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Biola University welcomes seven new faculty members for the 2024-2025 academic year. The new faculty will join Biola’s School of Science, Technology and Health, School of Fine Arts and Communication, Rosemead School of Psychology, Crowell School of Business and Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts.
Biola’s newest professors each passionate about helping their students grow in their faith along with their academics. They vary in expertise from opera music to spiritual formation and well-being. Get to know Biola’s new faculty below and read their thoughts on the value of Christian higher education and the significance of a strong foundation in their specific fields.
School of Science, Technology and Health
Terrence Gee
Instructor in the Department of Physics and Engineering
Terry Gee teaches undergraduate physics and engineering courses for the School of Science, Technology and Health at Biola University. Before becoming an instructor at Biola, he graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UCLA, with a concentration in manufacturing and design. He started out his career as a product engineer for Northrop Grumman working in design and testing for space applications. He later transitioned to full time pastoral ministry, where he oversaw worship ministries, adult education and college ministries over the course of 10 years. During that time, he completed his Master of Divinity from Talbot School of Theology. He enjoys teaching and working with students and has a heart for their development as disciples of Jesus and for their faith to be lived out fully in their future vocations. He also enjoys family life with his wife and three children.
“Engineering students who develop their vision to see their studies and work in the context of God's redemption are equipped with a biblically grounded sense of who they are and how their work fits into God's plan for the world,” said Gee. “As God moves them into various places in society, their work carries its deeper significance as they live into their calling as children of God in this fallen world. They are those who seek to bring wholeness, goodness and the gospel of peace to whatever sphere they will be called into, because they have known and been formed by the God who created them for a life full of works of love for those around them.”
Dr. Yohan Lee
Associate Dean of Technology and Professor of Computer Science
Dr. Yohan Lee has led advanced technology organizations for over 20 years in commercial industry, education, and government. He has been privileged to serve as a civil scientist (U.S. National Institutes of Health), Principal Investigator (Google AI), Chief Science Officer (Riiid Labs, Inc.), and CEO (Scaled Entelechy, Inc). His undergraduate and doctoral studies were at UCLA in neuroscience and genomics with a focus on the neurological basis of learning and memory in addition to precision medicine. His doctoral work centered on large scale genomic data for health and distributed computing. In his corporate role, Dr. Lee has led research and business units in industry, public-private partnerships, the federal government, and international academic consortia for enterprise initiatives with Fortune 50 corporations. Most recently, Dr. Lee founded the Silicon Valley AI startup ‘Scaled Entelechy, Inc.’ which was recognized by the U.S. National Artificial Intelligence Initiative office for its AI applications to upskill the workforce in AI. Dr. Lee joins Biola University as the Promod and Doris Haque Endowed Chair of Technology and Associate Dean for the School of Science Technology and Health (SSTH). His hopes for the position are to drive the vision of SSTH to be identified among the world’s foremost Christ-centered STEM and health schools.
School of Fine Arts and Communication
San-ky Kim
Professor and Director of Vocal Studies and Opera
Shortly after making his professional debut with the Philadelphia Opera Company, San-ky Kim’s operatic career led to Europe, performing in Helsinki, Biel, Bern, Amsterdam, Brussels, Ghent, Lisbon and Prague before settling in Germany. At the Czech National Opera in Prague, Kim essayed all of Mozart's lyric tenor heroes, as well as Italian Bel Canto tenor roles of Rossini and Donizetti. Kim has performed more than 40 major operatic roles throughout the world. Kim has recorded with Bonton label compact discs of “Benjamin Britten's Folksong arrangements for Voice and Harp,” with Kateřina Englichová as well as “Favorite Operatic Arias” with Moravian Sinfonia conducted by Jaroslav Kyzlink. He also published the “Anthology of Lithuanian Art Songs” as the culmination of his Fulbright research project. Kim received his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music from the Australian National University. He completed his Master of Music degree at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Temple University. Kim’s doctoral research was on Wolfgang Rihm's vocal works. Kim is an ordained elder in full connection with the Global Methodist Church, serving as a chaplain in the California State Guard. He is married with two daughters.
“How did we come to this day and age when we see so much division within our society that proclaims to value mutual respect and individual freedom? It is about time that we reaffirm the foundation of education, not something that our next generation goes through to get skills and tools for their professions. Rather, it ought to be a time of reflection to build a firm relationship with God and the world; a relationship that is based on the humility of knowing that we fall short and that we are not capable of knowing the truth without divine grace.”
Rosemead School of Psychology
Dr. Lisa Igram
Assistant Professor of Theology
Lisa Igram’s twenty years of experience in higher education includes a variety of teaching and co-curricular leadership experiences. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Theology at Rosemead School of Psychology and assists the Office of Student Wellness at Biola University in support of students’ holistic well-being. She holds a Ph.D. in New Testament from the University of Aberdeen, and her research focuses broadly on the value of embodiment for spiritual growth. When she's not reading up on the apostle Paul's theology or spiritual formation, you'll find her taking her niece to try a new ice cream shop, finding good food with friends or walking her dog on local trails.
