Faculty and Staff

Director of the School of Social Sciences
Associate Professor Of Anthropology
Office: Hawkins Hall, room 332
334-808-6850
scarmody@troy.edu

Information on Field Projects: Summer School in Classical Archaeology

Education
Ph.D. in Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
M.A. in Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
B.S. in Anthropology, College of Charleston
Minor in Archaeology

Areas of Expertise
Anthropological Archaeology, Paleoethnobotany, Origins of Agriculture, Prehistoric Religious Systems, Food Justice

Biography
Dr. Carmody is an anthropological archaeologist whose research focuses on the prehistoric use of plants in both religious and economic contexts in the southeastern U.S. His specialization in paleoethnobotany allows him to use plant remains recovered from archaeological sites as a lens into the human-environmental dynamics of the past. His primary research interests involve exploring the cultural and social consequences of the origins of agriculture, past, present, and future. He also explores the use of plants in ritual and religious ceremonies. Stephen has worked on or led archaeological excavations in Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Introduction to Anthropology
• Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
• Food Justice
• Archaeology of Death and Burial
• High Civilizations of the Old World
• Introduction to Social Science Theory
• Anthropology of Sex and Gender

Courses taught at the graduate level

• Seminar in the Social Sciences
• Magic, Witchcraft and Religion

Associate Director of the School of Social Sciences
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Office: 132B MSCX
334-808-6691
atatch@troy.edu

Education
Ph.D. in Sociology, Mississippi State University (2019)
M.A. in Applied Sociology, Valdosta State University (2012)
B.A. in Sociology, Valdosta State University (2008)




Areas of expertise
Social stratification, health disparities, substance use/abuse, deviance

Biography
Dr. Tatch joined the faculty at Troy University in 2021 and currently teaches at the undergraduate level. Broadly, he is interested in research related to social stratification, substance use and abuse, impaired driving, and health disparities. He has led or co-authored manuscripts related to college student drinking, gender-specific predictors of impaired driving, mental illness, adverse childhood experiences, and employment outcomes for individuals with blindness or low vision. Dr. Tatch is currently working on several manuscripts considering the utility and applicability of data from digital online spaces to extend current research on identity work and impression management.

In the classroom, Dr. Tatch aims to develop innovative assignments that give students an opportunity to apply course concepts outside of the classroom and present their work at academic conferences. To date, these have included digital ethnographies of deviant groups, live observations of sporting events, and critical analyses of contemporary television shows.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Introduction to Sociology
• Introduction to the Social Sciences
• Deviant Behavior
• Sociology of Sport
• Sociology of Health, Medicine, and Illness
• Social Research Methods
• Social Science Statistics

Courses taught at the graduate level

• Sociology of Health, Medicine, and Illness

Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology
Graduate Director
PhD in Criminology & MSCJ Coordinator
Office: 320B McCall Hall
334-808-6207
hakbas@troy.edu

Education
Ph.D. in Criminal Justice,  University of Cincinnati
M.S. in Justice Administration, University of Louisville
B.S. in Security Studies, Turkiye

Areas of Expertise
Policing, Research Methods, Homeland Security, Border Security, Transnational Crime

Biography
Dr. Akbas joined the Troy faculty in 2018. He teaches at both undergraduate and graduate level. His main research interests include the study of policing strategies, immigration, human trafficking, and terrorism. He is the author and co-author of two books, numerous book chapters, and scholarly articles.  Dr. Akbas previously worked more than 16 years in various law enforcements in Turkey and managed national and European Union projects on human trafficking, asylum seeking, and border security.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Survey of Law Enforcement
• Research Methods
• Foundations of Intelligence
• Criminal Justice Issues in Homeland Security
• Transnational Organized Crime
• Serial Killers
• Terrorism
• Security Operations
• Survey of Law and Criminal Procedures

Courses taught at the graduate level

• Survey of Research Methods
• Seminar in Law Enforcement
• Seminar in Homeland Security
• Transportation and Border Security
• Seminar in Transnational Crime
• Legal Aspects of Security
• Capstone in CJ
• Organization Theory
• Criminal Justice Policy

Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Office: MSCX building, room 321D
334-808-6781
ewiedenmeyer@troy.edu

Education
Ph.D. in Applied Anthropology, Texas State University
M.A. in Biological Anthropology, Texas State University
B.A. in Biological Anthropology, California State University - East Bay

