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.
Medhavi Ambardar
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences in the Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, Medhavi Ambardar’s research primarily focuses on relationships, behavior, physiology, and reproductive success among wild birds. Other research includes the human effects on birds, the risk of collisions with human-made structures, and human influences on habitat. In addition to research, Medhavi uses her background in ornithology to serve the community and organize and compile data from the Hays Christmas Bird Count every December. She also works with the community to answer bird-related questions they may have and assisted with organizing the first-ever Kansas Prairie-chicken Festival.
Areas of expertise
- Birds
- Animal behavior
- Animal learning/training
- Physiology/stress
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
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 Department Chair and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at FHSU is a nationally recognized leader in conflict resolution and de-escalation. She serves as Executive Council President of the National De-escalation Training Center (NDTC). In 2021, Lynn secured $2.75 million in federal grant money to fund and expand the NDTC regional training center she established at FHSU.
Areas of Expertise
- Policing (Hiring, Recruiting, & Retaining Officers; Mental Health; Stigma, Stress: Perception of Bias Personality, Procedural Justice & Legitimacy)
- De-escalation training
- Gender-based violence
- Social Movements
- Media Framing
- Sentencing Structures
- Corrections (Mental Health; Programming)
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
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
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