We are delighted to welcome our newest faculty members with primary appointments in the College of Science. This exceptional group of scholars and educators spans our campuses across the university system, including Boston, Burlington, New York City, and Oakland, and brings deep expertise across the natural, mathematical, and behavioral sciences, along with a shared commitment to discovery and to the success of our students.
Richard Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Physics
Burlington, MA
Dr. Richard Liu received the PhD in Physics from Harvard University, where he studied topological and strongly correlated materials using scanning tunneling microscopy. He is now developing machine-learning-based automated workflows to accelerate scanning probe microscope operation and answer scientific questions that are difficult to address by conventional means. Dr. Liu joins the Quantum Materials and Sensing Institute at our Burlington campus.
Claire Magnani, PhD
Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Boston, MA
Dr. Claire Magnani received the PhD in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where she worked on the total synthesis of natural products. Her research interests include developing chemical tools for probing biological mechanisms, the total synthesis of natural products, and novel chemical methodology. She looks forward to exploring new opportunities for research in chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern.
Sasilada Sirirungruang, PhD
Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Boston, MA
Dr. Sasilada Sirirungruang received the PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, where she engineered biosynthetic pathways for site-selective fluorine incorporation into polyketide natural products. A core member of the Institute for Plant-Human Interface, her research develops biosynthetic enzyme technologies for human and planetary health, with an emphasis on engineering enzymes that expand chemical diversity in natural products and enable sustainable biomanufacturing.
Gok (Ken) Ching, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Mathematics
New York City, NY
Dr. Ken Ching received the PhD in Mathematics from Tufts University, with research in algebraic combinatorics and group theory, including work on graphics and their symmetry groups. A dedicated educator, he has developed courses in cryptography and quantitative reasoning and has taught broadly across the mathematics curriculum including algebra, calculus, discrete mathematics, and statistics.
Richard Finizio, DC
Associate Teaching Professor, Biology
New York City, NY
Dr. Richard Finizio received the Doctor of Chiropractic from New York Chiropractic College, following undergraduate study in biology at William Patterson College. Drawing on decades of clinical practice, he specializes in teaching human anatomy and physiology and developed the course Biology for the Informed Citizen. He has taught widely across the region and serves as a pre-health and post-baccalaureate advisor, guiding students towards health professions.
Michael Holcomb, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Physics
Oakland, CA
Dr. Michael Holcomb received their PhD in Physics from Texas Tech University. In their research, they used computational models to study the mechanics of developing embryos, including mechanical feedback during Drosophila furrow formation, and the flow of granular materials. An experienced educator in inquiry-based and hands-on instruction, Dr. Holcomb has taught across the physics curriculum, from general physics and astronomy to optics, digital electronics, and quantum mechanics, and has mentored numerous undergraduate researchers.
Abdelahad Khajo, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
New York City, NY
Dr. Abdelahad Khajo received the PhD in Chemistry from the City University of New York. His research interests are centered on free-radicals, reactive oxygen species, biological molecules, and the chemical mechanisms underlying oxidative processes. Dr. Khajo brings extensive teaching experience in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry with a focus on high-quality undergraduate chemistry education and student success.
Paula Kover, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Biology
Boston, MA
Dr. Paula Kover received the PhD in Ecology and Evolution from Indiana University. Her research examined how genetics interact with an organism’s ecology to shape the evolution of traits under natural selection. She will teach undergraduate genetics and genomics, upper-level genomics, and an inquiry-based computational genomics course.
Jim LaChance, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Boston, MA
Dr. Jim LaChance received the PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University California at Berkeley. His research experience spans coastal livelihoods and sustainable food systems, climate resilience, and biodiversity conservation in working landscapes and seascapes. He incorporates experiential and community-engaged learning, through interactive techniques such as farm service days and conservation board game development. He joins Northeastern as director of the MS in Environmental Science and Policy program.
Alessandra Leri, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
New York City, NY
Dr. Alessandra Leri received the PhD in Chemistry from Princeton University. Her research interests span geochemistry, urban environmental health, and chemical education, using synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy to examine environmental samples and citizen science to quantify pathogenic microbes in New York City’s built environment. Focused on broadening representation in science through closely mentored research and teaching, she will serve as the Director of Academic Programs for the College of Science for the New York City campus.
