Meet Our New Faculty
Fall 2026 Issue
Fond Farewells and New Welcomes
This has been a year of transition for NAMS, as we've celebrated colleagues heading into well-earned retirements and welcomed some new faces to our community. It is never easy saying goodbye to colleagues and friends, but we are grateful for all they have done for our School and the lasting impact they have made. We wish them all the best in their next chapter. Please accept our deepest gratitude!
- Guy Barbato, Associate Professor of Biology (16 years)
- Elizabeth Bick, Marine Field Station Staff (26 years)
- Lestor Block, Chemistry Lab Staff (20 years)
- Dessie Gaston, Administrative Staff (98 years)
- Tim Haresign, Associate Professor of Biology (33 years)
- Bill Haron, Lab Staff (25 years)
- Eve Jaworski, Lab Staff (37 years)
- Yitzhak Sharon, Distinguished Professor of Physics (54 years)
- Lori Vermuelen, Professor of Chemistry (10 years)
- Benita Villar, Instructor of Physics (18 years)
With our faculty departure, we also welcomed several new faculty members to the NAMS family:
- Surya Banks, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Is an organometallic chemist and chemistry educator with interests in materials science, polymer chemistry, and chemistry education. He earned a Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry from the University of Kentucky in 2016. He loves finding creative methods to make difficult subjects more accessible through active learning, group problem-solving, and real-world connections in his teaching.
His research focuses on organic synthesis, polymeric and functional materials, chemically modified natural polymers, and sustainable chemistry. He especially enjoys mentoring undergraduate researchers and watching them grow into confident, independent scientists. Several of his previous students have received research fellowships and presented their work at national ACS meetings. In addition, he also participates in chemistry education through professional organizations and communities such as the ACS, OrganicERs, and Active Learning in Organic Chemistry.
- Laura Biggs, Teaching Assistant of Biology
- Christophe Vieira, Assistant Professor of Marine Science
Dr. Christophe Vieira earned a Ph.D. in Marine Science through a joint doctoral program between Pierre and Marie Curie University (now Sorbonne University) and Ghent University. Vieira previously worked as a research professor at Jeju National University in South Korea, prior to joining Stockton University.
His research and teaching interests are in seaweed taxonomy, biogeography, and evolution. His work integrates genetic research, morphology, and ecological field data to better understand the development and change of algal variety across the globe, with a special focus on brown and red algae. His current study has led him to tropical and temperate marine environments, where he has completed field studies and surveys of marine flora, which have helped to identify and classify new species of seaweed. He is also active in the developing amount of peer-reviewed research in phycology.
Join us in welcoming our new colleagues to the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics!
