Welcome, new CNAS faculty!

 

Kara Coffman-Rea, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Biology
Division of Natural Sciences

Dr. Kara Coffman-Rea joined the Division of Natural Sciences at CNAS in January 2025 as an assistant professor of biology. She comes to UOG from Northern Illinois University, where she was an instructor and course director of a human anatomical sciences course and a lab on gross anatomy. At UOG, she will be teaching Anatomy & Physiology (BI-124/125), Human Neurobiology (BI-494), and Scientific Reports Writing (BI-320). Her research interests include studying the anatomical variation in the Micronesian population and also studying the effects of microplastics on human tissues.

• PhD., Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University
• M.S., Human Anatomical Sciences, Northern Illinois University
• B.S., Family Consumer Nutrition & Dietetics, Northern Illinois University

 

Gregory R. Hart, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Physics
Division of Natural Sciences

Dr. Gregory R. Hart joins the Division of Natural Sciences at CNAS as an assistant professor of physics. Just prior to joining UOG, he spent five years as a research scientist with the Institute for Disease Modeling of the Gates Foundation, where his work included analyzing the impact of weather-induced social distancing on 12 respiratory diseases and evaluating the value of environmental surveillance in polio eradication efforts in Pakistan.

He previously taught an introductory physics course and lab at Albertus Magnus College (Conn.) and has been a teaching assistant in the Physics Departments at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Brigham Young University. At UOG, he will be teaching University Physics (PH-251) and Introductory Physics (PH-210).

• Ph.D., Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• B.S., Physics, Brigham Young University (Utah)
• A.S., General Studies, Brigham Young University–Idaho

 

Alfred Daniel Johnson, Ph.D.

Extension Agent III, UOG Land Grant Extension Service
Assistant Professor of Entomology, Division of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Dr. Alfred Daniel Johnson joined the Division of Agriculture & Life Sciences at CNAS in April 2025, coming from a series of post-doctoral fellowships in India, Israel, and Tennessee. He will work as an extension entomologist under the UOG Land Grant Extension Service, where his primary focus will be to educate growers on island about harmful and beneficial insects in their crops. Certified in insect curation and collection management, Johnson will also be working to expand the UOG Insect Collection housed at CNAS and will be helping the 4-H Program start their own insect collection.

Additionally, he will serve as an assistant professor of entomology, teaching General Entomology (AL-345) and Insect World (AL-109). He also plans to pursue biodiversity-based research that supports conservation and education efforts.

• Ph.D., M.S, and B.S., Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (India)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (India)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Israel)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Natural History Museum, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Tennessee State University

 

Lenora Matanane, M.S., RDN, L.D.

Extension Agent II, UOG Land Grant Extension Service
Instructor of Nutrition, Division of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Lenora Matanane, who has taught nutrition courses at UOG in an adjunct capacity for the past eight years, has joined CNAS in a full-time capacity. She will work as an extension agent of nutrition with UOG Land Grant, where she will be addressing emerging nutrition and chronic disease prevention needs in the region by organizing community-focused programs and curriculum. Additionally, she will teach nutrition courses with the Division of Agriculture & Life Sciences. Matanane comes to UOG from the Marianas Physicians Group, where she worked as a clinical outpatient dietitian. Her background as a registered dietitian nutritionist has spanned obstetrics and gynecology, family practice, pediatrics, bariatrics, and sports.

• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
• M.S., Nutrition, University of Hawaii at Manoa (2015)
• B.S., Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Hawaii at Manoa (2006)

 

Bindu Poudel-Ward, Ph.D.

Extension Agent III, UOG Land Grant Extension Service
Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology, Division of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Dr. Bindu Poudel-Ward joined the Division of Agriculture & Life Sciences at CNAS in August. Her primary role will be as an extension agent of plant pathology with the UOG Land Grant Extension Service, where she will be helping farmers and educating the community on local plant diseases and how to manage them. She will also be teaching as an assistant professor of plant pathology and conducting applied research, implementing scientific technologies and findings to address plant diseases in the field.

She comes to UOG from the University of Arizona, where she was the lead extension plant pathologist and plant disease diagnostician for the Cooperative Extension office of Yuma County. She is highly experienced in field trials and plant disease diagnosis as well as in molecular biology/virology and hemp production.

• Ph.D., Plant & Environmental Science, Clemson University (S.C.)
• M.S., Plant Science, University of Arkansas
• B.S. Agriculture Science, Tribhuvan University (Nepal)