DMI FACULTY

Dr. Pamela Scott Bracey currently serves as a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Multidisciplinary Innovation. With experience as an educator on both secondary and post-secondary levels, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the College of Applied and Collaborative Studies team in the areas of business education, professional soft skill development, grant writing, and various applied learning technologies.

She has been awarded multiple prestigious awards for excellence in teaching and providing stellar community-engaged learning experiences for her students. Dr. Bracey strives to model inclusiveness and proudly serves as a dedicated student mentor and advocate. She has also published a textbook entitled “Administrative Management & Procedures (2021)”, in addition to several journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Bracey graduated from UNT with a PhD in Applied Technology & Performance Improvement, and a minor in Gifted and Talented Education. She also earned a M.S. degree in Higher Education Administration from Mississippi College, and a B.S. in Business Technology Education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

LeeAnn Derdeyn, Ph.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of North Texas, an R1 HSI. Her interdisciplinary research in Ethics and 20th/21st C Transatlantic English Literature (American, British, and Irish) examines interrelated environmental, women’s, and human justice issues. An award-winning teacher, Dr. Derdeyn loves her home in DMI where she collaborates on Project-Based Learning with colleagues across varied fields.  

Dr. Derdeyn has presented at prestigious conferences in the US, England, Ireland, and Italy and published in Modernism/modernity, Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment (ISLE), College Literature, and English Studies, plus book chapters and poems. Books in progress include: Blindsighted: Alienation and Affirmation in T. S. Eliot and Ezra Pound and Love the Jackalope: Insecurity in Contemporary English Literature from David Foster Wallace to Ali Smith. 

When not grading, LeeAnn spends time with her family, is the church pianist and choir director, reads and writes, and keeps bees.

Dr. DeWitt received an M.A. from Boston University in 1989 and a Ph.D. from Binghamton University in 1996. After postdoctoral work and research professorships at the University of Kentucky and Texas A&M University, he joined the A&M faculty, where he is now Emeritus. In research, he created many new scientific paradigms and had a penchant for multidisciplinary collaboration, publishing in journals such as Science and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. While still active in research at UNT, Frisco branch, he primarily focuses on teaching environmental science through project-based learning and develops projects and training programs in nature conservation.

Rochelle Gregory earned a PhD in Rhetoric from Texas Woman's University (2009) and both an MA (2003) and BA (2001) in English from Tarleton State University. Growing up in Dublin, Texas, Dr. Gregory developed a strong sense of community, which she brings to her work in writing program administration, Burke studies, composition studies, and gender studies. Dr. Gregory served as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany in 2017 and received the “Best Independent Research, Short Article in Rhetoric” award from Parlor Press in 2015. Dr. Gregory has taught for more than twenty years because she is passionate about writing, composition, and rhetoric and believes in creating an inclusive learning environment that empowers students.

Featured Publications:
“Peer-to-Peer Professional Development in Building a Culture of Collegiality in Corequisite Education.” Journal of College Academic Support Programs (J-CASP). May 1, 2024.

 “The Fulbright International Education Administrators Seminars: Opportunities for Honors Deans and Directors.” Internationalizing Honors. National Collegiate Honors Council. Spring 2021.

 “A Womb with a View: Identifying the Culturally Iconic Fetal Image in Prenatal Ultrasound Provisions.” Present Tense: A Journal of Rhetoric in Society. Vol 2: Issue 2. 2012.

Magdalena G. Grohman, Ph.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor in Design at the Department of Multidisciplinary Innovation, CACS, University of North Texas. Her research, publications, and educational interests focus on design, creative thinking and creative problem solving, pedagogy of creativity, and ethics education. Dr. Grohman has significant experience in mixed methods, and study designs employing cognitive ethnography as the main methodology.

She currently serves as PI on the NSF-funded study “The Formation of Engineers in the Research Lab: A Cognitive Ethnographic Study.” Before taking up a position at DMI UNT, Dr. Grohman was an Associate Director of the Center for Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology at The University of Texas at Dallas. She is an active member of APA Division 10: Society for the Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. Dr. Grohman received her Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland.

Dr. Palao Mendizabal received his PhD in Public Policy and Political Economy from the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). He got his BSc in Industrial Engineering and MSc in Quality Engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. Dr. Palao Mendizabal also has a MSc in Financial Analysis from Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, Spain. He worked as a project manager in the automotive industry, as a quality control supervisor in the oil industry, and as a risk specialist for the Mexican Central Bank in a specialized trust fund for rural development.  

He has contributed with meaningful insights as a leader, manager, consultant, and specialist in diverse industries, including the public sector in his home country. He has achieved certifications in quality assurance, process auditing, financial risk specialist, teaching, and economic and demographic data analysis. All his experiences serve as a baseline for future collaborations, making them available to colleagues, students, practitioners, and institutions.

An art and cultural historian by training, the bulk of Dr. Ranieri's research is focused on pre- and early modern Italian art and architecture, the science of teaching and learning about art, and inter- and multidisciplinary collaborations. She and her coauthor, Scott Hendrix, have recently published a textbook titled Rebirth and Reform: How the Renaissance Gave Birth to the Reformation, (through Cognella), which begins with the medieval roots of the Renaissance and Reformation, demonstrating how institutional, intellectual, artistic, and religious developments coalesced over the centuries into the changes that affected the globe in the Reformation.