Matthew Lundquist, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences
New York City, NY
Dr. Matthew Lundquist received the PhD in Biology/Biological Sciences from Binghamton University where he specialized in urban ecology and macroinvertebrate communities in urban streams. He will be teaching courses in urban ecology, environmental science, conservation science, and biostatistics and runs an active urban ecology research lab.
Kate McKnelly, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Oakland, CA
Dr. Kate McKnelly received the PhD in Chemistry, with an emphasis in Chemical Biology, from the University of California, Irvine, where she studied amyloid peptides associated with Alzheimer’s disease. She brings wide-ranging teaching and course-development experience at the undergraduate and graduate levels, in which she facilitates learning by combining active learning with metacognitive reflections. Dr. McKnelly will teach chemistry and related courses for physical sciences, life sciences, and engineering students.
Melissa Rosso, PhD
Associate Teaching Professor, Biology
New York City, NY
Dr. Melissa Rosso received the PhD in Biology from the CUNY Graduate Center, with specialization in molecular cancer biology, and earned an Advanced Certificate in Clinical and Translational Investigation from Cornell University. Her postdoctoral work was in clinical genomic testing at Mount Sinai and she continued as a Molecular Science Liaison at a clinical cancer genomics company, while also teaching biology courses as an adjust professor throughout the CUNY system.
Susan Behrens, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Linguistics
New York City, NY
Dr. Susan Behrens received the PhD in Linguistics from Brown University. Her teaching and research address language and social identity, language structure and grammar, and the acoustic characteristics of voice, with expertise in accent and dialect bias in education. She brings extensive experience teaching, presenting, and writing about the role of language in higher education and professional development to audiences that range from high school and university students to professors and speech-language pathologists.
Christine Chang, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematics
New York City, NY
Dr. Christine Chang received the PhD in Probabilistic Number Theory at the CUNY Graduate Center with research spanning probabilistic and analytic number theory. She brings extensive teaching experience across the mathematics curriculum, including calculus, precalculus, college algebra, and quantitative literacy, as well as graduate-level probability and stochastic calculus. She has also been active in efforts to broaden access to mathematics for first-generation students and gender minorities.
Jack Donahue, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Physics
New York City, NY
Dr. Jack Donahue received the PhD in Physics from New York University, where his research in theoretical high-energy physics focused on confining strings, integrability, and the quantization of the zigzag model. He brings teaching experiences across algebra-based general physics, laboratory and recitation instruction, and graduate quantum mechanics.
Jiwei Feng, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematics
Boston, MA
Dr. Jiewei Feng received the PhD in Mathematics from Northeastern University and worked as postdoctoral researcher in Northeastern’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. A dedicated educator and applied mathematician, he specializes in probability, stochastic processes, and statistics. He will teach introductory and advanced levels courses in Applied Mathematics and Statistics.
Kemardo Henry, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Boston, MA
Dr. Kemardo Henry received the PhD in Microbiology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where his graduate work focused on the biochemical characterization of the transcription machinery of Rhodobacter sphaeroides. He went on to study the genetics of bacterial prions as a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School. With a background in teaching biology and chemistry, he will engage graduate students studying biotechnology.
Becky Hirsch, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Biology
Boston, MA
Dr. Becky Hirsh received the PhD in Cell Biology and Physiology from UNC School of Medicine. She applies evidence-based teaching practices, such as high-structure course design and inquiry-driven learning, and works through inclusive mentorship to expand access to research and professional development. Her teaching focuses on the cell and gene therapy landscape in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, including hands-on experience with gene editing, CRISPR technologies, immunotherapy, and CAR-T cell therapy.
Becky Hirsch, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematics
New York City, NY
Dr. Bethany Johnson received her PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research experience focuses on forecasting nonlinear dynamics and optimizing decision-making in ecological applications. An experienced teacher of mathematics and data sciences, she designs hands-on projects that spark curiosity and help students connect course concepts to their own lives.