“Christian universities are charged not simply with educating the mind, but with the transformation of the whole person,” said Igram. “The Apostle Paul writes that our whole person is transformed by the power of the Spirit and through the renewing of our minds as we offer the whole of our embodied selves as living sacrifices, so that we may discern and obey the will of God for the good of our communities (Romans 12:1-2, 2 Corinthians 3:18). I am passionate about the ways our collective work at Biola, both in and out of the classroom, fosters a mind-sharpening, character-shaping, faith-strengthening educational experience, with the hope that our graduates will be empowered to bring the light and life of Christ into their chosen field and communities.”
Crowell School of Business
Dr. Silvia Mah
Associate Professor
Focused on “Impact with Integrity,” Dr. Silvia Mah is the Director of Innovation at Biola University and Associate Professor in the Crowell School of Business, striving to support students to thrive in their innovative pursuits to expand the kingdom of God. Mah is general partner at Stella Impact Capital, a venture fund investing in diverse women founders building scalable startups at the intersection of deep tech & impact. Mah is the founder and chairwoman of Stella Foundation, a national conSTELLAtion of organizations and leaders walking alongside women-led businesses from startup to sale and the funders who champion them. She is the co-founding venture partner at Ad Astra Ventures where resilient founders gain capital and strategy for scaling conscious capital startups. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Mah believes in integrating family with a strong cup of integrity.
“Innovation, in its purest form, is an act of spiritual worship and adoration of the living God, who is present in the hallways, classrooms, conversations and hearts of Biola students,” said Mah. “The mission of the Office of Innovation is to create a space and time for this sacred expression to flourish within the entire Biola community, uniting all stakeholders. My personal responsibility is to shepherd the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, nurturing its growth in every Christ-filled individual who steps through the doors of the office. Grounded in Scripture, the redemptive success strategy in higher education is alive and well at Biola, fostered by an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit’s presence is palpable, drawing students from across campus to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset. This mindset encourages serving others through customer development and using God-given talents to create, design and build new ideas, technologies and concepts — all for the glory of God. As Director of Innovation at Biola and Associate Professor at the Crowell School of Business, I humbly serve as God’s vehicle, guided by His hand, honoring the success that furthers His kingdom in every endeavor I am blessed to undertake.”
Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts
Davy McCall
Assistant Professor
Davy McCall was born and raised in wine country of northern California, and has been making films in L.A. since 2011 when he moved down to attend Biola University’s undergraduate film program. Since McCall graduated from USC's graduate production program, he has produced, written and directed under various roles. He has three feature films. His most recent film “Just Be There” is in post production, and his second feature that he wrote, “The Phantom” is in distribution talks. He has also taught graduate school and undergraduate courses at USC and Biola for the last 3 years.
“I often tell people that there's no better attribute to have in Hollywood than to have an authentic relationship with Christ,” said McCall. “In an industry often starving for God's grace, kindness and affection, it shines brightly. It can't help but make you excel in your career. Out of nearly all of my peers, the ones with God's love and humility thrive the most. It may sound surprising, but it's true.”
Marcieanna Klaustermeyer
Associate Professor and Assistant Dean
Marcieanna Klaustermeyer began working professionally on both Broadway and in Hollywood over 15 years ago. It all began as an associate for the late Benjamin Mordecai and August Wilson. Her early Playbill production credits include “King Hedley,” “Jitney” and “If It Was [sic] Easy” (Off-Broadway). She earned an M.F.A. in Producing for TV/Film at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts to foster her passion for the stage and screen. A few years later, Klaustermeyer would have producing credit with Apples and Oranges Productions for the Tony Award-Winning New Musical, “Memphis.” She was an assistant in TV Lit Long Form at ICM, a talent agent in VO and Commercial at Special Artists Agency before landing an opportunity with Academy-Award nominated producers, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter (NOAH, DUNE), earning credit on such films as “Godzilla” and the animated feature film, “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.” All during her entertainment career, Klaustermeyer taught as an adjunct professor in both theater and television/film programs at Nyack College in New York, and Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA, and eventually became an assistant professor and chair of media and visual arts at the latter. As a writer, Klaustermeyer wrote and workshopped an original Zoom play with La Jolla Playhouse and her short screenplay, “Imperfect Neighbor” is currently in post-production. Directing credits include: “Twelve Angry Jurors; an original play,” “Generous Rivals” by Jean Klein, for Zeiders American Dream Theater in Virginia Beach, VA; Polly Teale’s “Brontë,” also at The Z; “Lost in Yonkers” (NY); “Doctor Faustus” (Costa Mesa); “Counting for Thunder” (Los Angeles); “The Night of the Black Cat” (Los Angeles); “Employed” (staged pilot, Fox Broadcasting Company, Los Angeles).
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