Areas of Expertise
Forensic Anthropology, Musculoskeletal Changes, Osteobiography, Long-term Unidentified Cases

Biography
Dr. Wiedenmeyer joined the Troy faculty in 2024 and currently teaches at the undergraduate level. She is a forensic anthropologist with roots in biological anthropology, and her primary research explores how musculoskeletal changes in the human body can be used in historic skeletal interpretations and modern biological profile estimations. Prior to arriving in Troy, she regularly assisted in forensic identification efforts for local county decedent cases in Texas and volunteered for international humanitarian efforts along the South Texas/Mexico border. She additionally helped develop an ongoing initiative at the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State to pursue the identification and repatriation for long-term unidentified cases, as well as assisted in research being conducted at the Center's outdoor decomposition facility since 2017. Her forensic knowledge and expertise include the postmortem interval, search & recovery of human remains, and 3D reconstruction techniques. 

Courses Taught at the Undergraduate Level

• Introduction to Forensic Anthropology
• Introduction to Forensic Science
• Death Investigation
• Forensic Evidence
• Human Variation
• Bioarchaeology

Lecturer Criminology
Office: 324 McCall Hall
334-808-6129
jcotton2351@troy.edu

Education
M.S. in Criminal Justice, Troy University
B.S. in Criminal Justice, Troy University
Paralegal Studies Certificate, Troy University

Areas of Expertise
Victimology, Law Enforcement, Drugs/Alcohol

Biography
Ms. Jessica Childs joined the Troy University faculty in 2008. She teaches Criminal Justice courses at the undergraduate level. Prior to becoming a faculty member, Ms. Childs was the departmental secretary. During her undergraduate years at Troy University, she was on the National Dean's list, received the Victor Ortloff Scholarship and was a member of the Alpha Phi Sigma National Honor Society and Lambda Alpha Epsilon. As a graduate student, Jessica served as a Graduate Administrative Assistant and President of the Alpha Phi Sigma National Honor Society, Tau Sigma Epsilon Chapter. She also holds the positions of advisor for the Troy University chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, academic advisor and internship coordinator in the department.

She has made various presentations at numerous academic conferences to include the Southern Criminal Justice Association. She also attended a National Victims' Assistance conference in Washington, DC and a National Advisors meeting for Alpha Phi Sigma in New Orleans, LA.  Ms. Childs was nominated for the Ingalls Award for Classroom Teaching Excellence in 2018. Jessica is also on the Board of Directors for Victims of Crime and Leniency (VOCAL). She resides in Jack, Alabama with her daughter Whitney, and son Harrison.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Introduction to Criminal Justice
• Survey of Law Enforcement
• Introduction to Legal Studies
• Victimology
• Drugs, Alcohol and Criminal Justice
• Advanced Victimology
• Field Experiences in Criminal Justice
• Psychology for CJ Officials

Assistant Professor Criminology
Office: McCall Hall room 327C
jbeatty@troy.edu 

Education

Ph.D. in Sociology, Iowa State University 
M.S. in Sociology, Iowa State University 
B.A. in Criminal Justice, Iowa State University 

Areas of Expertise
Corrections, violence, and family violence


Biography

Dr. Beatty joined the Troy faculty in 2025 and currently teaches at the undergraduate level. Her primary interests center on violent offending and corrections, with a broader focus on deviant behavior within society. She is particularly interested in topics involving family versus stranger violence, capital punishment, and how correctional institutions can influence inmate misconduct.

She is the author of several manuscripts and has contributed to a book focused on homicide studies, reflecting her commitment to examining complex issues surrounding violent crime and punishment. Her work focuses on how society and institutions respond to deviance and how these responses influence public understanding and policy decisions.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

Lecturer Legal Studies
Office: MSCX, room 132A
334-808-6471
lharden@troy.edu

Education
J.D., University of Alabama School of Law
B.A. in Political Science, Rhodes College

Areas of Expertise
Federal courts, legal research, and legal writing

Biography
Lisa Harden joined the Troy faculty in 2023 and teaches at the undergraduate level. She is a member of the Alabama State Bar and served as a career law clerk in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama for twenty-six years.