Patrick Kearns, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Boston, MA
Dr. Patrick Kearns received the PhD in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology from Northeastern University, where he trained in the laboratory of Dr. Jennifer Bowen. His research interest focuses on environmental and host-associated microbiomes using genomic and culture-based approaches. He has taught and developed courses ranging from cell and molecular biology and microbiology to public health and epidemiology and will teach courses in biotechnology.
Shoily Khondker, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Biology
New York City, NY
Dr. Shoily Khondker received the PhD in Biology from the CUNY Graduate Center, specializing in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. Her subsequent work focused on the phosphorylation-mediated regulation of lipid synthesis and lipid metabolism in fungal pathogenesis and antifungal drug resistance. An experienced instructor across introductory biology, microbiology, molecular and cell biology, and laboratory techniques, she is also a dedicated science communicator committed to hands-on inquiry-driven learning and to broadening participation in the sciences.
Katja Kwaku, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Boston, MA
Dr. Katja Kwaku received the PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut. Her research has examined the effects of urbanization on wood frog populations and the foraging behavior of leafcutter ants (Atta cephalotes) in Costa Rica. She has taught ecology, environment, and evolution courses, and will emphasize biostatistics in her courses at Northeastern.
Karen Rodriguez, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Psychology
New York City, NY
Dr. Karen Rodriguez received the PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the CUNY Graduate Center, where her research examined collaborative memory, metamemory, and the role of social conformity in decision-making. A dedicated student-centered educator, she has taught general psychology, research methods, cognitive development, and experimental psychology, and brings deep expertise supporting underrepresented students. She emphasizes scaffolded assessment, scientific communication, and writing across the curriculum in her teaching.
Saba Shahid, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Psychology
Boston, MA
Dr. Saba Shahid received the PhD in Experimental Psychology from University of Southern Mississippi. Her research interests span social and health psychology, advancing our understanding of human behavior through rigorous research and data analysis. With experience teaching large undergraduate courses, Dr. Shahid will teach a breadth of courses, particularly in social and personality psychology.
Nicole Peckham, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Boston, MA
Dr. Nicole Peckham received a PhD in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology from Northeastern University. Her research explored how predator presence and risk effects shape prey traits and fitness, with particular attention to the context-dependency of these interactions across a changing environment. She will instruct and develop new courses for the programs in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences.
Paul Smith, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
New York City, NY
Dr. Paul Smith received the PhD in Biological Sciences from Columbia University. An accomplished researcher and data scientist, he brings extensive undergraduate teaching experience across general, organic, biological, and computational chemistry, as well as data science. He has guided more than 100 students on projects ranging from drug discovery to machine learning. He is also an affiliated faculty member in the College of Engineering’s First Year Engineering Program.
Chloe Weiers, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematics
New York City, NY
Dr. Chloe Weiers received her PhD in Algebraic Cryptography from Stevens Institute of Technology. Her research lies in algorithmic group theory; her doctoral thesis examined the computational complexity of solving orientable and non-orientable quadratic equations in wreath products of finitely generated abelian groups. She is returning to Northeastern where she earned her BS in Mathematics and BA in Music. She has experience teaching courses including Differential Equations, Quantitative Reasoning, Calculus, and Discrete Mathematics.
Charlotte Wiman, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Boston, MA
Dr. Charlotte Wiman received the PhD in Marine and Environmental Sciences from Northeastern University. Her research used sedimentary proxies and climate models to study historical flooding over the past millennium, geomorphology, and the climate dynamics of fluvial systems. She will teach undergraduate and graduate courses serving majors in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and the MS in Environmental Science and Policy program.
Charlotte Wiman, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematics
New York City, NY
Dr. Kaori Yamamoto received the PhD in Mathematics Education from Columbia University’s Teacher College. She brings a broad experience of teaching undergraduate and secondary mathematics, including calculus, precalculus, statistics, algebra, and geometry, emphasizing collaborative problem solving, conceptual understanding, and dynamic mathematics technologies. Her research examines representational choices in instructional materials and student’s experiences of mathematics across diverse contexts.
