Julian Nixon is the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the College of Agriculture, Forestry & Life Sciences. Julian has served in higher education as a Senior Instructor in Anatomy & Physiology, Department Head for Biological Sciences, and Co-Director of a nationally recognized Minority Male Retention Initiative. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and his master’s degree in Animal & Food Industries, both from Clemson University. Julian has served the community in several capacities including: TreesUpstate, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources & Related Sciences (MANRRS), African American Male Scholars Institute, Children’s Hospital Development Council and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. Julian has received numerous state and national awards including the honor of being a TEDx Speaker.
Hope Parnell
Hope came to Clemson after a career in the pharmaceutical industry where she managed accounts throughout SC, NC, and GA. Throughout her career, Hope has worked in various specialty areas, including gastroenterology, endocrinology, pain management, respiratory/allergy, and pediatrics. Here at Clemson, she is a Lecturer in the College of Business and teaches Executive Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ELE 3010), Venture Growth (ELE 4030) and Principles of Management (MGT 2010). Additionally, she also served as the manager of the Regional Entrepreneurial Development Center, advisor for the Clemson Technology Villages program, faculty lead for a creative inquiry, and is currently the faculty advisor for Delta Sigma Pi. Hope lives in Belton with her husband and children.
Margaret Ptacek
Dr. Ptacek is a Professor in Biological Sciences and an evolutionary biologist with the College of Science. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri and was a postdoctoral associate at the Florida State University. She has worked in the department since 2001. Her research interests include the evolution of mating signals and locally adaptive traits in a variety of fish species to better understand the mechanisms of divergence and speciation. Dt. Ptacek teaches the courses Evolutionary Biology (BIOL 3350), Honors Evolutionary Biology (BIOL H3350), and Understanding Genetics and Evolution (BIOL 8430). In 2018 she received the honor of Outstanding Women Faculty Award from the Clemson University Commission on Women and is active in K-12 Science Teacher training in evolution and genetics.
Amir Poursaee
Amir Poursaee is an associate professor at the Glenn Department of Civil Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering at Clemson University. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada. After graduating in 2007, he joined Purdue University as Research Assistant Professor and then joined Clemson University in 2011.
Dr. Poursaee's primary research areas include corrosion and electrochemical behavior of materials, especially corrosion of steel bars in concrete structures, materials science, and construction materials. He is a recipient of the prestigious Humboldt fellowship for experienced researchers. This award supported Poursaee’s collaboration with Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung in Germany. He has co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed conference or journal publications, four book chapters, and edited two books in the field of corrosion.
Luke Rapa
Luke J. Rapa received his PhD in educational psychology from Michigan State University and is an associate professor in education and human development in the College of Education. Dr. Rapa's research rests at the intersection of developmental and educational psychologies, as he studies how contextual, sociocultural, and sociopolitical factors—including socioeconomic disadvantage, structural constraints, and societal inequality—shape key developmental and psychological processes and promote or constrain individual’s development and academic success. Rapa currently serves as an associate editor at Applied Developmental Science and he recently co-edited and published three books: Disproportionality and Social Justice in Education (2022); Critical Consciousness: Advancing Theory and Measurement (2023); and Developing Critical Consciousness in Youth: Contexts and Settings (2023). He was the College of Education’s Junior Researcher of the Year in 2022.
Lior Rennert
Lior Rennert is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics in the Department of Public Health Sciences. He engages in collaborative health research with the department and the Greenville Health System, as well as the development of statistical methods for various public health studies and data sets. Dr. Rennert is currently co-leading modeling efforts to evaluate various COVID-19 testing strategies for Clemson University.
Satomi Saito
Satomi Saito, a native of Japan, earned an M.A. in Asian Studies from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Cinema and Comparative Literature from The University of Iowa. His research interests include Japanese popular media, film and literary theory, and cultural studies. Before coming to Clemson, he taught at McGill University, Bowling Green State University, and Colgate University. At Clemson, he teaches Japanese language courses as well as Japanese media, literature, and culture.
Andy Tennyson
Dr. Andy Tennyson is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Chemistry & Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson University. His principal research directions are (1) exploring the fundamental mechanisms of redox therapeutics for cancer and stroke, and (2) creating sustainable structural materials with negative carbon-footprints. At Clemson, Andy teaches multidisciplinary chemistry lecture and lab courses.
Andy received a Chemistry BS (w/ Honors) and MS from the University of Chicago in 2003, then a PhD from MIT in 2008. From 2008–2010, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. Andy joined Clemson in 2010 as an Assistant Professor and was tenured/promoted to Associate Professor in 2017. More recently, he was on sabbatical at the Air Force Research Lab in Colorado Springs as a National Research Council Senior Research Fellow.
Former Members
Reed Watson
Reed Watson is a Professor of Practice in the John E. Walker Department of Economics and the Director of the Hayek Center for the Business of Prosperity at Clemson University. His research explores the economics of natural resource management, focusing particularly on the legal institutions governing public lands, water, and wildlife resources. Prior to joining Clemson, Watson was executive director of the Property and Environment Research Center in Bozeman, Montana. He is a 2004 graduate of Clemson University.
Kirsten Abel
Dr. Kirsten Abel is a Lecturer in the College of Education. She is a former K-5 classroom teacher, mentor, and literacy coach. Dr. Abel shares her experience working with students and teachers by providing preservice teachers with guidance on classroom management and student engagement using elements of The Responsive Classroom approach. Her current research emphasis includes newcomer education and designing a culturally relevant, positive classroom environment for all students. Dr. Abel is also a certified Reading Specialist and places a strong emphasis on literacy integration in all content areas.
She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Westfield State University, a M.Ed in Literacy and Language K-12 from Framingham State University, and an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Tracy Fasolino
Dr. Fasolino is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing in the College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences. She teaches graduate level courses, focusing on preparing Advanced Practice Nurses. Dr. Fasolino has worked to expand and redesign simulation initiatives for undergraduate as well as graduate nursing students. She has an active NP practice with Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Greenville, SC in the inpatient and outpatient Palliative Care Clinic. She completed her BSN in 1993 from Clemson University. She pursued her Master’s Degree at the University of Texas-Health Science Center, graduating in 2001 as a Family Nurse Practitioner with emphasis on Emergency Medicine. She attended University of South Carolina and graduated with a PhD in Nursing Science in 2010. She has received several awards during her academic education for excellence, innovation, and promising research.
Meredith Morris
Meredith Morris is an Associate Professor in Department of Genetics and Biochemistry. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and is focused on understanding the cellular biology of protozoan parasites that cause disease in humans and livestock. She also teaches Introduction to Genetics, GEN 3000, and Molecular Biochemistry, BCHM 3010, and is faculty advisor for the student outreach group, Clemson University Inclusive Excellence in Science and Technology (CU INVESTors).