Courses Taught at the Undergraduate Level

• Introduction to Legal Studies
• Legal Research and Writing

Lecturer Criminology
Office: 1510 Whitewater Ave, Ste 402F
334-448-5242
dhoriuchi@troy.edu

Education
Master of Public Administration (Justice Administration), Columbus State University
B.S. Criminal Justice, Columbus State University

Areas of Expertise
Law Enforcement

Biography
Mr. Horiuchi came to Troy University in 2002 as an Adjunct Instructor while working as a Police Officer for the Columbus, GA Police Department.  In 2008, he left the police department and accepted a position as a full-time Lecturer at Troy University.

As a police officer, Mr. Horiuchi worked in all facets of law enforcement including Patrol, DUI Task Force, Crime Suppression, Narcotics & Vice, and Support Services.  He worked in the multi-state Metro Narcotics Task Force conducting undercover and tactical operations.  Mr. Horiuchi was Officer of the Month and Officer of the Year in 2002 for apprehending and providing life saving first aid to an escaped inmate from the Muscogee County Jail.

Mr. Horiuchi was a competitive pistol shooter in college (see ACJA-LAE) and for the Columbus Police Department.  He was a member of the Georgia Governors Twenty (top twenty law enforcement shooters in Georgia), an ACJA-LAE Regional and National Champion, and a Regional Champion in the Southeastern Police & Fire Olympics.

Mr. Horiuchi has sat on numerous boards for community organizations and is still active in the Fraternal Order of Police.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Introduction to Criminal Justice
• Careers in Criminal Justice
• Survey of Law Enforcement
• Survey of Corrections
• Survey of Law and Criminal Procedure
• Criminal Justice Administration
• Psychology for Criminal Justice Officials
• Juvenile Justice
• Criminology
• Constitutional Law in Criminal Justice
• History of Criminal Justice
• Ethics in Criminal Justice
• Selected Topics in Criminal Justice
• Terrorism
• Criminal Investigation
• Current Issues in Law Enforcement
• Criminal Justice Issues in Homeland Security
• Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice

Associate Professor of Political Science
334 McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
rledet@troy.edu
Telephone: 1-334-670-5926

Research

Areas of Interest: Religion and politics, Research Methods and Applications, Political Culture and Civil Society, US Politics, Political and Democratic Development

Biography

Ph.D., Political Science, University of Notre Dame

Rich Ledet is currently an Associate Professor and Interim Chair of Political Science at Troy University, in Troy, Alabama. A former US Army Infantryman (1995-1997), and Infantry Squad Leader in the Louisiana National Guard (1997-2000), Ledet earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame in 2011, and served as an Army Civilian field researcher in Afghanistan in 2012. He teaches American and Comparative politics courses, and conducts research into the political consequences of identity, culture, and religion, with an emphasis on state-building and democracy.

Associate Professor
331A McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
bstewart169746@troy.edu
Telephone: 1-334-808-6798

Research

Research Interests: Ethnic Politics, Political Violence, East European Politics, and African Politics

Biography

Brandon Stewart is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Political Science at Troy University.  Dr. Stewart received his PhD in Political Science from the University of North Texas. His primary research interests include Ethnic Politics, Political Violence, East European Politics, and African politics. You can find his research published in journals such as Nationalism and Ethnic Politics and Social Science Quarterly.

Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies
331B McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
fsun57924@troy.edu
Telephone: 1-334-808-6288

Biography

Dr. Sun is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies of Political Science at Troy University. She received her MS in Statistics, MA and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Alabama. Her research interests include contemporary Chinese politics, foreign direct investment, and development in developing countries. 

Professor
312K McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
jrcampbell@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6824

Research

Areas of Interest: Politics and Political Economy of Northeast and Southeast Asia, Science and Technology Policy, International Security, International Political History, and Film and Politics 

Biography

Ph.D., Political Science, Miami University (Ohio)

Joel R. Campbell is a Professor of Political Science at Troy University. He teaches in the Masters of Science in International Relations (MSIR) program. He has served as faculty chair for the Troy Pacific Region, has been a member of the Institutional Review Board and the Faculty Senate. He is now on the Undergraduate Academic Council. He has taught at global political economy at Tohoku University, politics and economics at Miyazaki International College and political economy and business at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan, as well as international relations at Chung Ang University, political economy and public policy at Kyung Hee University and East Asian political history at Yonsei University in Korea. He has published extensively on his principal research interests, the politics and political economy of Northeast Asia, along with technology policy and international security

Professor
312D McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
gddavis@troy.edu
Telephone: 1-334-808-6280

Research

Areas of Interest: European Security, European IPE, Middle East Security, Research Methods

