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Donna ColeVisiting Assistant Professor Professor Donna Cole is deeply committed to restorative justice and believes that the mental and emotional well-being of students is an important aspect of their education. Cole is interested in how restorative justice can be used to build societies based upon racial justice, equity, and collective engagement. A former fellow of the Yale School of Public Health, her research examines the ways that law acts as a social determinant of health, shaping the health and well-being of African Americans, justice impacted persons, and individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. As the first person in her family to graduate from college, Cole emphasizes the importance of relationships and community. She provides students with opportunities to work with peers and members of their communities, and to apply their research and advocacy in support of interventions that address our most pressing social problems. Prior to joining Suffolk, Cole was Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Law at Trinity College. She was a member of the faculty at Simmons College where she served in Public Health and Sociology. Cole enjoys curriculum design and has developed courses in leadership, public health law, and restorative justice. Cole began her career as a social worker in Roxbury, Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Northeastern University where she earned her doctorate in Sociology. She holds a graduate degree in Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation from The Lynch School of Education at Boston College, a graduate degree in Public Health and completed her undergraduate education at The University of Dayton. |
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Sandra Correa-GarhwalAssistant Professor Sandra Correa-Garhwal is an evolutionary biologist with a deep passion for science and teaching. She is dedicated to shaping future generations through mentorship and instruction. Her goal is to equip students with the analytical skills essential in science, such as logical thinking, clear expression, and the ability to learn beyond the traditional classroom. This involves fostering an inclusive and engaging learning environment that values active participation and diverse perspectives. She emphasizes critical thinking through inquiry-based learning and real-world applications while providing personalized mentorship to help students set and achieve their academic and career goals. Additionally, she encourages collaboration through group projects and community-building activities, and offers timely, constructive feedback to promote self-reflection and continuous improvement. In her research, Correa-Garhwal's aims to understand the fundamental evolutionary mechanisms that drive the creation and preservation of genetic diversity within the spider silk gene family. Specifically, she explores how this gene repertoire is shaped by the diverse ecological niches of various spider species. Her ongoing projects focus on identifying the molecular components that enhance the adhesive properties of both dry and wet spider silks. Additionally, she investigates the complex mechanisms behind the exceptional night vision and silk-based acoustic prey detection in net-casting spiders (Deinopidae). Correa-Garhwal comes to Suffolk from the Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where she was a postdoctoral fellow. She holds BS and MS degrees in biology from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and earned a PhD in evolution, ecology, and organismal biology from the University of California Riverside. |
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Michael FiorVisiting Assistant Professor Michael Fior brings a wealth of design and firm management experience and a passion for teaching the next generation of designers to his role in the art & design department. During his distinguished 40-year career in interior architecture, Fior created spaces for business, education, research, and hospitality clients in the Boston and New York metro areas. Working on a wide variety of projects and in diverse roles, including as a principal in his own firm and a director of interior design for larger organizations, he developed a broad and intricate knowledge of the industry. Dedicated to sharing that knowledge, Fior has taught courses in the discipline for more than two decades. His research interests include studying spatial intelligence in interior architecture—the concept that spaces should reflect the time and place in which they were created, the environment and materials at hand, and the needs and expectations of the user—as well as how to integrate new and emerging technology, such as AI, into design education. Fior comes to Suffolk from Endicott College, where he taught an extensive list of graduate and undergraduate courses. He received his BFA in interior architecture from Rhode Island School of Design, and his MFA in interior architecture from Endicott College. . |
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Georgi GeorgievInstructor As an instructor, Georgi Georgiev is committed to creating an engaging learning space where students develop tools to interpret and understand the world around them using sociological lenses. As a political sociologist, his expertise lies in two key research areas: democracy/democratic citizenship and criminology. His interest in the intersection between sociology and criminology resulted in one of his published works as a co-author in International Criminology. He is a co-author of recently published Socius journal paper that delves into environmental sociology by examining the links between freedom of domestic movement and democracy. In addition, another publication is under "review and resubmit" with the Global Studies Quarterly. Georgiev joins Suffolk's Sociology & Criminal Justice Department from the Department of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa. In that role, he designed and taught various courses at the University of South Florida, including Introduction to Sociology, Contemporary Social Problems, and Political Sociology courses for the past four years. Originally from Bulgaria, Georgiev completed his bachelor's degree in sociology and political science and a master's in social responsibility at St Cloud State University in Minnesota. He received his PhD in sociology from the University of South Florida in June 2024. |
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Zhipeng HuangAssistant Professor As an assistant professor in the Mathematics & Computer Science Department at Suffolk University, Zhipeng Huang is dedicated to student success. He promotes a hands-on, research-driven approach to learning, encouraging students to engage deeply with the material and explore innovative solutions to real-world problems. His teaching interests focus on foundational computer science courses such as Programming Languages, Data Structures, and Algorithms, which are designed to equip students with essential skills for the field. His research centers on machine learning and network science, where he explores how data can reveal connections between different people and groups in networks. Specifically, his work focuses on using probabilistic network models to offer a structured framework for representing, inferring, and learning uncertainties in complex networks, particularly in the context of utilizing graph machine learning techniques for social-relational data and health care data. He is intrigued by the application of machine learning methods in bioinformatics, such as EEG signals processing and brain functional network analysis. Huang earned his PhD from Case Western Reserve University, an MS in electrical & computer engineering from Purdue University Northwest, and a BE from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. |
