Bush, Obare named arts and sciences interim associate deans

KALAMAZOO, Mich.— Dr. Jonathan Bush and Dr. Sherine Obare were named Feb. 11 as interim associate deans in the Western Michigan University College of Arts and Sciences.

Their appointments, effective immediately and lasting through Dec. 31, were announced in a message to faculty and staff in the college by Dr. Keith Hearit, interim dean.

Bush, who is chair and professor in the Department of English, will oversee a portfolio that includes student and faculty engagement, enrollment management, and curriculum development. Obare, professor and associate chair in the Department of Chemistry, will oversee the college's efforts in global engagement, diversity and inclusion, and strategic planning. They replace Drs. Edwin Martini and Cathryn Bailey, who stepped down earlier this month to return to the faculty.

Jonathan Bush

Bush joined the WMU faculty in 2001 and has served as department chair since 2011. He also is director of the Third Coast Writing Project and coordinator of WMU's developmental writing program. He is co-author of two books on teaching English at the high school and middle school levels and he has published widely in English education and composition studies. He currently serves on the College Board's Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Development Committee. He is also a public affairs officer in the Navy Reserve.

He earned a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University, a master's degree from Northwestern State University of Louisiana and a doctoral degree from Purdue University.

Sherine Obare

Obare joined the WMU faculty in 2004. Her research interests lie in the area of designing nanoscale materials for drug delivery, environmental remediation, improved healthcare and alternative energy. Her research program has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Education, among others.

She also has served as director of the NIH-sponsored "Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program" at WMU. The program recruits underrepresented minority students from community colleges and supports them as they pursue advanced degrees in biomedical and behavioral sciences. She is the editor of a new book titled "Green Technologies for the Environment."

Obare earned a bachelor's degree from West Virginia State University and a doctoral degree from the University of South Carolina before doing post-doctoral work at Johns Hopkins University.

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