As Bellarmine welcomes 600 first-year students this week, the university is also welcoming back some former students who are now teachers. A third of the 15 new full-time faculty members for the 2021-22 academic year—five of them—are Bellarmine
graduates.
"I had something of a ‘pipe dream’ of returning to work at Bellarmine someday,” said Louis Hehman ’14, an instructor of Music. “Academic jobs, especially in music, are incredibly competitive, so I wasn't sure
it would ever come true. But I had always kept my mind focused on that goal and had some really lucky breaks, so here we are! It is an excitement beyond words to contribute to the growth of Bellarmine's music department and the Louisville
arts scene more generally.”
"I feel a lot of nostalgia when I’m walking around campus, especially in the last few days as students move into the dorms.“-Marisa Rigsby '09, '16 MSN
“I feel privileged to work at Bellarmine. The faculty here are compassionate to their students while maintaining an expectation of excellence,” said Marisa Rigsby ’09, ’16 MSN, instructor of Undergraduate Nursing in the Donna
and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences. “I’m honestly pretty humbled to be working with some real academic heavyweights that I admire. I also feel a lot of nostalgia when I’m walking around campus, especially
in the last few days as students move into the dorms.”
Shae Goodlett ’17, an assistant professor of Art, is excited about teaching new class offerings. "When I was in school, I was really interested in digital illustration,” he said. “Back then, the university had just started its Digital
Arts and Technology (DAT) program and offered introductory courses for various design software of the Adobe Creative Cloud. That program has since expanded and now offers classes in digital illustration, web design and other digital media, all of
which I would have been thrilled to take. And now I'm teaching them!”
Here are the new faculty members, their areas of research interest and what they are most looking forward to at Bellarmine.
BELLARMINE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
Dr. Michele Abee, assistant professor of Environmental SciencesResearch interests: Environmental justice, sustainability and geovisualization—the fancy new way to say cartography. In my research, I use geovisualization to identify food apartheid. Sustainability is a natural complement, as urban agriculture
provides health and wellness benefits, addresses climate change and emphasizes the local food market.
Looking forward to: Being a part of the Bellarmine community.
Shea Goodlett ’17, assistant professor of ArtResearch interests: Color Theory and Religious Theories and Methods—specifically the parallels between the perception of color relations and the perception of spiritual and ritual phenomenon. My solo show, Reflectance, which opens
in the McGrath Gallery at Bellarmine on Aug. 20, is a collection of work that demonstrates my research into those fields of study.
Looking forward to: I am most excited to contribute to the Art Department that I was once a part of in undergrad. I graduated in 2017 and the program has already come a long way! I am looking forward to continuing that progression.
Louis Hehman ’14, instructor of MusicResearch interests: As a researcher, my current areas of interest include approaches to piano technique during the "Golden Age" of pianism, roughly the 1870s-1930s. This is my dissertation topic. As a performer, I am interested in the intersection
of traditional repertoire with new music, particularly works by lesser-known and marginalized composers. For instance, my recital for this fall includes classics by Beethoven and Chopin juxtaposed with newer works by Afro-Canadian composer Bruce Russell
and Cuban composer María Matilde Alea Fernández.
Looking forward to: As a Bellarmine grad, I am thrilled to be back on campus. I have learned a lot from being at other institutions—two years at Butler, three years at South Carolina—and I am excited to take what I've learned
and apply it to the welcoming culture of excellence that Bellarmine embodies.
Dr. Mary Kroetz, assistant professor of BiologyResearch interests: I am interested in two different questions: how organs develop properly in a growing organism and the effects of the plastic BPA on development and overall health. To answer these questions, I use a small nematode worm called
C. elegans and I often employ the recently developed genetic editing tool of CRISPR.
Looking forward to: One thing that made a huge impact on me was working with faculty during my undergraduate experience, and I very much look forward to working with students at Bellarmine.
