AUM Faculty & Staff
Directory
Shanta Varma
Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Distance Ed & Collaborative Partnerships; Professor
Shanta Varma
Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Distance Ed & Collaborative Partnerships; Professor | College of Education
Dr. Shanta Goswami Varma is Professor of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) and Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Distance Education & Collaborative Partnerships. With more than two decades of experience in online education, she has led initiatives in instructional technology, digital equity, and open educational resources (OER). Her leadership has expanded AUM’s online programs, strengthened faculty development, and advanced both domestic and international partnerships. Her research focuses on student engagement, digital literacy in marginalized communities, and the use of OER to promote access and retention in higher education.
Faculty’s Expertise: Distance Education, Instructional Technology, Digital Equity, Open Educational Resources (OER), Online Program Development, Faculty Development & Training, Global & Community Partnerships, Digital Literacy in Marginalized Communities, Student Engagement in Online Learning.
Tony Veronese
Assistant Professor - 2D/Digital Arts | College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Tony Veronese (Assistant Professor of 2D and Digital Art) holds a Masters of Art and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Dallas in Painting and Drawing. Within the AUM Fine Arts Department, Tony teaches regularly teaches Drawing, 3D Printing, Digital Illustration and Digital Painting. As an exhibiting artist, he has been the recipient of a grant from the MMFA for the community togetherness project, selected as a rising star of Dallas in 2017, and most recently was awarded the Edward L. Robbins prize for his entry in the 2023 exhibition Alabama A-Z.
Courtney A. Waid
Associate Professor and Faculty Athletic Representative
Courtney A. Waid
Associate Professor and Faculty Athletic Representative | College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Dr. Courtney A. Waid is currently an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and serves as the NCAA Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). She holds a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from the Florida State University (2010). She has developed and taught courses in in the areas of corrections, juvenile delinquency and justice, victimology, and criminological theory. Her recent research appears in the International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice.
Andria Walker
Clinical Associate Professor | College of Education
Andria Walker is a Physical Education specialist with over 20 years teaching experience, including 8 years in K-12 education. She understands the importance of quality physical education programming in schools and desires to develop a love of daily physical activity in all learners. She serves as Faculty Advisor for the Kinesiology Majors Club and AUM Department of Kinesiology Fitness Test Coordinator.
Faculty’s Expertise: Physical Education, Kinesiology, Fitness Test, Physical Activity
David M. Walker
Director of Faculty Development Institute & Senior Instructional Designer
David M. Walker
Director of Faculty Development Institute & Senior Instructional Designer
Ed D. Walker II
Professor | College of Business
Christopher Wallace
Communications and Technology Manager
Jamison Wallace
Lecturer | College of Sciences
Samuel Wallace
Distinguished Senior Lecturer | College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Samuel Wallace has a B.A. in Communication from Lipscomb University and an M.F.A. in Theatre Arts from The University of Louisville. Before arriving at Auburn University at Montgomery, he was a Professor of Theatre at Faulkner University, and an Instructor of Speech and Theatre at Lipscomb University. He has acted in and/or directed shows professionally for theatres in Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, and Alabama. Mr. Wallace began teaching at AUM in 2008, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2018, and was awarded the Distinguished Lecturer Award for Excellence in Teaching for 2018-2019. In the River Region, he has acted in and/or directed shows for Theatre AUM, Faulkner University Dinner Theatre, Millbrook Community Players, Prattville’s Way Off Broadway Theatre, Wetumpka Depot Players, and the Pike Road Theatre Company.
Lei Wang
Assistant Professor | College of Education
Dr. Lei Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology at Auburn University at Montgomery. Her research focuses on instructional design, educational technology, and the integration of generative AI, virtual reality, and augmented reality into K–12 and higher education. She has developed validated assessment tools, such as the Learning Resources Rubric (LRR), to enhance learning resource evaluation and instructional practices. Dr. Wang also explores digital storytelling, civic education, open education, and global teacher competency as pathways to engage diverse learners and foster reflective thinking.
Faculty’s Expertise: Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Generative AI in Education, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Digital Storytelling, Civic Education, Assessment and Evaluation, Open Education,Teacher Education
Yi Wang
Professor & Chair | College of Sciences
Ph.D. Mathematics (2003) West Virginia University
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering (1997) Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, (1991) Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
Bio: Dr. Wang is Professor of Mathematics at Auburn University Montgomery (AUM). He joined the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, AUM as Assistant Professor in August 2006. Subsequently, he was promoted to Associate Professor in 2010 and Professor in 2015. Dr. Wang received his second Ph.D. in mathematics from West Virginia University, USA in 2003, and his first Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Southwest Jiaotong University, China in 1997. Dr. Wang’s current research interests include machine learning and operation research.
Dr. Wang was born in China. He grew up in a family of teachers with a younger brother and younger twin sisters. At his leisure time, Dr. Wang likes swimming, tennis, pingpong, badminton, fishing, and playing poker.
Chelsea Ward
Professor/Head | College of Sciences
Ph.D. (2005) Auburn University in Biology
BS (1998) Florida Institute of Technology in Marine Biology
Dr. Ward’s research focuses are on immunology and stress physiology as it relates to temperature and changing environments. She also has interested in latitudinal gradients in stress physiology, immunology, and metabolism in Anurans.