Biography

G. Doug Davis, PhD is a Professor of International Relations at Troy University where he is a European Security and Middle East regional expert. In addition to a masters and doctorate in political science from the University of Arizona, he has a European graduate degree from the Pontificia Università Lateranense. He has published academic papers and is the author, with Dr Michael Slobodchikoff, of a book that was recently published titled Cultural Imperialism and the Decline of the Liberal Order: Russian and Western Soft Power in Eastern Europe. His academic work has been translated and published in nine languages. He has international development experience in the Middle East where he has worked on projects funded by the European Union, Italian government, and the World Bank. He has international banking experience and has worked to open financial institutions internationally.  He has done work at multiple Polish universities and in 2020 was a visiting scholar at the University of Zagreb.  In 2019, he and colleagues were awarded a NATO public diplomacy grant to host the NATO at Seventy: A Strategic Examination of the Past, Present, and Future of the Atlantic Alliance Conference at Troy University.  He is contributor and co-editor of a book that will come out in the fall of 2021 titled The Challenge to NATO: Global Security and the Atlantic Alliance.

Assistant Professor of Public Administration
MPA Internship Coordinator
Troy Online
tlesteves@troy.edu
Telephone: 321-209-2990

Research

Areas of Interest: Social Media use for civic engagement, and emergency preparedness and response, Sustainability, eLearning, and the Role of Technology in Building Community

Biography

BA, American Government, University of Virginia
MPA, James Madison University
Ph.D, Public Administration and Public Affairs, Virginia Tech

Tammy Barnett Esteves, Ph.D., is a native Virginian, now living in Orlando. Dr. Esteves ("Dr. E" to her students) brings both practical and academic experience to the field of public administration. She has been a full-time faculty member with Troy University's MPA program since 2002. Prior to TROY, she taught for Christopher Newport University, the University of Richmond, and Indiana State University. She has also taught individual courses for NC State, Virginia Commonwealth University, James Madison University and The Presidio Graduate School. Prior to entering the world of academia, her practical experiences included work as training coordinator for Virginia Blood Services; human resources director for International AutoSport; community services coordinator for the Jefferson Area Board for Aging; development coordinator for the Virginia Discovery Museum; and Interim Executive Director for Avalon, a women's shelter in Williamsburg, Virginia. 

Dr. Esteves is very active in the American Society for Public Administration and the International Leadership Association. She primarily teaches Research Methods, Leadership in Public Administration, eGovernance, Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response, and in 21-22 will offer a new course, Social Marketing. Her main research interest is the role of technology for building community, particularly in the areas of social media, smart cities, and civictech. She brings these interests into the classroom with creative assignments to get students to think outside the box and make connections to the world around them, encouraging whole person education and lifelong learning.

Associate Professor of Public Administration
Troy Online
pagibson@troy.edu 

Research

Areas of Interest: Ethics and Moral Development, Citizen Participation in Policy Formation, Research-Practice Gap, and Cyberbullying

Biography

Ph.D., Public Policy and Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University

Dr. Pamela A. Gibson is an Associate Professor at Troy University.  Prior to joining Troy, she taught for Old Dominion University and individual courses for the University of Virginia, University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University and Christopher Newport University. She earned her PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master of Public Administration degree from VCU and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Virginia. 

Prior to entering academia, she served the public in professional positions in the mental health field as Services Coordinator for Cobb and Douglas County Board of Health; consultant for the Kennedy Institute in Washington and Center for Community Development in Maryland; and Director of Residential Services for Rock Creek Foundation of Maryland and Butler County Pennsylvania. 

Her research interests include administrative ethics and immigration policy, cyber-service in the public sphere, and empirical assessment of moral reasoning. Her research has been published in Human Resource Management Review, Public Administration Quarterly, Journal of Public Affairs Education, Ethics & Behavior and Public Integrity.

Professor
312E McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
mbrennan@troy.edu 
Telephone: 1-334-808-6387
 http://michaelguobrennan.com/

Research

Areas of Interest: Globally Competent Leadership and Governance, Civic Capacity and Community Cohesion, Education Policy, and Immigration Policy.

Biography

Dr. Guo-Brennan is a Fulbright Scholar whose research addresses critical issues in public policy including globally competent governance, leadership and policy, urban education reform, immigration policy, and crisis management. He has served in a multitude of leadership roles in government, non-profit and academic institutions across America for over 25 years. This includes leadership positions in non-governmental organizations and as a City Manager in the Midwest and New England and as the former Director of the MPA program at Troy University.

