Assistant Professor Simmons Law School Juris Doctor and Doctorate of Comparative Law, Louisiana State University Law School, 2017
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU Simmons Law School because of the welcoming faculty, staff and students, the wonderful research environment, collaborative culture and the institutional support to achieve my academic and professional goals. The beauty of Southern Illinois is an added bonus!
Joshua Bradley
Assistant Professor Simmons Law School Juris Doctor, Saint Louis University School of Law, 2013; LL.M., Master of Law in Intellectual Property, University of Turin & World Intellectual Property Organization, 2019
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because it offered an opportunity to bring my varied professional and academic experiences into the classroom and contribute to the education of future lawyers. My background has taken me through engineering, patent examination, legal scholarship, and teaching, and I value the opportunity to draw on those different perspectives when working with students. Joining SIU also represented an important next step in my development as a intellectual property teacher and scholar, and a chance to contribute to students pursuing their own wide range of professional and personal goals.
Zhirui Chen
Assistant Professor College of Health and Human Sciences School of Human Sciences Ph.D. In Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, 2022
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because of its supportive academic community, commitment to student success, and strong alignment with my research and teaching interests. I believe it's an excellent place to grow as a scholar and educator.
Bill Ellis
Assistant Professor College of Health and Human Sciences School of Automotive MSEd, University of Southern Illinois, 2025
Why did you choose SIU? After earning my Bachelor's degree in Workforce Education in 2007, I had consistently thought about returning to teach at SIU after completing my Army career. I think SIU has always provided a very welcoming and family-oriented environment. I feel very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this exceptional University.
Michael Felton
Assistant Professor College of Health and Human Sciences School of Aviation Master of Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Development in Human Resources Development, Southern Illinois University
Why did you choose SIU? I chose Southern Illinois University because of its strong connection to my home community. I was raised in Southern Illinois from a young age and graduated from Marion High School in 2009. I met my wife here at SIU. I returned to the area with my wife after my military service. In the Air Force, I was a helicopter maintainer. When I left the Air Force in 2020, I came back to SIU to get my bachelor's degree in Aviation Technologies. When I graduated in 2022, one of the helicopter maintenance teachers was leaving SIU, I was at the right place at the right time to become a teacher at SIU. I have loved teaching here for the past 2 years. SIU is the perfect fit for me and family.
Shelley Hostetler
Assistant Professor Library Affairs MS, Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Why did you choose SIU? Shelley began her career at SIU Carbondale 30 years ago as a temporary employee working on bookstacks management projects. She has since served as Technical Support Manager, Global Customer Support Director, Senior Product Manager, and Senior Director of Customer Success at Ex Libris, Reed Elsevier, Endeavor Information Systems, OCLC, ProQuest, and Clarivate Analytics.
Wafaa Kanakri
Assistant Professor College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics School of Computing Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, 2026
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because it offers an exceptional environment to combine my passion for teaching with my research in cybersecurity and trustworthy artificial intelligence. I was especially drawn to its strong commitment to student success, hands-on education, and research with real-world impact. The opportunity to help build a growing program, mentor students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and pursue an ambitious research agenda within a genuinely collaborative community was especially appealing. SIU’s welcoming atmosphere and dedication to expanding access to high-quality education made it the ideal place to begin the next chapter of my academic career.
Muharrem Koc
Assistant Professor College of Health and Human Sciences School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2026
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because of its strong commitment to student success, collaborative academic environment, and emphasis on research and community engagement. I was especially drawn to the Counseling and Rehabilitation Education program because of its alignment with my teaching and research interests in rehabilitation counseling, disability, employment, and vocational outcomes. I look forward to contributing to the program while collaborating with students, faculty, and community partners.
Francis Mike Kozub
Professor and Associate Dean School of Education Ph.D. in Health PE & Recreation with Specialization in Adaptive Physical Education and Cognates in Special Education and School Administration
Why did you choose SIU? I was drawn to Southern Illinois University Carbondale because it offered an opportunity to build on my administrative experience while re-engaging in a Research 1 institution that values both scholarly excellence and student success. My experience in research, teaching, and educational leadership closely aligns with the School of Education's commitment to high-quality academic programs, community engagement, and preparing professionals who make a positive impact in schools and communities.
Minju Lee
Assistant Professor College of Health and Human Sciences School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2026
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because of the CARE program's stellar reputation and its dedicated focus on inclusive, counselor-centered education. Beyond the outstanding faculty and research alignment, I was deeply impressed by the welcoming, supportive environment within the department. It clearly feels like a place where I can grow both as a scholar and a mentor.
