New Faculty 2013-2014

Dr. Selena Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Food Systems

Having spent most of her life in Manhattan, Selena Ahmed, assistant professor in sustainable food systems, was drawn to MSU because of its innovative sustainable food and bioenergy systems (SFBS) program and “because Montana looked like Tibet.” Ahmed holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Barnard College at Columbia University in New York City, a master's in ethnobotony from the University of Kent, and a doctoral degree in biology and plant science from City University of New York. This diverse background allows Ahmed to utilize a holistic approach to study the health of the environment and human well-being. Before arriving at MSU, her post-doctoral work was in biomedical science at Tufts University in Boston.

At MSU, Ahmed teaches graduate courses addressing food policy and practice and undergraduate courses  introducing students to sustainable food systems. She is developing two new classes for the SFBS program—one that explores food systems resilience, vulnerability and transformation, and another aimed at measuring innovation in food systems. Much of Ahmed’s research funding has required extensive travel (to date she has traveled to 41 countries) and she has worked in Morocco, India, the Amazon region, Belize, and most recently China, where she is conducting research regarding the impact of climate change on the quality of tea. She and a friend even spent a summer traveling cross-country from New York to California (camping on BLM lands along the way) to get a closer look at her own country. Her research interests include examining the quality of food systems and all of the components and processes that make up food system quality from the ecology and socio-economics of production to the dietary diversity and wellbeing of consumers. In her spare time, Ahmed likes to do field research in forest and mountain dwelling communities, where she gets to do a lot of hiking, and she is looking forward to exploring trails in Montana and new outdoor activities like learning to cross-county ski.

Dr. Jae Park, Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance

Originally from Korea, Jaebum (Jae) Park began his tenure at MSU in the fall of 2013 as an assistant professor in health and human performance. At MSU Park teaches courses connected with his area of research expertise -- biomechanics. Before beginning his faculty position in Bozeman, Park completed post-doctoral work at Pennsylvania State University. Both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees emphasized the connections between kinesiology, biomechanics, and sports equipment design and were received from Seoul National University. In 2005, Park moved to the United States to pursue a doctorate in  biomechanics and motor control (neuromechanics) from the University of Maryland.

Park was attracted to MSU because he felt the university provided good opportunities to conduct both independent and collaborative research, thereby enabling him to advance research interests in human movement. Since arriving at MSU, he has received an MSU/INBRE grant to study changes in mechanical properties of hand digits and multi-finger coordination in farmers. Park's other research interests include the clinical application of how the brain controls the human body and how the biomechanics and neuroscience processes of humans behave in micro-gravity situations like space.

Dr. Vanessa Simonds, Assistant Professor of Community Health

Bozeman native, Vanessa Simonds joined the Department of Health and Human Development as an assistant professor in community health in January 2014. With a bachelor’s from MSU in biomedical science, a master’s in epidemiology and a doctorate in society, human development and health, both from Harvard University, Simonds brings an extensive research background to the department. Her post doctoral work at the University of New Mexico (funded by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation fellowship) examined community-based participatory research projects across the nation, examining barriers and facilitators to effective community-university partnerships. Upon completing her post-doc, Simonds served as an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health at the University of Iowa. After two years in Iowa City, Simonds returns to Bozeman “to work with and establish partnerships with tribes in Montana.”

Having recently expanded its research portfolio to include health disparities, Montana INBRE (IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence) searched for and hired two new assistant professorships for rural and family health. Along with two MSU graduate students, Simonds is using NIH funding (via University of Washington) to investigate the health literacy demands of the informed consent process for research projects. Simonds and her team are examining the consent forms used in research projects and determining reading grade-levels, jargon usage, the amount of white space, and the appropriateness of illustrations. “Native Americans are not well represented in clinical trials, particularly phase III clinical trials that provide the most benefit,” said Simonds. “Part of this is because of the lack of trust in research, which may be impacted by people’s understanding of the research process, benefits and risks. Making sure that people understand the purpose and process of research may increase trust and willingness to participate in research.”

Research will also examine the Institutional Review Board (IRB) Policies regarding informed consent to determine whether the policies provide guidance for addressing the health literacy of potential participants. Simonds is also investigating the degree to which IRB policies are attentive to community oversight and community-level informed consent.

Dr. Cristen Wathen, Assistant Professor of Counseling

Cristen Wathen joined the HHD faculty in fall 2013 as assistant professor in marriage and family counseling. She is a licensed counselor in Idaho and a nationally certified counselor. Originally from Texarkana, Ark., Wathen earned a bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies and history from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., and a master’s in counseling from Baylor University. She completed her doctoral degree in counselor education from Idaho State University with an emphasis in couple and family counseling and mental health counseling.

At MSU, Wathen is teaching classes in counseling theory, counseling skills, child and adolescence counseling, and addictions counseling. Her research centers on multicultural development of counselors through international experiences. She and her counseling theory students held a videoconference with the counseling students at the University of Leeds in England to discuss cross-cultural perceptions of counseling theory.

Between her master’s and doctoral work, Wathen worked clinically as a counselor specializing in sexual abuse and assault. She also led the Support and Empowerment Program for Single Parents at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, and was an academic advisor for the Teacher Development Center at the University of Texas at Dallas. Wathen mentored and counseled college students at Baylor University’s Career Counseling Center and Academic Support Program, as well. Most recently, she worked as a counselor at Idaho State University’s Counseling and Testing Center. She is interested in sexual abuse and trauma counseling in Montana.

A dancer since age five, Wathen loves ballet and modern dance, and she also does yoga. She is a diehard Arkansas Razorbacks football fan and is also becoming a Bobcat fan. She “loves having new experiences,” especially traveling and hiking.

“Experiences give you a new way of looking at or understanding things,” said Wathen.

Dr. Sweeney Windchief, Assistant Professor of Adult and Higher Education

The Department of Education welcomed Sweeney Windchief as a tenure track faculty member in the adult and higher education program. Windchief comes to MSU from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City where he was the assistant dean for diversity in the graduate school. Windchief received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and science from the University of Central Oklahoma, a master’s in counseling education from the University of Montana, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah.

As he and his family traveled the nation while pursuing his education (he has transcripts from seven different institutions), Windchief says he was always trying to get back to Montana, where he has family on the Fort Peck Reservation.

His research interests focus on the intersection of indigenous research methodologies and the role of indigenous intellectualism in higher education. He has conducted an impact study for the Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) organization, which included research in Aotearoa (the Māori term for New Zealand) with the Maori. Windchief was in the 2006/2007 AIO ambassador class, which he credits for the opportunity to focus on global leadership and cultural protocol.

“Cultural protocol recognizes the original peoples of the land that you are on, as well as the leadership in that community,” said Windchief. “And when you visit, don’t show up empty handed.” Windchief said he took gifts that reflect where he is from, which included two star quilts, Pendleton blankets, some beadwork, and T-shirts from the MSU Pow Wow basketball tournament.

Currently, Windchief is the co-principal investigator for two grants: the Sloan Indigenous Grant Partnership and the Pacific Northwest Alliance to develop, implement, and study a STEM graduate education model for American Indians and Native Alaskans.