As a Professor of public administration and policy, his teaching and research has taken him to cities throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and China. His teaching is focused on global competency in public administration, public/non-profit policy and administration, organizational leadership, ethics in public administration, educational policy, migration, emergency management, and diversity issues in public administration.

In addition to numerous scholarly journal articles, Dr. Guo-Brennan has published numerous books including Globally Competent Governance: Strategies for Building Welcoming and Inclusive Communities (2024), School choice and the impact of COVID-19: Parent frustration, accountability, and a time of reckoning for American public schools (2023), and Preparing globally competent professionals and leaders for innovation and sustainability (2022). Serving as editor, Dr. Guo-Brennan has three additional books scheduled for release in 2025 and 2026.

Assistant Professor of International Relations

Troy Online
dhayes@troy.edu 
Telephone: 1-910-286-1871

Research

Areas of Interest: International Political Economy, International Relations Theory, International Power, and Terrorism

Biography

Dr. Hayes grew up in NJ and attended Drew University as an undergrad. While in college, he  also joined the Army National Guard and then participated in Army ROTC at Seton Hall University. He was branched in to the Field Artillery and  assigned to the Field Artillery Training Center at Fort Sill, OK from 1986-1989. He left active duty to pursue a PhD. at the University of Rochester (1989-1993) and continued to serve in the Army National Guard with the 209th FA Brigade  until 1993. He studied at the Hoover Institution at Stanford before being hired  by, then, Troy State University in 1995 to teach under contract at the John F Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. When that contract was terminated in 2001, he continued to teach online and at the Fayetteville, NC site.

Associate Professor of Political Science
321A McCall Hall (MSCX) 
Troy, AL 36082
ahenshaw@troy.edu

Research

Research Interests: civil wars, gender issues in international politics, and post-conflict transitions in Latin America

Biography

Alexis Henshaw is an Assistant Professor at Troy University. Her research
interests include civil wars, gender issues in international politics, and post-conflict transitions in Latin America. She is the author of Why Women Rebel: Understanding Women's Participation in Armed Rebel Groups (Routledge, 2017) and co-author of Insurgent Women: Female Combatants in Civil Wars (Georgetown University Press, 2019). Her research has appeared in Journal of Global
Security Studies, International Feminist Journal of Politics and a variety of other peer-reviewed outlets. Dr. Henshaw has also written for The Conversation and The Monkey Cage, the political blog of The Washington Post. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Arizona.

Assistant Professor of Political Science
312G McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
tskolasa@troy.edu 
Telephone: 1-334-808-6507

Research

Areas of Interest: Comparative Politics, American Politics, Political Theory

Biography

Originally from a suburb of Detroit, MI, received a dual BA in Political Science & History at the University of Michigan in 1990.  Dr. Kolasa went on to receive his Ph.D. in Political Science (Comparative, American, Theory) at Washington University in St. Louis MO in 1999.  After graduating, he did research and taught for many years in the St. Louis area before moving to Montgomery, AL.  Dr. Kolasa joined Troy University in 2007, and has since obtained tenure and teach at the Troy and Online campuses.

Senior Lecturer of Public Administration
Troy Online
dmcdaniel@troy.edu

Research

Areas of interest: Public Health and Personnel Management

Biography

Ph.D., Public Administration, University of Alabama

Dr. Dayna McDaniel holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Alabama, an M.S. in Management, and a B.S. in Political Science.  

Academic Experience: College instructor since 1990, Full-time instructor for Troy University teaching research methods, public personnel, and public health courses. Dr. McDaniel has taught as adjunct Professor for UWF, Embry Riddle, Barry University, OWCC, St Leo, and other colleges in Management Graduate and Undergraduate, Health Service Administration, and Public Administration. Her academic research has been in the areas of instructor online training and better communication with online students and advising online.  She also has developed several internal organizations for the faculty and students use in which led to published articles as well as consulting with other departments and other educational institutions on the models.   

Public Administration Experience; Dr. Dr. McDaniel began her political science career as an White House intern for the White House News Summary Office at White House Washington DC under the Reagan Administration and later became a  Legislative Aid for Florida State House of Representatives in the Panhandle. Dr. McDaniel also had local county employment experience with her teaching career that began as an elementary (1-2nd Grade) and high school (algebra) teacher at Riverside, CA.  

