Faculty & Staff

Two professors from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine have each achieved the faculty rank of Dean’s Distinguished Professor. 

Dr. Toni Glover, an associate professor in the School of Nursing at Oakland University, has been selected as a 2024 Fellow by the American Academy of Nursing in recognition of her substantial and sustained impact on health and health care.

Dr. Alycen Wiacek, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Bioengineering at Oakland University, has been awarded the prestigious Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) grant for $200,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her project to develop a wireless 3D breast ultrasound imaging system for low-resource settings.

Marlene McKean first set foot on Oakland University's campus as a temporary employee in June 1985. She worked in numerous campus offices until joining the Meadow Brook Health Enhancement Institute full time at its inception in February 1986. Her journey with the School of Engineering and Computer Science began in July 1989 when she transferred to the Advising Office. 

Professor Kerro Knox and Distinguished Professor Karen Sheridan teamed up to give a very informal "Last Lecture" on April 15. Both are retiring after decades of service and teaching in Oakland University's School of Music, Theatre and Dance. You can read more here.

For the past 10 years, Dennis Curry has been making beautiful music atop Elliott Tower as Oakland University’s resident carillonneur.

“Is freedom of speech a necessity in order to have a healthy democracy?” 

A multidisciplinary team of Oakland University students made a splash at the 2024 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition, tying for third place among 20 schools nationwide. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the annual event challenges students to design, develop and present innovations that harness the power of water. 

Engineering and computer science students came from around the globe to compete at the 31st annual Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC), an event that immerses students in the burgeoning field of self-driving vehicles. 

Oakland University Associate Professor of Theatre Jeremy Barnett and theatre alumnus Jason Maracani recently unveiled a new art installation in the East Garden of the Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, Mich. that they hope will help people feel connected to and inspired by the gallery's outdoor space. 

Members of Oakland University’s Women & Philanthropy group recently gathered with President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz and other community members to celebrate the milestone of awarding over $100,000 in grant funding to support campus programs.  

A study published in the journal Science uses a global experiment and predictive modeling to illustrate how human impacts to aquatic ecosystems are contributing to the global climate crisis. 

The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) has named James Hargett, associate vice president for finance and controller among its class of 15 higher education business leaders for the 2024-25 NACUBO Fellows Program.

Dr. Darrin Hanna, a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Oakland University, recently joined leaders from technology, manufacturing, government, and academia for a roundtable discussion hosted by Automation Alley about crucial issues in cybersecurity, including the latest trends and best practices in securing the digital future.

OU's Dr. Aura Cazares is pictured with ALSAME's co-chairs Dr. Vanessa Reynolds and Salvador Lopez.Oakland University has been selected to host the 2025 Advocates for Latino Student Advancement in Michigan Education (ALSAME) Latino Youth Conference, an event that will bring hundreds of high school students from across Michigan to campus in May 2025. 

Oakland University Professor David Gram’s first book, Contemporary Farce on the Global Stage: Or, Serious Laughter, was recently published by Routledge Publishing. The book examines the evolution of farce as a theatrical genre in the 21st century.

Calvin Goldsmith admits there were times he really struggled with chemistry when he arrived at Oakland University as a freshman. 

Steffan Puwal, special lecturer and adjunct assistant professor of medical physics, recently published an article in NATO Review examining the role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could play in nuclear defense and deterrence. 

Spend a few minutes talking to Oakland senior Mena Hannakachl and you’ll likely walk away impressed with what she’s been able to accomplish during her time at OU and what she hopes to accomplish in the future.

Each year, Oakland University recognizes outstanding student leaders who demonstrate academic excellence while making a positive impact on campus and in the community. 

Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance presented Andrew Lloyd Webber’s blockbuster musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” on Feb. 15-18 and Feb. 20-24 in the newly renovated Varner Studio Theatre on the campus of Oakland University. Featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, “Jesus Christ Superstar” is a rock opera loosely based on the final seven days in the life of Jesus Christ, as told through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.

Taras K. Oleksyk, associate professor in OU’s Department of Biological Sciences, has received an award from the American Genetic Association to organize ConGen2025: Recent Advances in Conservation Genetics. 

In an article published in Chemistry of Materials, a prestigious journal under the American Chemical Society, Oakland University Associate Professor of Physics Yuejian Wang explored how high-pressure techniques can induce changes in certain crystalline materials, similar to the way graphite can be converted into diamond when subjected to high pressure and high temperature.

