University Experts
Find an expert - Guide for the Media
Fort Hays State University faculty and staff have expertise in a wide range of disciplines. Journalists can draw on these resources as our experts are available to answer questions from the media. Contact FHSU University Communications and we will arrange interviews for you. We look forward to supporting you in getting valuable information to the public.
Jerrie Brooks
Assistant professor and program coordinator for the Special Education High Incidence program at Fort Hays State University, Jerrie Brooks taught students with special education needs in public schools for more than 40 years. She is the primary investigator for an AmeriCorps grant that will provide community members with the basic skills in structured literacy to help children's reading.
Areas of Expertise
- Special education high and low incidence
- Rural special education teacher retention and attrition
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- Kansas State Department of Education Program Review Process
Matthew Clay
Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, Matthew Clay’s research focuses on the connection between education, communities, and the environment. His book The Worlds Educators Create: The Role of Education in the Creation of Place lays out a framework for how education can shape communities. He is also involved in ongoing research in national and state parks, exploring the use of 360 video to create immersive learning experiences for science and environmental topics. Prior to his time at FHSU, Matthew was a secondary science teacher, primarily in rural Western Kansas.
Areas of Expertise
- Science Education
- Rural Education
- Environmental Education
- Experiences in Nature
In the News
Tim Davis
Professor of Social Work and Chair of the Department of Social Work in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Fort Hays State University. Tim Davis’s work at FHSU includes: the development and oversight of the Addictions Counseling Certification Program, which is available online; the Bachelor of Social Work Program, offered face to face in Hays, at four cohort locations across Western Kansas and online; and the Master of Clinical Social Work Program, available online.
Active in clinical practice at HaysMed, Tim specializes in bio-psycho-social assessment, individual and family psychotherapy, and consultation with the medical staff as an expert in behavioral health.
Areas of expertise
- Clinical Social Work (mental health assessment and treatment)
- Behavioral Health (Health Psychology)
- Rural and Frontier issues related to mental health and social work
In the News
- Dodge City Daily Globe: Local social work graduates plan to pursue careers in southwest Kansas
Grady Dixon
A physical geographer with expertise in meteorology and climatology, Grady Dixon is a Professor of Geosciences and Dean of the Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics. His broad research interests include applying weather data to real-world problems across multiple disciplines. He has authored and co-authored numerous publications on tornado climatology, weather-suicide relationships, and heat-related mortality.
Areas of expertise
- Severe weather
- Meteorology
- Climatology
- Climate change
In the News
- New York Times: Examining the Role of Climate Change in a Week of Wild Weather
Andrew Feldstein
Assistant Provost for Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies, Andrew Feldstein leads a team of instructional designers, technologists, and faculty development specialists whose focus is to develop and support a teaching and learning ecosystem focused on engaging students in the learning process. Andrew monitors trends and changes in the educational technology market space to identify and adopt tools and strategies that have the potential to strengthen the connection between students, instructors, and the knowledge and skills our students need. The work by Andrew and his TILT team in supporting the FHSU campus, and out partner universities in China, through the pandemic was recognized with the 2021 President’s Award. Andrew serves as Co-Goal Chair for the Student Success goal in the university strategic plan and is currently leading the effort to create a digital master plan for FHSU’s teaching and learning ecosystem.
Areas of expertise
- Collaborative Learning
- Social Network Analysis
- Educational Technology
- Diffusion of Innovation
- Community of Inquiry
In the News
- Ingram’s: 2022 Icons of Education
- Inside Higher Ed: Coronavirus Forces Universities Online
Melissa J. Franzen
Assistant Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Fort Hays State University, Melissa Franzen serves as Co-Chair of the CACREP Section 4 Committee and as the Comprehensive Exam Coordinator for the Counseling Program. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois, Melissa has a rich background working in social services, foster care, residential and detention facilities, private practice, and higher education. Dr. Franzen's research interests include advancements in counselor education and training, and the neuroscience considerations of grief work with children.
Areas of Expertise
- Child Development
- Clinical Supervision
- Crisis and Trauma Work
- Grief Counseling
In the News
- WICS News Channel 20: Doctor Shares Tips for Grieving Parents and Kids
- WICS Online Article: Doctors Share Tips for Grieving Parents and Kids
Chris Jochum
Christopher J. Jochum serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Teacher Education at Fort Hays State University (FHSU), where he leads a large teacher preparation program, serving on-campus and virtual students across the country. A sought-after leadership speaker and coach, he has trained and developed leaders in higher education and public schools in the U.S. and abroad.
Chris is the author of “The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership” (Rowman & Littlefield). He was recently elected as a Commissioner for the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and was one of the founding Directors of The National Center for Clinical Practice in Educator Preparation.
