The University of South Florida, School of Library and Information Science is very pleased to welcome five new faculty members starting this fall semester: Dr. Hong Huang, Dr. Jinfang Niu, Richard Austin, Dr. Pierce Hopkins, and Dr. John Sullivan. Each of these outstanding individuals brings extensive experience and knowledge that will contribute to the overall mission of USF SLIS, helping us to build on important areas in our LIS curriculum and supporting our new undergraduate program in Information Studies.
Dr. Hong Huang, Assistant Professor
Dr. Hong Huang recently earned his Ph.D. in Information Studies from the Florida State University (FSU), and also has two MS degrees: one in Computer Science (FSU) and one in Plant Genetics (FAMU), and a BS degree in Biochemistry. His primary research interests are in the areas of specialized information services in health/life science, translational bioinformatics, and intellectual synergies in various domains. Recently, he has been focusing on user specification in genome annotation and data curation; information exchange, standards, and utilization of genetic or genomic information for improving human health; and provision of high quality information services in health/life science community. His teaching interests are information services, data curation, health information technology, and health genomics/bioinformatics.
Dr. Jinfang Niu, Assistant Professor
Dr. Jinfang Niu has professional and academic expertise in archives management and digital preservation. She received her Ph.D. degree in Information Science in August 2009 from University of Michigan, and her MLS and BLS in Library studies from Wuhan University, China. She has taught foundation courses in information science, archives administration and digital libraries. Her research interests relate to digital curation, web archiving and electronic records management.
New Undergraduate Program Faculty
The following three faculty members join USF SLIS in support of our new Bachelor of Science in Information Studies degree that has begun this fall. They each bring different yet complementary perspectives and knowledge necessary to continue our development of a robust Information Studies undergraduate program.
Richard Austin, Visiting Assistant Professor
Rich Austin is a Visiting Assistant Professor. His PhD in Information Studies from Florida State University will be completed in fall 2010. Additionally, Mr. Austin earned an M.A. in Library and Information Science (LIS) from USF SLIS, a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Lehigh University, and a B.S. in Mineral Economics from The Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Austin originally spent time in the corporate world working for major manufacturing firms such as SKF, TRW, and the Formica Corporation in the field of materials and manufacturing management. While completing his MBA at Lehigh University, he worked for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as a business analyst and business technology consultant. He authored three books, including the first database driven direct-to-press work for Random House, while working as a business / technology consultant. He then joined a division of OCLC, as the manager of scanning services and network administrator. While there his work group completed the digitization of presidential papers for the Library of Congress and various other projects including some for the New York Public Library. Mr. Austin also worked for USF in the College of Arts and Sciences computing department as a distance learning reference GA at the Florida Distance Learning Reference and Referral Center (RRC), which was based at the Tampa campus library, and for the last five years as an adjunct instructor for the School of Library and Information Science. From 1999 – 2009, Mr. Austin was the Assistant Instant Replay Technician for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was involved in the evolution of the Instant Replay system from a digital to HD digital system. He also studies and researches military related topics in the areas of military history, aviation, and warship design and development.
Dr. Pierce Hopkins, Instructor
Dr. Hopkins is an Instructor at the School of Library and Information Science for the BSIS program. He obtained his Ph.D. in Information Systems & Decision Sciences from Louisiana State University in 2009. Before that he obtained his M.B.A. from Palm Beach Atlantic University in 1997 and his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Florida in 1984. His research interests are in information systems & projects as social systems, social & cultural aspects of information systems technology, communicating with statistics, foundations of information systems research, and knowledge management and knowledge sharing. In 2008-2009 he was a visiting instructor for the University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee Campus in the undergraduate information technology program and the M.B.A. program.
Dr. John Sullivan, Instructor
Dr. Sullivan is an Instructor for the BSIS program. Dr. Sullivan obtained his Ph.D. in Management Information Systems from the University of Bradford in 2007. He graduated from Salve Regina University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 1985 and a Master of Science in Information Systems Science in 1992. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Sullivan spent twelve years in the IS industry as a systems analyst, project manager, and founder and president of his own company, True North Information Systems. His academic career began in 1997 at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada. He has taught at the University of Delaware and Charleston Southern University before coming to USF.
Dr. Sullivan’s research interests focus on operational reliability, which is based on studies of High Reliability Organizations (HROs). The interrelationship of factors that contribute to reliability in organizations such as the US Navy, NASA, and nuclear power plants can be transferred to traditionally less critical organizations. There is considerable potential for interdisciplinary research in this area of study with the ever-increasing demands for reliability on otherwise ordinary organizations.
------
James E. Andrews, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Interim Director
University of South Florida
School of Library and Information Science (slis.usf.edu)
4202 E. Fowler Ave., CIS 1040
Tampa, FL 33620
813.974.2108
http://uweb.cas.usf.edu/~jandrews