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Maye HenningAssistant Professor Maye Henning is committed to supporting students within and outside of the classroom through mentorship, equity-minded teaching practices, and community building. She researches and teaches on topics in American politics, including American political development, constitutional law, American empire, and race and ethnic politics. Each of her courses are designed to provide context about the US political system, encourage critical thinking about major political issues, and empower students to transform the world around them. Her current book project focuses on citizenship and American empire in the US territories during the 20th century. She has won research grants from Johns Hopkins University and the Dirksen Congressional Center and an undergraduate teaching award from the University of Portland. She will be spending the 2025-2026 academic year as a Fellow-in-Residence at the Rothermere American Institute at the University of Oxford. Henning earned her BA in political science and human rights from the University of Connecticut and PhD in political science from Johns Hopkins University. She comes to Suffolk after two years as an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and Global Affairs at the University of Portland in Oregon. |
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Lauren LynchAssistant Professor Lauren Lynch uses an interdisciplinary approach to understand and strengthen relationships between biodiversity and people in urban social-ecological systems. They use place-based education to provide students with opportunities to connect directly with local ecosystems, often incorporating service learning and research into the classes that they teach. Professor Lynch’s research focuses on biodiversity conservation and human well-being in human-dominated ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on urban pollinators. They are interested in developing strategies that can be used to support pollinator conservation in cities and provide opportunities for people to interact with urban pollinators through community science and environmental education. For example, recent projects have focused on the development of pollinator-friendly seed mixes, the evaluation of pollinator garden registration programs, and the accessibility of pollinator-focused community science projects. Lynch completed a BS at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, an MS at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and a PhD at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Before coming to Suffolk, they spent a year as a Fulbright researcher at the Laboratoire de Biomathématiques et d’Estimations Forestières at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin and a year teaching as a visiting professor in the Department of Geography and the Environment at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. |
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Trent MasikiAssistant Professor of English Dr. Trent Masiki, a scholar, author, and educator who specializes in African American and Afro-Latino American Studies, joins Suffolk as the director of the Black Studies Program and Assistant Professor in the English Department. Masiki comes to Suffolk from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he served as assistant professor of Africana studies. Before that he spent 20 years as assistant, associate and professor of English at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Massachusetts. He has taught a range of Africana studies courses, and established robust co-curricular programming at various institutions. This has included the Sankofa Lecture Series at Quinsigamond Community College, which highlights scholars whose research focuses on people of African, Latino, Native American, and/or Asian descent, and a series of virtual events with high-profile speakers at Boston University where he served as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Kilachand Honors College. His first book, The Afro-Latino Memoir: Race, Ethnicity, and Literary Interculturalism (UNC Press 2023), won the 2024 Anna Julia Cooper and C.L.R. James Award for Outstanding Scholarly Production in Africana Studies from the National Council for Black Studies. He earned a PhD in Afro-American studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as graduate certificates in African diaspora studies and Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino studies. |
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Maha MianAssistant Professor Maha Mian is passionate about undergraduate and community teaching, and looks forward to continuing to use mentorship to amplify underrepresented communities in psychology. Her research is grounded in the principles of harm reduction, and aims to specifically enhance novel and accessible protective strategies to help people reduce risks and use substances safely. Through her research, she aims to promote the humanity of substance use and the diverse experiences of those who use substances, and to contribute to the equitable dissemination of safe and accessible substance use interventions. As a researcher, Mian prioritizes using mixed methods to examine substance use, including psychometrics, qualitative/ethnography, and community-based research practices. She focuses on cannabis, alcohol, and psychedelic use specifically, and has further explored the use of these substances in pregnant individuals, teens, and in religious communities. She also is exploring the impact of decriminalization and policy change on substance use perceptions and behaviors. Clinically, Mian is dedicated to addressing trauma and sexual violence, particularly in the South Asian community. She has worked and trained in rehabilitation, community, and medical settings, utilizing evidence-based treatments and assessments. Mian received her BS in biopsychology at Tufts University, and her MA and PhD in clinical psychology from University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY). She completed her clinical internship at VA Palo Alto and her postdoctoral training as a NIDA T32 Substance Use Disorders Treatment and Services Research fellow at the University of California, San Francisco & Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. |
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Matt PerlmanAssistant Professor of Clinical Practice in the Mental Health Counseling Program Professor Matt Perlman's work focuses on the effective training of therapists and helping professionals through the integration of common factors and evidence-based treatment approaches. In all facets of his work, he emphasizes the importance of individualizing care and supporting patients (and students) as whole people. Perlman has worked in a variety of settings as a practicing clinical psychologist, including outpatient, college counseling, and medical clinic settings. He has provided care to individuals and groups dealing with a variety of behavioral health concerns, including depression, anxiety, OCD, and trauma. His approach integrates client-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and other evidence-based approaches to help patients achieve their treatment goals. Perlman has also worked extensively as a clinical supervisor and educator for trainees and early career professionals in psychology, social work, and counseling. As a researcher, Dr. Perlman's work has touched on a range of practice-focused topics including therapist effects, feedback-informed treatment, and improving therapy process/outcomes. He incorporates these topics in projects within his main research interest: enhancing therapist training through deliberate practice methods. Perlman earned his BS in psychology from Penn State University. He earned his MS and PhD in clinical psychology from Ohio University. |
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Chris SparacioInstructor Chris Sparacio brings a blend of industry and academic experience to his role at Suffolk University, where he is committed to providing a hands-on, interdisciplinary learning environment. His teaching philosophy is grounded in active participation and the real-world application of concepts, particularly in earth and environmental sciences—fostering a dynamic and engaging classroom experience. Sparacio strives to make complex earth systems not only captivating and easy to understand but also accessible for students. Sparacio is a PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut in the Department of Earth Sciences with a focus on geochemistry. His graduate research investigates organic molecules produced by vegetation to trace the transport and fate of carbon in both modern and past fluvial environments. His recent research interests have expanded to explore the interactions between urban environments and Earth systems, reflecting his broader curiosity about how human activities influence natural processes. Sparacio holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Maine at Farmington and a master of science in geology from Temple University. |
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