Our Speaker's Bureau

The Penn State Scranton Speaker's Bureau is comprised of members of our campus faculty, advisory board and staff who have a vast array of professional experience and/or knowledge in a number of professional, academic, social and cultural subjects and have expressed an interest in sharing their knowledge with the community.

The individuals listed below are willing to speak to community groups, clubs, schools and organizations on specific topics within their areas of expertise. 

If you are interested in having someone from our campus speak to your group, you can contact them directly using the information they have provided. 

Fred Aebli headshot

Fred Aebli, M.A.

Lecturer, Information Sciences and Technology

Topics: College Success Advice to Parents and Future Students, Motivational Youth Speaker, Information Technology Trends, Software Programming for Youth, Terrorism

Research Areas: Working with Internet Related Applications, Internet Information Technologies, Databases, Computing Device Interface Design, Terrorism

Phone: 570-963-2592
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Majid Chatsaz headshot

Majid Chatsaz, Ph.D., P.E.

Assistant Professor, Engineering

Topics: Computer Modeling; Design

Research Areas: Stress Analysis, Solid Modeling, Finite Elements, Computational Methods

Phone: 570-963-2578
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Michael M. Evans headshot

Michael Evans, Ph.D., M.S.Ed, RN, ACNS, CMSRN, CNE

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Nursing Education at the Commonwealth Campuses for the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing

Topics: Heart Failure; Diabetes; The Nursing Profession; End-Of-Life Care; Nursing Education

Research Areas: Somatic Awareness and Self-Symptom Recognition in Advanced Heart Failure Patients; Innovative Teaching Techniques in Nursing Education

Phone: 570-963-2652
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Paul Frisch headshot

Paul Frisch, M.A.

Assistant Teaching Professor, History

Topics: Specialize in Medieval European History, 14th and 15th century focused on legacy and identity, with a secondary field of Modern Europe and a tertiary field of Theatrical History.  I also teach American History as well as World Regional Geography and Human Geography.

Research Areas: The transformation of treason in Medieval England during the 15th century to its modern concept. I have also researched the creation of King Richard III's legacy and identity since his death.

Phone: 570-963-2577
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Eileen Giovagnoli headshot

Eileen Giovagnoli

Associate Director of Learning and Disability Services, Academic Affairs

Topics: Time Management and Organization Skills; High School to College Transition; Improving Your Vocabulary; Reading for Speed and Comprehension; Transition to College for Students with Disabilities

Research Areas: Academic Success; Peer Tutoring; First Generation College Students; Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

Phone: 570-963-2678
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

jim hart headshot

James Hart, M.S.

Assistant Teaching Professor, Communication Arts & Sciences

Topics: Effective Public Speaking; Small Group Communications

Research Areas: Speech Communication; Organizational Communication

Phone: 570-963-2565
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Meg Hatch headshot

Margret Hatch, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Biology

Topics: Ornithology in general; migratory songbirds; parental behavior in birds;

Research Areas: Habitat quality and utilization by migratory songbirds; Age-related changes in reproduction and parental behavior; Variation in disease-fighting ability related to intrinsic (e.g. age, gender, condition) and extrinsic (e.g. temperature, habitat) factors in common migratory songbirds

Phone: 570-963-2529
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Dale Holen, Ph.D. headhsot

Dale Holen, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Biology

Research interests: Ecology of Freshwater Plankton, Limnology, chrysophyte Algae, Protists, Mixotrophy, Stomatocysts, Chrysophytes

Phone: 570-963-2579
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Durell Johnson headshot

Durell Johnson, Ph.D.

Chief Academic Officer, Academic Affairs
Associate Professor, Health and Human Development

Topics: Childhood, adolescent and young adult friendship and romantic relationships; childhood, adolescent and young adult social and personality development; adolescent and young adult social adjustment

Phone: 570-963-2510
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Agnes Kim heahshot

Agnes Kim, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physics

Topics: Astronomy; new scientific discoveries in physics and astronomy

Research Area: The interior of compact stars

Phone: 570-963-2549
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

headshot of Jennie Knies, M.L.S.

Jennie Knies, M.L.S.

Head Librarian

Phone: 570-963-2632
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Ray Petren headshot

Raymond Petren, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Studies

Topics: Family relationships and functioning; family stressors and transitions; parental separation, divorce, and stepfamilies

Research Area: Parenting and family relationships in separation, divorce, and stepfamilies; fathers and stepfathers; family routines 

Phone: 570-963-2575
Email: [email protected] 
Online Request

Deb Smarkusky headshot

Debra Smarkusky, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Information Sciences and Technology

Topics: Engaging students with music and technology; team-based software development (team building, software process, and peer evaluation)

Research Area: Music and Technology, Team-Based Software Development

Phone: 570-963-2593
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Frank Sorokach headshot

Frank Sorokach, M.B.A.

Lecturer, Business and Economics

Topics: Business, Marketing; Sales; Business Strategy; Project Management; Risk Management; Insurance; Process Improvement; Entrepreneurship

Research Areas: Business Strategy; Change Management; Process Improvement; Emerging Technologies in Business

Phone: 570-963-2671
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Eva Tettenborn headshot

Eva Tettenborn, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, English

Topics: African American literature, esp. fiction.

Research Areas: Contemporary African American fiction; slave narratives; neo-slave narratives

Phone: 570-963-2583
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Jonathan Tobin headshot

Jonathan Tobin

Coordinator Career Services, Student Services & Engagement 

Topics: Effective Interviewing; Resume and Cover Letter Writing; How to Choose the Right Major and Career Path; Researching and Understanding Corporate Culture and How You Fit

Phone: 570-963-2684
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Sharon Ann Toman Headshot

Sharon Ann Toman, M.M.

Associate Teaching Professor, Music

Topics: Engaging Students with Music and Technology

Research Area: Music and Technology

Phone: 570-963-2696
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Asif ud-Doula headshot

Asif ud-Doula, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Physics 

Topics: General Astronomy

Research Areas: Computational Astrophysics; Massive Stars; Magneto hydrodynamics

Phone: 570-963-2582
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

Marwan A. Wafa headshot

Marwan Wafa, Ph.D.

Penn State Scranton Chancellor

Topics: Islam: What is it/not?; Leadership; Penn State Scranton; Economic Development; the Middle East

Research Areas: Strategic Planning, Management of Operations, Continuous Quality Improvement Initiatives, International Exchanges/Joint Academic Programs and Collaboration, Technology Integration in curriculum, Accreditation/Maintenance, Community Engagement, Friend Making and Fund Raising, and Regional Economic Development, Just in Time Manufacturing

Phone: 570-963-2539
Email: [email protected]
Online Request

headshot of James Wilkerson, Ph.D.

James Wilkerson, Ph.D.

Assistant Teaching Professor, Business

Topics: Human Resource Management (HRM); Entrepreneurship and Small-firm Management; Parents of Adult Children with Asperger Syndrome

Research Area: Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition; Entrepreneurship in Declining Cities; Functional Elaboration of HRM in Small Firms; Artisan Entrepreneurship

Phone: 570-963-2643
Email: [email protected]
Online Request