Areas of Expertise
- Educational Leadership
- K12 Teacher Education
- Conflict Management
- Crisis Leadership
In the News
National Presence with Clinical Practice
Recruiting, Retention and Promoting the Profession
- Department Chair to Focus on Rural Impact in Teacher Education
- Fort Hays State’s Fourth Annual Future Educators Day
Providing Students with Diverse Experiences
- Classroom Visits Provide Key Learning Experience for Future Teachers at Fort Hays State
- Learning Outside the Classroom, Outside the U.S., is an Invaluable Experience for FHSU Students.
Program Development, Support & Recognition
- Meeting the Needs of Rural Communities now Extends to Elementary Education
- FHSU Teacher Education Wins $104,000 Regents Grant: Funding Aimed at Increasing Teacher Pool for Underserved Districts, Hard-to-Fill Subject Areas
Leadership Development & Training
Sarah Lancaster
Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at Fort Hays State University, Sarah Lancaster serves as the Program Coordinator for the School Counseling Program. She previously spent nine years in public education at USD 305 in Salina, Kansas; working for seven years as a middle school counselor and two years as the Social Emotional Specialist for the district. During her time in the school setting, she implemented restorative practices and a trauma-informed approach as ways to improve school climate, teach social-emotional learning, and build community among students and staff. At the start of the 2021 academic year Sarah was awarded a grant in the amount of $3,000 from Home Communications Incorporated. The money was used to purchase resiliency trauma kits for K-6 classrooms at Southeast of Saline Elementary. The grant is based on evidenced based practices that show building resiliency is an antidote to trauma.
Areas of expertise
- Trauma Informed Practices
- Restorative Practices
In the News
- Panel Discussion on Students and Trauma: Panel Discussion on Students and Trauma
Tamara Lynn
The Program Chair and Professor of Criminal Justice at FHSU, Tamara Lynn is a nationally recognized leader in conflict resolution and de-escalation in the workplace, classroom (K – 12), and community. She serves as Executive Council President of the National De-escalation Training Center (NDTC) and has secured more than $3.5 million in federal funding to expand operations of NDTC’s Central Region Training Center she established at FHSU.
Areas of Expertise
- Hiring, recruiting, & retaining qualified law enforcement officers
- De-escalation training for law enforcement
- Classroom management by SROs, K – 12 administration, faculty, and staff
- Grant writing
In the News
- Washington Post: Officers fatally shoot man holding box cutter in standoff on Interstate 65
- U.S. New and World Report: Family of Colorado Man Shot by Police Wants Accountability
Jenny Manry
Jenny Manry is Chair of the Department of Nursing at Fort Hays State University. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from FHSU and her doctorate from UMKC. She has worked in the Department of Nursing since 2006 and served as Department Chair since 2016. Jenny has practiced as a Family Nurse Practitioner in rural western Kansas since 2002.
Areas of Expertise
- Nursing and Healthcare Challenges in Rural America
- Nursing Leadership
- Nursing Education
- Grant Writing
In the News
Iryna McDonald
Assistant Professor of Agronomy at Fort Hays State University, Iryna McDonald is well-versed in agronomic sciences both within the United States and Europe. With degrees in Biology, Agriculture, and Agronomy, Iryna has broad scientific knowledge of plant biology, soil science, and farm management, as well as expertise in laboratory research, data collection, and analysis.
Areas of Expertise
- Agronomy
- Plant Biology
- Soil Science
- Farm Management
- Planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops
Brooke Moore
Associate Professor of Special Education in the Advanced Education Programs Department, Brooke Moore also serves as the Program Coordinator for the Gifted Special Education and the Library Media Specialist programs. Formerly a special educator working primarily with students with high incidence disabilities, she is an advocate for rural special educators. Brooke believes in working collaboratively with rural school districts by strengthening the use of high leverage, evidence-based instructional practices that target the specific needs of students with high incidence disabilities, such as improving reading in content classrooms (e.g., science). In 2019, Brooke was awarded a National Science Foundation Discovery Research K-12 Grant for $476,015 to support rural educators through online professional development. In 2024, Brooke served as the President of the Division for Learning Disabilities, which is part of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Areas of Expertise
- Special Education
- Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
- Behavior Management in Special Education
- Rural Teacher Professional Development
- Online Teacher Professional Development
In the News
Amber Nickell
Assistant Professor of History at Fort Hays State University, Amber Nickell is, first and foremost, a publicly engaged scholar and teacher. She is dedicated to public Holocaust education and awareness in her community. She is a podcast host for New Books Network Jewish Studies, Eastern Europe, and Ukrainian Studies and serves as an editor for H-Ukraine.
