Leadership
Dr. Sanaz Alasti, Director & Founder
Dr. Sanaz Alasti is Professor of Criminal Justice at Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô and Founder and Director of the Center for Rule of Law, Justice & Emerging Technology. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Law School after earning advanced degrees in law and criminology.
An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Alasti has devoted more than two decades to research on capital punishment, comparative criminal justice, the rule of law, and legal reform. She is the author of ten books and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters published in the United States and internationally.
In 2013, Dr. Alasti founded the Center for Death Penalty Studies. Under her leadership, the Center has organized international conferences and scholarly workshops, developed collaborations with leading universities and justice institutions worldwide, and represented Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô through academic programs and conferences in the United States, Spain, England, Italy, and other countries.
Dr. Alasti has delivered invited lectures and presentations at prestigious institutions, including Harvard Law School, the United Kingdom Parliament, the U.S. Congress, the Law Library of Congress, the International Institute for the Sociology of Law (Spain), NATO seminar (Italy) and leading universities throughout Europe and the Middle East. Her work has contributed to international dialogue on criminal justice policy, comparative law, and the future of justice systems.
Dr. Timothy Roden, Technology Manager
Dr. Timothy Roden is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of Texas at Arlington. He worked as a simulations software engineer before becoming a university professor in 2005. His research is in Computer Graphics, Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Computing and Game Development. He chaired the Department of Computer Science at Angelo State University where his game development program earned national recognition in Princeton Review. His research focuses on computer science education and procedural content creation for 3D graphics applications.
Dr. Nina Gjoci, Senior Research and Data Advisor
Dr. Nina Gjoçi is Associate Director of Research and Data at the Center for Resiliency and an expert in communication, public memory, media, and public policy. She is the author and editor of several books and special journal issues on public memory and justice, and has taught graduate and doctoral courses in communication theory, research methods, media effects, and international communication. Before joining Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô, she held faculty positions at Howard University, the City University of New York, the European University of Tirana, and Bowling Green State University. Her research focuses on public memory, conflict, media, and democratic governance.
Dr. Jill Killough, Senior Advisor, College of Education & College of Nursing
Dr. Jill Killough is Associate Dean of the College of Education and Clinical Instructor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô and her Ph.D. in Nutrition from Texas Woman's University. A Registered Dietitian, she has directed Lamar's Dietetic Internship Program since 2008, overseeing curriculum, accreditation, student advising, and supervised practice. Her research focuses on community-based nutrition, food insecurity, health disparities, and dietetic education, with particular interest in preparing registered dietitians for advanced
Dr. Joel Grothe, Senior Advisor, College of Fine Arts
Dr. Joel Grothe is Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô and a Professor of Theatre. He earned his M.F.A. in Acting from the University of Virginia and his B.A. in English Literature from the University of Toronto. An accomplished actor, director, producer, and playwright, he has more than 200 stage, film, and television credits in the United States, Canada, and internationally. Since joining Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô in 2009, he has directed numerous theatrical productions and authored scholarly publications and creative works.
Dr. Melissa Baldo, Faculty Fellow, College of Business
Dr. Melissa Baldo is an Assistant Professor in the College of Business and the Center for Advances in Port Management. She earned her BBA from The University of Texas at Austin and her J.D. from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. Her non-academic work experience has been in the oil industry and as both an Assistant District Attorney in Houston and an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. She is Chair of the Student Faculty Relations Committee for the College of Business and serves on the Institutional Review Board and the Patent Review Committee for Â鶹ӳ»Ó°Òô. Her research interests include employment law, academic integrity and artificial intelligence.