Kentucky State University

International Faculty

Sam Oleka
Egbunam N. Amadife
Michael O. Kasongo
Gashaw W. Lake
James B. Obielodan
Wasim Al-Hamdani
Ashok Kumar
Chi Shen
Michael Unuakhalu
Sunday Obi
Victor Gomia
Saleema R. Mustafa
Fariba Bigdeli-Jahed
Eung C. Cho
Kazi R. Javed
Karan Kaul
T. S. Kochhar
Narayanan Rajendran ("Raj")
Sid Dasgupta
Boris Gomelsky
Albert O. Assibey Mensah 

Sam Oleka
Professor/Dean (1996). B.Th., Igbaja Theological Seminary; B.A., Bryan College Dayton Tennessee; M.A., Wheaton College Graduate School; M.A., Michigan State University; Ph.D., Michigan State University: Curriculum and Instruction in Teacher Education
Dr. Oleka is the Dean of the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Interdisciplinary Studies. Dean Oleka holds both a doctorate in education and a master of arts degree in religion and theology. Before coming to KSU he served at Eastern Kentucky University, William Tyndale College, Ashland College, and the University of Jos in Nigeria. His research interests include cross-cultural communication, education and culture, value education, and African-American Experience. His most recent papers are "Africa's Search for Identity and Quest for an African Theology" and "African and African-American Perceptions of Each Other." He serves on the National Planning Committee of the Emerging Leaders Workshop (ELW), Roanoke, Virginia, and on the National Collegiate Honors Council Assessment and Evaluation Committee (NCHS). Dr. Oleka has also been active in the African Christian Fellowship (ACF), and also serves on the curriculum committees of several local schools. Dr. Oleka's office is Room 403 in the Academic Annex; his phone is (502) 597-6222; his email is sam.oleka@kysu.edu.

Gashaw W. Lake
Professor/Dean , College of Professional Studies; B.A., Saginaw Valley State College; M.P.A., University of Oklahoma; Ph.D., University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Lake began his teaching career at Langston University in Oklahoma and joined Kentucky State University in 1986 as an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Administration. His teaching interests focus on Graduate courses in the School of Public Administration. His specialization is in Comparative Development Administration. He has served on the Faculty Senate, Presidential Search Committee, and various University committees.
Dr. Lake also serves on the Board of Directors for the Christian Coalition in Frankfort and Board of Directors for Franklin County Chapter of the Red Cross. Dr. Lake is the recipient of the 1998-99 Ethiopian Human Rights Award and is declared Grand Officer of the Imperial Order of the Ethiopian Lion for his outstanding work to improve the state of human rights and national unity of Ethiopia. It is the highest award given in Ethiopia. He is a 2003 nominee for the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame.
Dr. Lake is a member of the American Society for Public Administration, the Kentucky Association of Blacks in Higher Education, and the Kentucky Association of Caribbean Studies.

Egbunam N. Amadife
Professor/Chairperson, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences(1996); Diploma, Institute of Public Administration, Dublin, Ireland; B.A., School of International Training, Brattleboro, Vermont; M.A., University of Rhode Island, Kingston; Ph.D., University of Connecticut.
Dr. Amadife is the Chair of the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Associate Professor of Political Science. Prior to this position, he taught at Shaw University, Raleigh, NC, and the University of Rhode Island where he was Interim Director of African and Afro-American Studies Program. His research and teaching interests include International Organizations, Comparative Government, Development, Third World Issues, Democratization, and American Foreign Policy Towards Africa. His scholarly publications include, Pre-Theories and of Foreign Policy Making, University Press of America, MD (1999); “Liberalization and Democratization in Nigeria: The International and Domestic Challenge.” Journal of Black Studies, vol. 29, no. 5, May 1999, pp. 619-645; Co-author of "Africa’s Political Boundaries: Colonial Cartography, The OAU, and the Advisability of Ethno-National Adjustment.” International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society, Vol. 6, 4 (Summer 1993). A frequent participant at professional conferences at regional and national level, Dr. Amadife initiated the Annual Southern Interdisciplinary Roundtable on African Studies (SIRAS) at Kentucky State University which he is also the Director.