Areas of Expertise
- Modern Central and Eastern Europe
- Transnational Germany
- Late Imperial and Soviet Borderlands
- Modern America
- Human Rights
- The Holocaust and Genocide
- Diaspora and Migration
In the News
Ziwei Qi
Assistant professor inCriminal Justice Programs at Fort Hays State University, Ziwei Qi is also a co-founder and the principal investigator of the Center for Empowering Victims of Gender-based Violence. Her research incorporates social entrepreneurship and political advocacy elements to inform progressive policies emphasizing economic empowerment through education and technology. In recent years, she has been working with other researchers to establish and develop academic-community collaborations through service-learning, research, and assessment and to create educational opportunities and policy recommendations to enhance the quality of life of rural communities.
Areas of Expertise
- Gender-based Violence
- Rural Crime
- Economic Advocacy
- Community-level Crime Prevention
- Restorative Justice and Victim Compensation
- Cross-cultural Research
- Migration and Crime
In the News
Tanya Smith
Assistant Department Chair and Professor, Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Graduate Nurse Administrator Coordinator, before joining the faculty at FHSU, Tanya Smith worked as an RN in a major medical center in the areas of peri-operative nursing and nursing management. She also has experience in hospital education and clinic management. Tanya has served as a faculty member of the Department of Nursing at FHSU since 2012 and as the Assistant Department Chair since 2016. She leads the BSN program as coordinator, including the pre-licensure on-campus BSN, pre-licensure hybrid BSN, and the online RN to BSN pathways.
Tanya is heavily involved in the clinical placement of students in all pathways and serves as a faculty mentor for the BSN curriculum. In addition, She leads the Nursing Administration pathway of the MSN program and serves as the MSN student advisor. She assists the department chair with accreditation reports, guideline adherence, staffing, and budgeting as needed. Tanya was the project director for the HRSA NEPQR-SET (simulation education training) grant.
Areas of Expertise
- Nursing and Healthcare Challenges in Rural America
- Nursing Leadership
- Nursing Education
In the News
Janet Stramel
Professor and Edna Shutts Williams Endowed Chair in the College of Education at Fort Hays State University, Janet Stramel, has been an active participant and project team leader for 100Kin10, a national organization whose mission is to recruit mathematics and science teachers. She is the co-PI on an NSF Noyce Grant. Other professional roles include past president of the Council on Faculty Senate Presidents for the Kansas Board of Regents. Dr. Stramel is the editor of a special issue on Rural STEM Teacher Development for the journal Theory & Practice in Rural Education (TPRE). She recently published a chapter in the book “Teaching and Learning Online: Science for Elementary Grade Levels:” Hurricanes and the Incredible Mystery of Disappearing Land.
Areas of Expertise
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- National Board Certification Candidate Support Provider
- Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT)
- Kansas Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS)
- Technology integration in face-to-face and online education courses
Jian Sun
Assistant Director of the Docking Institute of Public Affairs and Professor of Political Science, Jian Sun serves as the lead researcher for a variety of applied research projects involving feasibility studies, health needs assessments, program evaluation, public opinion surveys, and housing studies. His personal research interests include housing prices, urban developmental policies, and public administration.
Areas of Expertise
- Public Opinion Survey
- Housing Study
- Program Evaluation
April Terry
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Fort Hays State University, Dr. Terry specializes in four lines of research: juvenile corrections, gender and crime, rural criminology, and gender-based violence. Since 2018, Dr. Terry has helped secure more than $550,000 for initiatives surrounding justice issues, published several dozen manuscripts and book chapters including system-involved individuals, and has more than 100 local, regional, or national presentations. She serves on many professional appointments, including a collaboration with the Kansas Department of Corrections-Juvenile Services and National Crittenton, Vice-Chair for the Kansas Advisory Group on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and a Research Consultant for the Center for Empowering Victims of Gender-Based Violence.
Areas of Expertise
- Juvenile Corrections
- Gender and Crime
- Rural Criminology
- Gender-based Violence
In the News
- High Plains Public Radio: Isolation in places like rural Kansas can leave women more vulnerable to violence
Whitney Whitaker
Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Fort Hays State University, Whitney Whitaker is a social and personality psychologist specializing in three main areas of research: applied behavior and cognition, interpersonal relationships, and prosocial behavior. She has published 24 peer-reviewed articles and four book chapters, served as the editor of two textbook editions, and has more than 70 presentations at local, regional, national, and international conferences. She enjoys working with students on research projects and has mentored over 30 undergraduate and graduate students since starting at FHSU in 2016. Whitney served as the interim Research and Scholarship Coordinator at FHSU as well as the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Institutional Animal Care (IACUC) administrator.
Areas of Expertise
- Applied behavior and cognition (Social Psychology)
- Interpersonal relationships
- Prosocial behavior and forgiveness
- Violence and aggression
- Personality