Sayani Sarkar, assistant professor of Computer ScienceResearch interests: UAV-aided emergency response system design and the use of artificial intelligence for robust decision-making.
Looking forward to: Continuing my research and engaging interested students to work with current-age problem areas alongside interactive teaching. I am also looking for interdisciplinary collaboration on research, especially with the Department
of Nursing and Department of Environmental Studies.
Dr. Andrew Stone Porter ’07, assistant professor of Theology
Research interests: Religion and race, feminist and womanist ethics, social movements, contemporary science, and Continental philosophy.
Looking forward to: As an alumnus of Bellarmine, I’m most looking forward to rejoining an engaged and vibrant learning community in the flesh, having taught virtually at Bellarmine all last year; and to spending non-virtual-meeting time getting
to know colleagues in Theology and Religious Studies and other disciplines.
ANNSLEY FRAZIER THORNTON SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Dr. James Archibald, associate professor of Education in the School of Education; chair, M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership and Social Justice programResearch interests: Organization and governance of higher education, improving student retention, shared governance and faculty issues, and mental health wellness in athletes.
Looking forward to: Working with students and collaborating with faculty and staff to support the institution, Louisville and the surrounding communities.
COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Brenda Davis, instructor of Medical Laboratory Science in Donna and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences Research interests: Interprofessional collaboration in the healthcare setting; specifically, interprofessional collaboration and the role of the clinical laboratory.
Looking forward to: Helping our MLS students prepare for an exciting career in Medical Laboratory Science. I also look forward to providing interprofessional experiences in the classroom.
Leslie Leffler, instructor of Graduate Nursing in Lansing School
Research interests: Strategies to promote student success for undergraduate and graduate nursing students; clinical decision-making among Family Nurse Practitioners
Looking forward to: Educating and interacting with future nurses and nurse practitioners who will carry on a great tradition. I am thankful for all the blessings nursing has brought to my life.
Macy McFall ’18, instructor of Radiation Therapy in Lansing School
Research interests: Bridging the gap between the didactic and clinical material and utilizing the VERT (Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Trainer) to increase student knowledge and retention. I also am interested in creating clinical strategies
in conjunction with the program’s clinical partners and adding new technologies to the curriculum.
Looking forward to: Getting to know my students and ensuring they have the best college experience and receive the best possible education, just like I did in my time at Bellarmine.
Marisa Rigsby ’09, ’16 MSN, instructor of Undergraduate Nursing in Lansing SchoolResearch interests: Best practices in pre-licensure and graduate education
Looking forward to: As a Bellarmine nursing alum, I am most looking forward to working with educators that I have looked up to during my nursing career.
Dr. Rachel Taylor, assistant professor of Undergraduate Nursing in Lansing School
Research interests: Disparities in healthcare and improving the nursing education experience for learners
Looking forward to: Serving students in an institution that believes in welcoming all
Dr. Nicole Windsor, assistant professor of Physical Therapy in School of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences
Research interests: The effectiveness and acceptability of a Pain Neuroscience Education curriculum intervention for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and concurrent opioid dependence.
Looking forward to: Continuing the development of my career as a Doctor of Physical Therapy educator, assisting our next generations of Physical Therapy students in mastering their chosen profession via the classroom and clinic, and pursuing
a path of research investigating effective treatments for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and concurrent opioid dependence.
W. FIELDING RUBEL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Dr. Amy Fairfield, assistant professor of FinanceResearch interests: Behavioral finance relating to chief financial officers and social networks as well as tail risk and institutional investors
Looking forward to: Meeting our students, my new colleagues and our local business friends.
Dr. Haleh Karimi, associate professor of Management
Research interests: Investment in soft skills education using high-impact strategies to improve the soft skills gap among college graduates; incorporating innovative strategies to achieve competitive advantage and organizational efficacy: considering
the future of work implications
Looking forward to: Using my industry experience to educate our students in the art of interpersonal, professional and leadership/management skills that will lead them toward a successful pathway in our community and beyond.