Michael O. Kasongo
Associate Professor of History (since 1994); B.S., University of Congo; M.Th., Free University of Congo School of Theology; M.A., University of Kentucky; Ph.D., University of Kentucky.
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, Dr. Kasongo is a naturalized United States citizen.  He has lived and worked in the U.S. for 37 years.  For the past 15 years, he has been offering African, Asian, American, and European History courses at KSU. During those 15 years, he has participated in international conferences in England, France, Switzerland, and Germany, in addition to offering direct professional services to over one million Rwandese refugees who were stationed in the Congolese Cities of Bukavu, Goma, and Uvira.  He is also an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church and has offered his services to both African American and European American congregations on a part-time basis. He also serves as Community representative for International Exchange Students in local high schools.

James B. Obielodan
Assistant Professor, School of Business (2001); B.Th., Igbaja Theological Seminary; B.A., Wheaton College; M.A., Wheaton College; M.A. Michigan State University; Ph.D., Michigan State University; M.B.A., Michigan State University.
Dr. Obielodan has been teaching at Kentucky State University since 2001. He was a Faculty Fellow at the Center for Innovation in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CITLA), Kentucky State University (2001-2002). He is the School of Business website and information resources coordinator. Previously, he was an adjunct instructor at Western Michigan University (1998), William Tyndale College (1994-1998), and Lansing Community College (1986-87; 1999). Dr. Obielodan had over 12 years combined experience in academic computing, faculty training, instructional design, multimedia programming, and web development at Michigan State University. He was the manager of the Faculty Facility for Creative Computing (FFCC, 1993 – 2001) and the manager of Instructional and Technology Support Services (1997- July 2001) group in the Computer Laboratory at Michigan State University.
Dr. Obielodan has made several paper presentations at professional conferences, workshops and seminars. His research interests include: strategic uses of technology for competitive advantage, management of knowledge and organizational learning, business ethics and information security, and the impact of information technologies on entrepreneurship in emerging economies.
At KSU, he has taught Computer Applications in Business, Business Databases, Information Processing, Management Information Systems, and Survey of Management and Marketing.

Wasim Al-Hamdani
Dr. Al-Hamdani is an Associate Professor of Computer and Technical Sciences at Kentucky State University (KSU). He is playing a leading role at KSU in developing the Information Security program. He was at the University of Technology in Baghdad from 1985 to 1999. After leaving Iraq, he taught in a couple of countries before coming to the United States in 2001. In the universities that he taught prior to coming to the United States, he has supervised Masters and Ph. D. students. He has published six textbooks in Arabic dealing with Computer Science and Cryptography. For the past fifteen years he has concentrated his research in designing cryptographic algorithms.

Ashok Kumar
Professor, Division of Computer and Technical Sciences (1995). B.S., University of Delhi; M.S., University of Delhi; M.S. Ball State University; Ph.D., University of Delhi: Mathematics and Computer Science.
Dr. Kumar has taught Mathematics for nine years at the University of Delhi.  Since 1982, he has taught Computer Science at various universities in the States. In addition to teaching a wide range of computer courses his current interests are in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Programming Languages, and Distance Learning. He has various research articles published in national and international journals and has co-authored a book on Business Mathematics. Dr. Kumar has been recognized twice in the “Who's Who Among America's Teachers”. He is actively involved in the Bluegrass Indo-American Civic Society holding the office of president at this time.
He has written successful grant applications for KSU, totaling more than $500,000.

Chi Shen
Assistant Professor, Division of Computer and Technical Sciences (2000) ; Ph.D., University of Kentucky.
Dr. Chi Shen received her Ph.D degree in Computer Science in the Engineering College at the University of Kentucky in 2004. She has taught in the Department of Mathematics at the North China Electric Power University for many years. Her research interest is in Parallel and Distributed Computing, with applications to Scientific Computing, Computer Modeling and Simulation on Bioinformatics, Information Retrieval. Her current research work focuses on developing algorithms and software packages for large scale computer simulation of physical processes on high performance computers.

Michael Unuakhalu
Assistant Professor of Computer Science (1989); B.S., Kentucky State University; M.P.A., Kentucky State University; M.S., Atlanta University; Ph.D., University of Kentucky.
Dr. Unuakhalu specializes in Programming Languages, Programming, Computer-based Training (CBT), and Instructional Design. He also has taught Integrative Studies (IGS) courses, and has been very active in major committee work in the KSU community.