Military Career Experience:  In Dr. McDaniel's military career, she is a retired Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserve Hospital Administrator (last assigned to HQ Air Force Special Operations Surgeon's office, Hurlburt Field) as the augmenter for the Command's Health Service Administrator. Lt. Col. McDaniel's past assignments are as follows: Mission Coordinator for Humanitarian Civic Action Missions in South America for the 919 Medical Squadron and Medical Readiness Officer, interim Squadron Hospital Administrator for the 919 Medical Squadron, Air Evacuation Operations officer for "live" patient missions on flying status for 68 Air Evacuation Squadron Norton AFB, CA (several patient evacuation missions accomplished throughout the European and Pacific theater); Director of Personnel for the 414 Medical Squadron, March AFB, CA.

Assistant Professor of Political Science
331C McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
arutkowski@troy.edu
Telephone: (334) 670-3754

Research 

Areas of interest: American politics, judicial politics, federal judicial selection and behavior, separation of powers.

Biography

B.A., Political Science, Augusta University 
Ph.D., Political Science & International Affairs, The University of Georgia

Dr. Adam G. Rutkowski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Troy University. He teaches courses on American government, judicial process, and constitutional law. Originally from Thomson, GA, Dr. Rutkowski earned a BA in Political Science from Augusta University in Augusta, GA, and a PhD in Political Science & International Affairs from the The University of Georgia (American Politics, Political Methodology). 

At Troy, Dr. Rutkowski serves as the Pre-Law Advisor for Political Science majors and as an advisor for Troy's Accelerated Law program. He is also the faculty advisor for the Pre-Law Society. 

Dr. Rutkowski's research encompasses American politics, with a special focus on the judicial branch. He is particularly interested in federal judicial selection and behavior. His research has appeared in Open Judicial Politics, Politics, Groups, & Identities, and Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. 

Professor of International Relations
312H McCall Hall (MSCX) 
Troy, AL 36082
csherrill@troy.edu
Telephone: 334-808-6825

Research

Areas of Interest:  Strategic studies; National security; Nuclear strategy; Iranian politics; Japanese defense policy

Biography

Ph.D., International Relations, Florida State University
M.S., Defense & Strategic Studies, Missouri State University
J.D., University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law

Dr. Sherrill is a Marine Corps veteran, a member of the Florida Bar, and a former counterterrorism analyst with the FBI.  He is the author of Losing Legitimacy: The End of Khomeini's Charismatic Shadow and Regional Security and has published in numerous academic journals including Comparative Strategy, Orbis, Nonproliferation Review, Asian International Studies Review, Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, Middle East Policy, Strategic Insights, and Asian Affairs: An American Review.  Dr. Sherrill teaches a variety of national security courses in Troy's graduate International Relations program.

Professor of Political Science
329 McCall Hall (MSCX)
Troy, AL 36082
Telephone: (334) 670-3420

Research

Areas of Interest: Russia, Former Soviet Union, International Cooperation, Networks, International Law, Security, International Conflict

Biography

Ph.D., Political Science, University of Arizona

Michael O. Slobodchikoff, PhD, Professor of Political Science, is founding director of the Center for Eastern and Central European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at Troy University. Among his many books are: India as Kingmaker:  Status Quo or Revisionist Power;  Building Hegemonic Order Russia's Way; Cultural Imperialism and the Decline of the Liberal Order:  Russian and Western Soft Power in Eastern Europe (with G. Doug Davis); and the co-edited volume, The Challenge to NATO:  Global Security and the Atlantic Alliance. Dr. Slobodchikoff is a leading expert on treaty networks and the creation of global and regional order.  He specializes in Russian security, international conflict, and peace. He is a regular contributor to BBC World News and Asharq Al-Awsat News.

Associate Professor of Sociology
Director of Troy - Tutwiler Garden Program
Office: McCall Hall 115
334-808-6289
severhardt@troy.edu

Education
Ph.D. in Sociology, Wayne State University
M.A. in Sociology, University of Toledo
B.A. in Sociology, University of Toledo

Areas of Expertise
Race, Class, Gender, and Clinical/Applied Sociology

Biography
Dr. Everhardt joined the Troy faculty in 2014. She teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Her main research interests include the study of race, class, and gender, especially disenfranchised populations of women. In 2020, Dr. Everhardt earned certification as an AACS Clinical Sociologist who helps organizations and institutions resolve social issues related to the human condition.  She is currently researching the impact of horticultural programs on nutritional knowledge and food insecurity among female inmates in women's correctional facilities. She has secured over $75,000 in USDA funding to support her gardens projects.  In 2020, she spearheaded the pursuit of a 1.9 mil Department of Education's Strengthening Institutions Title III grant to improve student achievement and retention at Troy University.  In December 2020, Dr. Hawkins awarded her with the Chancellor's Excellence Award for her grant work.