Dr. Singh holds a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology with advanced scientific training as a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern). In addition, Dr. Singh holds an MBA with a specialization in Project Management, Entrepreneurship, and Healthcare Management from the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Singh served as a faculty member in the Division of Cardiology at UT Southwestern before joining UNT at Frisco and continues to serve there as an Adjunct Faculty. 

During his appointments at UT Southwestern, Dr. Singh has received numerous awards from the American Heart Association, including research fellowships, grants, and selection as a finalist for the 2010 Louis N. and Arnold M. Katz Basic Science Research Award.

Dr. Singh has an expertise in working with different disease models ranging from cancer, muscle, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, to immunology, and his research findings have been published in high-impact journals with over 1000 citations. Dr. Singh’s research interests include transcriptional regulation of cardiovascular and skeletal muscle response to injury, cardiac and skeletal muscle regeneration, inducible pluripotent stem cells, and cellular response to acute injury and stress.

Dr Stanaland holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Dallas. After teaching at the community college level for fifteen years, he currently teaches Introduction to Research as well as Political Science courses across the BAAS, APDA, and PDA programs. His research investigates the ways in which foreign direct investment affects and relates to a country's overall political economy. Specifically, he seeks to better understand the role of natural resources, labor- vs. capital-intensive industries, and informal economies.
Dr Stanaland's teaching practice has allowed him to experiment with many different assessment types and teaching strategies, giving him the tools necessary to make his courses engaging.

Dr. Tekarli received his Ph.D. from the University of North Texas in 2011. Following completion of his Ph.D., he served as a Postdoctoral Fellow for the Washington State University Institute for Shock Physics, a multi-disciplinary research organization with a strong focus on understanding condensed matter response at extreme conditions. Dr. Tekarli is an alumni of Wichita State University, receiving his B.S. in Chemistry and minor in Mathematics in 2005.

Dr. Tekarli’s research investigates (1) fundamental spectroscopic and structural studies of luminescent transition metal and lanthanide complexes, (2) molecular electronic devices, and (3) metal-organic framework for adsorption of hydrogen and other gases. His work has been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, and the Journal of Inorganic Chemistry.

Joining UNT in 2024, Dr.Vu continues a distinguished career from both the corporate and consulting sectors. Most recently, as Director of IoT Solutions at Prosperity Now, she led the organization’s nationwide Digital Transformation initiative, focusing on CRM, ERP, and project management tools. Dr. Vu also held leadership roles across core functions within Commercial, Technology, Finance, and Operations groups during her 15 years at BNSF Railway.  Notably, her work in process re-engineering, analytics, and data governance significantly improved operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. She also pioneered the development of advanced pricing strategies and financial forecasting systems, impacting over $5B in revenue.

In the classroom, Dr. Vu draws from her diverse experience in both industry and academia, encouraging students to apply theoretical knowledge to solve complex, real-world problems. Her teaching emphasizes analytics, systems thinking, and strategic leadership, preparing students to manage change and leverage technology effectively in a fast-paced, data-driven society.  She is committed to mentoring and advising students, ensuring their success both academically and professionally.

With a Doctorate in Engineering Management from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University, Dr. Vu is passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders. Students in her courses can expect a dynamic, engaging learning environment where they develop the skills to lead in a rapidly evolving business and technology landscape.

Susan Watson, Ph.D., is a Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Applied and Collaborative Studies at the University of North Texas. She completed her Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Texas Tech University in 2002. She also received her M.S. in Agricultural Education from Texas A&M University in 1999 and her B.S. in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University in 1998. She is an Applied Economist with research in education, online learning, e-commerce, agricultural marketing, and precision agriculture. Dr. Watson specializes in teaching and learning both in-person and in various online formats.

Dr. Miranda Williams is a native of North Carolina. She received a BS in Interior Merchandising and an MBA from East Carolina University, as well as a PhD in Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Williams' research is focused on fashion influencers, specifically the authenticity of influencers from the perspective of their audiences. She has published in the Journal of Business Research and the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. Dr. Williams has also presented at the Academy of Marketing Science.

Dr. Williams received his Doctorate in Business Administration from Walden University, his MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and his BS from Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale. He has taught classes in business, marketing, analytics, and human resources at the graduate and undergraduate levels. His educational interests are in business, the airline industry, employee retention, marketing, project design, problem-solving, and creative competitive thinking. He has a strong attachment to project-based learning. Dr. Williams' Doctoral Study focused on employee turnover in the airline industry, as experienced at a single airline. 

Dr. Williams retired from Southwest Airlines after 30 years, where most of his tenure was serving as the Sr. Training Program Manager in the Revenue Management & Pricing department. Over his tenure, he has developed and facilitated several analytical, course-driven, project-based training programs at Southwest Airlines that have propelled his analysts to become prominent commercial business leaders (VPs, Directors, and Managers) within Southwest Airlines and other airlines.  

Featured Publication:

Williams, Curtis Raynard, "Strategies to Retain Revenue Management Analysts in the U.S. Airline Industry" (2017). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 3376. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3376