Sunday Obi
Associate Professor of Education (1999); B.A., Norfolk State University; M.A., Norfolk State University; Ed.D., Universidad Inca Gacilaso De La Vega (Lima, Peru).
Dr. Obi has over 22 years of experience in education and received his Grade Two Teachers’ Certificate from Anambra Teachers College in 1974. Dr. Obi’s teaching experiences have been within the inner city, and rural public schools. Dr. Obi has also taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Murray State University, Morehead State University, as well as Pikeville Community College and Prestonsburg Community College sites. Dr. Obi has served on the Executive Boards of the following: American Red Cross, Board of Examiners (NCATE), State Advisory Board for Exceptional Children, American Council on Rural Special Education, Editorial Board for Multiple Voices. Through grant funding, he has organized community-based programming. In his teachings, workshops, and presentations, he has continued to prescribe multifaceted strategies of assessment, divergent teaching techniques, and a comprehensive support model. He has served as a reviewer for a variety of professional organizations. He is the author or co-author of many academic publications, including chapters and articles, and has conducted workshops, and presented papers at local, state, regional, national, and international levels.  Dr. Obi is a teacher educator, researcher, and scholar. His specific areas of interest include self-concept, inclusion, classroom management, assessment, effective instructional practices and retention of at-risk students. He is a member of numerous professional organizations.

Victor Gomia
Instructor of English (2006). B.A., M.A., Ph.D., The University of Yaounde I. Further Study: University of Bayreuth.
Dr. Gomia regularly teaches Developmental English, Freshman Composition and Introduction to Literature, the latter often as an online class. His area of specialization is Postcolonial literature. He has attended and presented scholarly papers at national and international professional and academic conferences, most of which have been published in conference proceedings and as contributions in scholarly works. He is particularly enthusiastic about the emerging perspectives in Postcolonial discourse that argue for rendering literature functional in postcolonial settings.

Saleema R. Mustafa
Instructor of English (2008); B.A. Emory University; M.A. Agnes Scott College
Saleema Mustafa is a former secondary education instructor and radio journalist in Atlanta, GA and Cape Town, South Africa. She enjoys traveling to Central America and has made reoccurring trips to San Jose to study Spanish at La Universidad de Costa Rica. Her scholarly research has included Guts and Glory: The Formation of the African American Studies Program at Emory University (1963-1972), the progression of early 20th century black caricatures through the modern-day comedian, and literature of the African Diaspora. She is currently teaching College Reading, Composition, and African American Literature.

Fariba Bigdeli-Jahed
Chair, Division of Mathematics and Sciences
Associate Professor of Mathematics (1991)

Eung C. Cho
Professor of Mathematics (1989)

Kazi R. Javed
Associate Professor of Chemistry (1996); B.S., Dickinson College; M.S., Clarkson University; Ph.D., Clarkson University.
Kazi Javed is an associate professor of chemistry at KSU. He holds a PhD and MS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University, and a BS in physics and chemistry from Dickinson College. Dr. Javed primarily teaches the general chemistry courses along with the general chemistry laboratory courses and the physical chemistry I & II courses. His current research interest is in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology, particularly synthesis and characterization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. He directs the KSU Center for Environmental Education, which is a member of the Kentucky University Partnership for Environmental Education, a joint partnership between all eight of Kentucky’s public universities. He has worked as an engineer for the University of Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, overseeing and monitoring environmental remediation and restoration activities at the U.S. Department of Energy nuclear processing plant in Paducah, Kentucky.

Karan Kaul
Professor of Biology (1980); B.S., University of Delhi, India; M.S., University of Delhi, India; Ph.D., University of Kentucky.

T. S. Kochhar
Professor of Biology (1974); B.S., University of Delhi; M.S., University of Delhi; Ph.D., University of Kentucky.