Further areas of interest include food, capital, self-sufficiency programs for low-income populations, and volunteerism. She enjoys incorporating service learning into her classes to allow students to gain real world understanding of the topics they are studying. Dr. Everhardt has been the recipient of numerous awards including the 2017 Teacher of the Year for Troy-Montgomery and the 2015 and the 2018 Troy-Montgomery Faculty Excellence Award.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Introduction to Sociology
• Social Aspects of Human Sexuality
• Minorities in the U.S. Structure
• Research Methods in the Social Sciences
• Social Stratification
• Urban Sociology
• Sociological Theory
• Senior Seminar

Courses taught at the graduate level

• Introduction to College Teaching in the Social Sciences
• Minorities in U.S. Structure
• Social Inequality
• Food and Society

Additional Links to Dr. Everhardt's Work

Tutwiler Garden Program (troy.edu)

Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology
Office: 320E MSCX
334-808-6779
ssabriseilabi@troy.edu

Education
Ph.D. in Sociology, Texas Woman's University
M.S. in Sociology, Allameh Tabatabaie University 
B.S. in Social Sciences, Tehran University  

Areas of expertise
Criminology Theory, Sociology of Religion, Capital Punishment, Comparative Criminology

Biography
Dr. Sabriseilabi joined the Troy faculty in 2021 and teaches at both the undergraduate and graduate level. He is a sociologist who specializes in the field of criminal justice. .

His research focuses on the relationship between religion and crime. His interests include the role of public opinion, especially in regard to religious forces, on legalization of unnatural death. He has published papers about the effect of religious beliefs on attitudes toward capital punishment, abortion, and euthanasia.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Comparative Criminal Justice
• Law Enforcement
• Sociology of Religion
• Punishment

Courses taught at the graduate level

• Deviant Behavior
• Capital Punishment
• Ethics in Criminal Justice
• Research Methods in Criminal Justice

Assistant Professor of Sociology
Office: MSCX Building, Room 132D
334-808-6782
Jvincent194050@troy.edu

Education
Ph.D. in Sociology (Crime and Deviance Concentration), University of Central Florida
M.A. in Applied Sociology (Domestic Violence Track), University of Central Florida
B.A. in Sociology (Certificate in Victim Advocacy), University of Central Florida

Areas of Expertise
Lethal and non-lethal violence using quantitative and qualitative methods.
Deviant Leisure, Homicide, Human Trafficking, Racial Disparities in Crime, Opioid Misuse, & Domestic Violence.

Biography
Dr. Jolene Vincent joined the faculty at Troy University in 2021. Prior to joining Troy, she was a Lecturer of Criminology in the Department of Sociology at the College of William and Mary. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology with a Concentration in Crime and Deviance in 2018 from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, Florida, USA. As a sociological criminologist, her research interests include lethal and non-lethal violence using quantitative and qualitative methods. Specifically, her areas of teaching and research focus on deviant leisure, homicide, human trafficking, racial disparities in crime, opioid misuse, and domestic violence.

Dr. Jolene Vincent was very involved with community and state-wide efforts in Central Florida to identify and combat human trafficking. Her research on human trafficking is featured in two referred books, including analyzing past and future policies in Florida (in Human Trafficking: A Systemwide Public Safety and Community Approach, 2017) as well as the benefits of collaborations among agencies (in Police Behavior, Hiring, and Crime Fighting: An International View, in press). Dr. Jolene Vincent's manuscripts on homicide with various co-authors are featured in peer-reviewed journals, including a manuscript on applying the serious leisure perspective to intrinsically-motivated serial murder (Deviant Behavior, 2018), analyzing an atypical case of teen homicide (Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2018), as well as a manuscript analyzing violent “involuntary celibates” (incels) offenders (Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 2021). A manuscript summarizing the literature on the need for positive approaches to sexuality and deviant sexual interests/behaviors and outlining a multidisciplinary eight-dimensional positive sexuality framework is published in Leisure Sciences (2020). Dr. Jolene Vincent's findings on gender differences in prescription opioid misuse among U.S. black adults are reported in Substance Use & Misuse (2019). An encyclopedia entry discussing Homeland Security Investigations is included in Criminal Justice in America: The Encyclopedia of Crime, Law Enforcement, Courts, and Corrections (2020).