The Department of Theatre at Oakland University is reviving the tradition of retiring faculty presenting a “Last Lecture.”

Music hasn’t completely taken over Terry Herald’s life, but it’s taken up a large chunk of his home. That’s because when Herald was building his house, he included space for a custom music studio.

With the theme of “Cultivating Inclusion Through Connection” Oakland University’s second annual Teaching Symposium aims to unite teaching and research faculty alongside campus educators. This full-day event includes a buffet lunch and requires registration. 

Each year, the Oakland University Professional Advisers Council (OUPAC) presents the university’s top academic advising awards to two outstanding professionals for their commitment to helping students succeed. 

Bioengineering student Daniela Meson De La Fuente is pictured with the research poster she presented at the 2024 Maize Genetics Meeting.Oakland University student Daniela Meson De La Fuente recently presented research at the 2024 Maize Genetics Meeting, an international conference that brought together researchers whose work advances the field of maize (corn) genetics and breeding. 

Oakland Associate Professor of Biology and genomics expert Taras K. Oleksyk, Ph.D. is creating one of the largest genome-wide studies of Type 1 Diabetes in the world, and he’s hopeful his research will provide the data for other scientists to follow. 

Taras K. Oleksyk, associate professor in Oakland University’s Department of Biological Sciences, has been named a U.S. Fulbright Scholar for the 2024-25 academic year. 

In his 2007 book “Masters of the Air,” Professor Donald L. Miller chronicles the riveting history of the American Eighth Air Force in World War II, and the story of the young men who flew the bombers that helped bring Nazi Germany to its knees. 

Oakland University Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Meir Shillor was recently named a Specialist in the Fulbright-Nehru Program, and he will spend five weeks this summer at the Assam Don Bosco University in Assam, India. 

Oakland University has joined the United States Department of State’s Diplomacy Lab, a public-private partnership between the Department of State and a network of U.S. academic institutions that harnesses research and innovation of students and faculty to solve global challenges. 

OU's Joanne and Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services and OU Athletics teamed up on a program to teach children on the autism spectrum the fundamentals of soccer.For the past several weeks, Saturday mornings at Oakland University’s Recreation Center have been abuzz with the sounds of children playing soccer. 

Oakland University’s eighth annual Interprofessional Education Workshop put a spotlight on ways that health care professionals can work together to meet the specific needs of women affected by substance use disorder. 

Oakland University alumni, students, faculty, staff and supporters are encouraged to “Shine a Light on OU” during Black and Gold Giving Day on Wednesday, March 6, 2024. 

Oakland University has created a new contest inviting students to express their opinions on free speech issues. Perhaps the most well-known and revered American constitutional right, freedom of speech has generated countless debates throughout the nation’s history and continues to fuel spirited discussions, particularly on college campuses. 

Generative AI systems, such as ChatGPT and its many relatives, have taken the world by storm. 

Dr. Dawn Woods, an assistant professor in the School of Education and Human Services at Oakland University, has received a five-year, $781,196 CAREER award from the National Science Foundation in support of her research project, entitled “Sparking ‘Number Talks’ to Strengthen Mathematical Identities.”

A recent beaver sighting on the campus of Oakland University has researchers optimistic about what the animal’s return to the OU Biological Preserve could mean for the ecosystem.

Oakland University has been officially designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (NCAE-C) by the National Security Agency (NSA) since 2018 and has been re-designated through the 2029 academic year. 

Oakland University Professors Jeremy Barnett and Whitney Locher recently traveled to the Republic of Bulgaria — a country located on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe — to help bring Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” to the stage at the Sofia National Opera and Ballet.

OU theatre professors Karen Sheridan and Beth Guest were nominated for awards presented by Broadway World Michigan.

Oakland University is one of the safest colleges in the country, according to rankings published by AcademicInfluence.com. The website ranked OU seventh on its 2024 list of the 15 safest colleges in America. 

For “exceptional commitment” and success in community engagement, Oakland University has received the 2024 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. The highly regarded national designation was announced January 8 by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 

Oakland University Assistant Professor of Chemistry Zhe Wang is helping combat the opioid crisis and protect law enforcement officers with his project, “Development of a Low-Cost, Portable, Rapid Opioid Detection Tool for Enhanced Field Decision-Making,” which just received a $300,000 grant from the Department of Justice.

Seven remarkable student leaders will be recognized at Oakland University’s 32nd annual Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Awards Celebration, an event that honors the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

The Oakland University physics department features some of the top scientists in the world according to the list of the top 2% of scientists published by Stanford University.