Posted August 9, 2022 — New faculty from around the country are joining the University of Houston College of Education in fall 2022, bringing expertise in food insecurity, adolescent and reproductive health, and literacy.

The professors said UH’s diversity, commitment to innovation and passionate colleagues drew them to Houston.

“These incoming faculty bring exceptional expertise to bear in the College’s ongoing efforts to end inequities in education and health,” said Interim Dean Cathy Horn. “We are excited and grateful to have them join and amplify our mission-centered work in meaningful ways.”

Learn more about the professors’ backgrounds, academic interests and more.

Amirmohsen Behjat

Clinical Assistant Professor 
Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences
Program: Health

Education: Ph.D., health geography, University of Victoria, Canada; MA.Sc., applied environmental science and management, Ryerson University, Canada; M.Sc. rural development, University of Razi, Iran; B.Sc., agricultural economics, University of Shiraz, Iran

Most recent job: associate professor of public health at Coastal Carolina University

What drew you to UH?   

A world-class university with high degree of diversity

Can you share a little about your background?

I was born in Iran to a family of teachers. I always wanted to be teacher and I consider myself lucky to achieve that goal.

What are your research interests/areas of expertise?

Food security, food environment, needs assessment, environmental sustainability and ArcGIS (a mapping and analysis solution used to make maps, analyze data and to share and collaborate).

What is one project you’re working on that has you excited? 

Coping strategies for vulnerable people with food insecurities

What advice would you give yourself as a college student? 

Be patient and never give up.

If I weren’t a professor, I’d…  

…be a pilot.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Spending time with family and friends; playing with my two lovely cats, Emma and Milo; and watching movies and sports.

Jennifer Farmer

Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences
Program: Health

Education: Ph.D., health education; M.S., health education; B.S., nutritional science, Texas A&M University

Most recent job: program director for the Innovative Teen Pregnancy Prevention (iTP3) Project at Texas A&M University, a federally funded project to support and inspire innovation to enhance adolescent health and reduce unplanned pregnancy 

What drew you to UH?

UH’s continued growth as a research institution, focused commitment to innovation, and strong program for preparing future health professionals were all reasons that initially drew me to UH. I also love the diversity of the UH campus and have been deeply impressed by the support and kindness I have received from faculty and staff. 

Can you share a little about your background?

I grew up in Tyler, Texas, but lived in Scotland, Missouri, and a few other cities in Texas before settling with my husband and son in Houston. I have always been interested in health and studied nutrition as an undergraduate student; however, when working as a nutritionist with mothers as young as 11 and 12, I realized I wanted to help improve the health and well-being of adolescents through effective health education.

While my academic training prepared me to be a health educator, I have also gained invaluable experience through my work in various public health and school-based settings. Together, these experiences have nurtured my love for teaching and ultimately inspired me to pursue a career in academia.

What are your research interests/areas of expertise?

My research interests and areas of expertise relate to adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health, innovation, human centered design, and systems thinking. My dissertation research specifically focused on the needs and interests of youth regarding their school-based sexual health education.

What is one project you’re working on that has you excited?

I have volunteered the last few years as a youth-centered curriculum design consultant for Tarang Health Alliance, a nonprofit focused on improving the health of children and adolescents in India. I am particularly excited about this project because it represents the first health education curriculum to be successfully implemented in public schools in India. While currently used by only a few middle schools across the country, a high school-based curriculum is under development and the government has expressed strong interest in rolling out both levels of curriculum for wide-scale implementation in the near future. 

What advice would you give yourself as a college student?

My undergraduate experience was different than many of my peers. I had my son during my sophomore year in college and with the support of my family, I was still able pursue a degree I was passionate about and graduate. While it is easy now for me to feel proud of this achievement, I would tell my younger self to take time to celebrate my accomplishments and to embrace resources that could support my journey through school as a young mom. In addition, I would tell my younger self to be patient and give yourself grace; worry less about grades and memorization, spend more time nurturing your love of learning by pursuing topics you are interested in. 

If I weren’t a professor, I’d…

…continue my work as a consultant using human centered design and systems thinking to support organizations seeking innovation solutions to complex challenges related to adolescent health and wellbeing. 

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Did you pick up any pandemic hobbies?

I love to travel, try new foods and drinks, and just about anything I can do outside with my family. We spent most of our free time during the pandemic working on projects around our house to bring it out of the 1980s!

Anne Katz

Clinical Associate Professor 
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
Program: Early Childhood Education

Education: M.A., reading specialist, Teachers College, Columbia University; Ph.D., language, literacy and learning, Fordham Graduate School of Education

Most recent job: associate professor of reading & literacy education, Georgia Southern University (Savannah)

What drew you to UH?

The opportunity to return to my hometown and join a dynamic College of Education community dedicated to preparing passionate educators.

Can you share a little about your background?

I am a native Houstonian. My mom is a proud UH alumna. After earning my master’s degree, a professor encouraged me to pursue my doctorate while I was teaching full time. I feel fortunate to have found my niche, and genuinely enjoy working with future educators.

What are your research interests/areas of expertise?

Community literacy initiatives, content-area literacy, visual literacy, family literacy, critical literacy, and scholarship of teaching and learning

What is one project you’re working on that has you excited?

I am looking forward to implementing family literacy projects with my students that we will donate to the local community.

What advice would you give yourself as a college student?

Be open to exploring new areas of study and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves to you.

If I weren’t a professor, I’d...

…own a children’s bookstore.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Reading, cooking, listening to music, travel and photography

— By Kathy Patnaude

— Photos courtesy of the faculty members