Steven Locklear
Assistant Professor College of Health and Human Sciences School of Aviation M.S. Aviation Safety University of Central Missouri
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because it combines two things that have been central to my career: teaching aviation maintenance and continuing to grow as an educator. The position allows me to build on my industry experience while developing new teaching methods, creating instructional materials, and contributing to research. I look forward to working with the faculty and helping students develop the technical knowledge, troubleshooting skills, and professionalism expected in the aviation industry.
Yijun Lin
Assistant Professor College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics School of Computing Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Year 2026
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because of the people and the sense of community. Everyone I talked to genuinely enjoys both their work and their life in Carbondale, and the faculty and staff are welcoming, supportive, and always willing to help each other. I'm excited to build an interdisciplinary research group and collaborate with colleagues across the university.
Yue Liu
Assistant Professor College of Business and Analytics School of Accountancy PhD, Rutgers University, 2026 but upcoming
Why did you choose SIU? I chose Southern Illinois University Carbondale because of the school’s strong research culture and its genuinely supportive environment for junior faculty. I was drawn to the opportunity to work alongside hardworking, motivated students and colleagues who are producing excellent, impactful research. SIU offered the kind of collegial, growth-oriented setting where I felt I could thrive as I begin my academic career.
Steven Mace
Assistant Professor College of Liberal Arts School of History and Philosophy PhD, University of Michigan, 2026
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because it immediately struck me as a vibrant and diverse community of scholars and teachers. My own work on South Asia and the British Empire fits well in a school that thinks across regions and time periods. The energy of Carbondale and the beauty of the surrounding region sealed it. SIU feels full of potential, and I'm glad to be joining it.
Tamara Milton
Assistant Professor College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences School of Forestry & Horticulture Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2022
Why did you choose SIU? SIU Forestry strikes the perfect balance as somewhere that both cares deeply about high-quality, accessible undergraduate education while simultaneously encouraging and supporting excellent applied research programs.
Zhi Pei
Assistant Professor College of Business and Analytics School of Management & Marketing Ph.D., University of North Texas, 2015
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU because of its welcoming faculty, collaborative culture, and the opportunity to contribute to the university through impactful research and the development of innovative academic programs to prepare students for today’s evolving business environment.
Alice Setrini
Assistant Professor Simmons Law School Juris Doctor Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, 2004
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU Simmons Law School because I believe in the mission of the University and the law school, I found alignment between that mission and my own values, as I am dedicated to access and opportunity to higher education, and I hope to facilitate creative, innovative solutions to challenging problems through interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and support of the SIU community.
Damon Vaughan
Assistant Professor College of Agriculture, Life, and Physical Sciences School of Forestry and Horticulture Ph.D., Northern Arizona University, 2020
Why did you choose SIU?I initially chose SIU because of its good reputation among forestry programs and its proximity to forests, outdoor recreation, and beautiful natural areas. After visiting Carbondale, I was impressed with the close-knit nature of the School of Forestry and Horticulture faculty, and with how engaged and active the students are. As an added perk, I grew up nearby in St. Louis and it is great to be close to family again.
Yen-Hsun Wu
Assistant Professor College of Health and Human Sciences Human Sciences Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, 2014
Why did you choose SIU? I chose SIU to integrate my research in biomechanics and motor control into the School of Human Sciences, connecting advanced sensorimotor neuroscience with applied exercise and rehabilitation. I am eager to foster cross-departmental partnerships across Exercise Science, Engineering, Occupational Therapy, and Athletics to drive innovation in human performance. Furthermore, I am drawn to SIU Carbondale’s vibrant, supportive academic community, which actively nurtures long-term faculty growth and regional health impact.
Yupeng Zhang
Assistant Professor College of Engineering, Computing, Technology and Mathematics School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering Ph.D., Texas A&M University
Why did you choose SIU? The opportunity to build a research program in mechanics, materials, structures, data-driven methods, and robotics motivated me to join SIU. I was also drawn to the collaborative and supportive faculty in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering and to SIU’s commitment to teaching, research, and student success.
Qi Zou
Assistant Professor College of Engineering, Computing, Technology and Mathematics School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Materials Engineering PhD, York University (Toronto, Canada), year 2023
Why did you choose SIU? I like the excellent research and teaching environment at SIU. It will be exciting to conduct high-quality research with outstanding researchers and self-motivated students. I like teaching. I would like to share my knowledge with students. I’d hope to grow together with SIU.
