College of Science and Mathematics
TANYA BLACIC
Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Studies
blacict@mail.montclair.edu
ext. 4448
Office Location: Mallory Hall
Dr. Blacic comes to MSU from the Geology and Geophysics Department at the University of Wyoming where, as a Postdoctoral Researcher, she investigated the 3D structure of oceanic internal waves in the Gulf of Mexico and worked on inversion of seismic oceanography data to obtain 2D temperature images of the ocean. Dr. Blacic’s research interests include tectonic-magmatic interaction, marine tectonophysics, seismic imaging, volcanic processes, and the emergent field of seismic oceanography. She has been published in journals such as Ocean Science, Tectonophysics, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, Journal of Geophysical Research, and Journal of Environmental Engineering. Dr. Blacic has also received grants and scholarships from the National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia and the Dipartimento della Protezione Civile, and the Office of Naval Research
HENDRIK ESHUIS
Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
eshuish@mail.montclair.edu
ext. 7099
Office Location: Richardson Hall 342
Dr. Eshuis comes to MSU from the Chemistry Department at the University of California, Irvine where, as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in theoretical chemistry, he developed and implemented methods based on the random phase approximation to describe electron correlation in molecules. As a member of the Atmospheric Integrated Research at University of California, Irvine (AirUCI) institute, he studied the possible formation of nitrous acid from photoexcited nitrogen dioxide in the troposphere. During his PhD at Bristol University, he researched electron dynamics of molecules in electric fields using explicitly propagated time-dependent Hartree-Fock and Kohn-Sham theories. Dr. Eshuis' work has been published in journals such as The Journal of Chemical Physics, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, and BMC Structural Biology.
MARC FAVATA
Assistant Professor, Mathematical Sciences
favatam@mail.montclair.edu
ext. 5132
Office Location: Richardson Hall 250
Dr. Favata comes to MSU from the Center for Gravitation and Cosmology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he was a Postdoctoral Research Associate involved with the LIGO project. The goal of LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) is to detect gravitational waves—ripples in the curvature of spacetime produced by collisions of black holes or neutron stars. It is the largest single project funded by the NSF. Dr. Favata’s research focuses on improving the models that LIGO and other gravitational-wave detectors will use to analyze their signals. He is especially interested in how gravitational-wave observations will probe the interiors of neutron stars and test our understanding of Einstein’s description of gravity. Dr. Favata was formerly a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow at Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2009-2011) and a Postdoctoral Fellow at UCSB’s Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (2006-2009).
YVONNE GINDT
Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
gindty@mail.montclair.edu
ext. 3469
Office Location: Richardson Hall 350
Dr. Gindt comes to MSU from the Chemistry Department at Lafayette College where she was an Associate Professor. Her current research focuses on elucidating the mechanism of substrate binding and redox potential measurements for blue-light photoreceptors. Dr. Gindt has been published within journals such as Biochemistry, Journal of Physical Chemistry, and Journal of the American Chemical Society. Some of her major grants funded while at Lafayette College include PI on NIH Grant, PI on NSF MRI Grant, and as a Subcontractor on NSF Subaward.
STEVEN GREENSTEIN
Assistant Professor, Mathematical Sciences
greensteins@mail.montclair.edu
ext. 7921
Office Location: Richardson Hall 220
Dr. Greenstein comes to MSU from the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, where he was an Assistant Professor. Dr. Greenstein’s research focuses on children’s qualitative geometric thinking, where he developed a unique geometry environment with which to engage children’s intuitive and informal topological ideas. This environment is a component of a related research interest in the design of exploratory playgrounds in mathematics. Dr. Greenstein is a Co-PI on a Noyce/Capacity Building Project grant from NSF to develop a STEM secondary teacher participation program, where he conducts ethnographic research to help characterize the sociocultural context of the US Virgin Islands and its relationship to schooling. He also has collaborated on an NSF HBCU-UP Implementation grant, where he designed supplemental instruction for STEM students in entry-level mathematics courses.
ROBERT MEREDITH
Assistant Professor, Biology and Molecular Biology
meredithr@mail.montclair.edu
ext. 7800
Office Location: Science Hall
Dr. Meredith comes to MSU from the Biology Department at the University of California, Riverside where, as a Postdoctoral Researcher, he integrated molecular biology, genomics, systematic, paleontology, morphology, and geology. Dr. Meredith’s current research interests include the systematics, life-history evolution, fossil record, and historical biogeography of poeciliid fishes, crocodylians, and mammals. He now plans to expand his research to encompass several other lower vertebrate groups. Dr. Meredith has published 26 articles in journals such as Science, PNAS, PloS Genetics, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B. He also has received grants from the University of California, Riverside Genetics Institute, a Dissertation research Grant from the University of California, Riverside, and is in the process of preparing a National Science Foundation grant entitled “The evolution of tooth genes in mammals: integrating genomic data with phylogenetics and the fossil record.”