The University welcomes many new faculty members each year. Some have freshly minted doctorates, but others are seasoned professors and researchers and experienced professionals new to the world of academia. For the 2018–19 academic year, 86 new people will join the Carolina faculty. Here’s an introduction to a few of them in the College of Arts & Sciences.
Read more about new faculty “By the Numbers.”
Mariana Olvera-Cravioto
Associate professor, statistics and operations research
She comes to Carolina from the University of Caliifornia-Berkeley, where she was a visiting associate professor at the department of industrial engineering and operations research. Olvera-Cravioto’s research is at the intersection of stochastic modeling, numerical methods, asymptotic statistics and applied probability. One of her focus areas is the study of graph structures and algorithms that arise in the context of search engines and related data mining technologies. In addition to developing basic mathematical theory for such systems, she has been contributing to related application-oriented problems such as design of customized search engines for specific data-mining needs.
Junier B. Oliva
Assistant professor, computer science
He comes to Carolina after earning his doctorate and serving as a research assistant at Carnegie Mellon University. He also spent a year as a software engineer for Yahoo and a summer as a machine learning intern at Uber Advanced Technologies Group. Oliva is looking to see what makes data tick, and understand data at an aggregate, holistic level. His lab is using techniques ranging from modern deep learning architectures to nonparametric statistics to make strides in areas like high-dimensional density estimation and modeling; sequential modeling and recurrent neural networks; and learning over complex or structured data.
Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay
Professor of the practice in photography, art and art history
He recently graduated with an MFA from University of Georgia’s Lamar Dodd School of Art. Mukhopadhyay’s research and teaching interests include photography, video, installation, sculpture, and new media; neocolonialism and labor; transnationalism; the relationship of language to labor; institutional critique and inclusive and critical pedagogy.
Candace Epps-Robertson
Assistant professor, English and comparative literature
She comes to Carolina from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where she was an assistant professor of writing studies. Epps-Robertson’s research examines the social histories of literacy and cultural rhetorics, in particular how these practices develop and respond to oppression. She is completing a manuscript that examines the story of Prince Edward County, Virginia, where public schools were closed for five years (1959–1964) to resist integration efforts after Brown v. Board of Education.
Triffin Morris
Professor of the practice, dramatic art
She comes to Carolina from New York City, where she spent more than 20 years making costumes for opera, dance and Broadway shows like Matilda, Shrek,Cinderella and Wicked. She specializes in body padding and quick change/trick costumes Morris will also manage the costume shop at PlayMakers Repertory Company.