In addition to her teaching and research, Dr. Jolene Vincent has served as the Assistant Director and Senior Data Analyst of the UCF Department of Sociology's Crime Lab for three years and was the Managing Editor of Homicide Studies. As a first-generation college student, she enjoys mentoring students throughout their academic careers. Dr. Jolene Vincent has received several awards including the Graduate Student Teaching Award (UCF), the Love of Learning Award (Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society), the Best Graduate Student Paper Award (UCF), and National Excellence in Leadership Award (National Society of Leadership and Success). Her discipline-related memberships include the Homicide Research Working Group, the American Society of Criminology, the Southern Sociological Society, the Southwestern Social Science Association, and numerous honor societies.

Courses taught at the undergraduate level

• Introduction to Social Science
• Social Institutions
• Political Sociology
• Human Trafficking
• Family Violence
• Criminology
• Patterns in Domestic Violence
• Social Problems
• Sociology of Murder

Assistant Professor of Sociology
Office: MSCX 320F
334-808-6470
aheitkamp@troy.edu

Education
Ph.D. in Sociology, Bowling Green State University (2023)
M.A. in Sociology, Bowling Green State University (2021)
B.A. in Sociology, Minnesota State University Moorhead (2017)

Areas of Expertise
Deviance, Social Norms, Stigma, Substance Use

Biography
Dr. Heitkamp joined the faculty at Troy University in 2023 and currently teaches at the undergraduate level. Broadly, she is interested in exploring social norm violations, the effects of stigma, and deviant behaviors and beliefs. She has led or co-led manuscripts related to criminological theory, paranormal beliefs, conspiracy beliefs, stigma surrounding appearance, and legal cynicism among those with criminal justice contact. Amanda has been the principal investigator and the co-principal investigator on a number of original data collections, both quantitative and qualitative in nature. In addition, she has worked on a National Science Foundation funded project aimed at increasing fairness in risk assessment scores within the juvenile justice system.

Courses Taught at Undergraduate Level

• Introduction to Sociology
• Deviant Behavior
• Sociology of Human Sexuality
• Pop Culture and Mass Media
• Sociological Social Psychology

Professor of Practice
Digital Forensics
Office: MSCX building, room 215A
334-310-1605
gdaniel22372@troy.edu

Digital Forensics

Listed provider with the the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS).

Education
D.B.A. in Computer and Information Security, Northcentral University
M.S. in Digital Forensics, University of Central Florida
B.S. in Criminal Justice, Troy University

Areas of Expertise
Digital Forensics, Cyber Crime, Law Enforcement

Biography
Dr. Gary Daniel is a digital forensics scientist and a retired detective. He has worked in law enforcement for over thirty years, including in the U.S. Army. He is a certified peace officer under the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST). He managed a Digital Forensics Lab for a law enforcement agency in Georgia and has performed hundreds of forensic examinations at the request of local law enforcement agencies, District Attorney's Office's, Georgia State Probation officers, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agents, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents, and U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) agents. Dr. Daniel currently manages a digital forensics lab at Troy University and performs forensic examinations and consults with various law enforcement agencies nationwide. Dr. Daniel has been court qualified as an expert in digital forensics and has testified as an expert witness in cases ranging from fraud to murder.

He is certified by the International Association of Forensic Computer Examiners (ISFCE) as a Certified Computer Examiner (CCE), the Digital Forensics Certification Board (DFCB) as a Digital Forensics Certified Practitioner (DFCP) and the National White Collar Crime Center as a Certified Cyber Crime Examiner (3CE). Dr. Daniel is a member of professional organizations, including the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists, High Technology Crime Investigation Association, and International Association of Cyber & Economic Crime Professionals.

Courses Taught at the Undergraduate Level

• Computer Forensics
• Digital Forensics I
• Digital Forensics II
• Cyber Crime
• Digital Evidence Practicum
• Social Media Investigations
• Operating and File System Forensics
• Seminar in Cyber Security
• Criminalistics

Courses taught at the graduate level

• Crime Analysis
• Cyber Forensics
• Cybercrime, Cybersecurity & Society