Narayanan Rajendran ("Raj")
Associate Professor of Biology. Dr. Raj received his BS from University of Madras, MS and PhD from Bharathidasan University, and studied Molecular Biology I & II, and Cell Biology courses from University of California-Irvine.  He received Humboldt (Bonn, Germany) International fellowship (ii) QEM (Washington DC) faculty fellowship (iii) ASM international Teaching Professorship (iv) UGC-DAAD (Indo-Germany) international research fellowship, DFG scholarship, and European Union scholarship etc. He published 16 peer-reviewed research papers, more than 30 other research papers, abstracts and/or proceedings, 2 books, 5 book-chapters, 2 Biotechnology educational videos etc.   He presented his research works at international conferences in Sienna (Italy), Berlin (Germany), Toronto (Canada), Assam (India) and several in United States.  He has 25 years of research and teaching experiences from various universities such as Michigan State University, University of Cincinnati, Cornell University, University of California-Irvine, University of Louisville, Philipps University-Marburg (Germany), Anna University (India), Salem International University, etc. At KSU, Dr. Raj is teaching General Microbiology & Lab, Fundamental of Microbiology & Lab, Life Sciences & Lab, and Modern Topics in Biology. He served as a Project Director for BIO 410 Special problems in Biology.  He taught Biotechnology for M. Tech students at Anna University, India and courses in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology program at Salam International University, WV. He received $175,000.00 competitive research grant from NSF and doing peptide synthetase research. As a Co-PI, he teamed up with Land-Grant & Biology researchers to acquire $200,000.00 biotechnology capacity building grant from USDA.  He was elected twice as Faculty Senator and also serving in PCC at KSU Senate.


Sid Dasgupta
Aquaculture Research Center
Associate Professor and Principal Investigator, Economics and Marketing
Ph. D. Texas A&M Univ., Agricultural Economics 3.7/4.0, Jan ‘94 to Dec ‘97
M. S. Univ. of Texas, San Antonio; Statistics 4.0/4.0, Aug ‘93 to Dec ’93
M. S. Texas A&M Univ., Mathematics 3.2/4.0, Aug’90 to May ‘93
B. S. Angelo State Univ., Mathematics & Computer Science 3.8/4.0, Aug ‘88 to Aug ‘90

Boris Gomelsky
Aquaculture Research Center
Associate Professor of Aquaculture Genetics
B.Sc., Ichthyology and Fish-Culture, University of Fisheries, Kaliningrad, Russia, 1975
M.Sc., Ichthyology and Fish-Culture, University of Fisheries, Kaliningrad, Russia, 1977
Ph. D., Genetics, Institute of Developmental Biology at Russian Academy of Sciences,   Moscow, Russia, 1985
Dr. Gomelsky has 25 years of experience working with different fish species in Russia, Israel, and the United States. He is the author of more than 50 scientific articles, and Associate Editor of the North American Journal of Aquaculture.  Main scientific interests: fish genetics and reproduction. Chromosome set and sex manipulation methods: hormonal sex reversal, induced gynogenesis, androgenesis, polyploidy. Cytogenetics of fish reproduction, natural gynogenesis, distant hybridization. Inheritance of qualitative morphological traits and DNA markers. Induced spawning of fish.

Albert O. Assibey Mensah

Associate Professor, School of Business (1994); B.S., Kentucky State University; M.P.A., Kentucky State University; M.B.A., Xavier University; M.A., University of Cincinnati; Ph.D., University of Cincinnati.

Dr. Assibey-Mensah has been teaching at Kentucky State University since 1994. He was the recipient of the 2005 Raymond Malcolm Burse Outstanding Faculty Award. He selected as a member of “Who’s Who Among America’s Best Teachers” in 1998 and 2002. He is currently the School of Business student Business Club advisor. He was an associate instructor in the Department of Economics, University of Cincinnati from 1989 to 1993 and an instructor at Xavier University in 1990 and 1992.

Previously, he was a Senior Administrative Officer in the Department of Education, Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1986 to 1989. He served as a Programmer Analyst with Kentucky Central Life Insurance Company (1985-86), and with the Department of Information Systems (1982-86), Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was a Planning Analyst (1979-82) and a Title VI Coordinator (1978-80) with the Dept. of Transportation. He served as a Fiscal Officer (1977) with the Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS) at Kentucky State University.

Dr. Assibey-Mensah has published a number of scholarly papers in referred journals and made numerous paper presentations at professional conferences, workshops and seminars. He was a Co-Track Chair and editor for the International Academy of African Business & Development conference held in London (April 2003). He was a past member of Kentucky Economic Association Board, Journal of Indiana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Certified Public Manager Advisory Board, and Commonwealth of Kentucky, Government Service Center (KSU).At KSU, he has taught Economics of labor, Public Sector or Governmental Economics, Finance, Quantitative Methods, Money and Banking, and Industrial Economics.