Linfield University announced six faculty promotions and one emeritus appointment last week, celebrating excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. The promotions go into effect July 1, 2026.
Tenure recognizes sustained achievement in these areas and a strong commitment to the university’s mission. The announcements follow the recent meeting of the Linfield University Board of Trustees, who approve promotions following a comprehensive review process of teaching, scholarship, and service.
“Linfield’s faculty are at the heart of the student experience,” said Beth Concepción, vice president for academic affairs and provost at Linfield. “These promotions recognize individual achievement and highlight the meaningful impact our professors have on students’ academic journeys and professional aspirations.”
Congratulations to the following faculty members on these career milestones.
Promoted to professor
Megan Kozak Williams, College of Arts and Sciences
At Linfield, Kozak Williams is known for engaging, student-centered teaching, particularly in upper-division psychology courses where she creates experiential learning opportunities through innovative pedagogy.
Her research examines empathy development and social behavior, resulting in peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and grant-supported research projects. She has also provided significant university leadership through service as chair of the Department of Psychology and chair of the Institutional Review Board.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and master’s and doctoral degrees from Harvard University.
Promoted to associate professor with tenure
Florian Conzetti, College of Arts and Sciences
Conzetti is a nationally recognized musician, educator and performer who teaches applied music and ensemble performance while directing the Linfield Collaborative Music Ensemble. He performs professionally as principal timpanist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to performance, Conzetti contributes to curricular planning and university governance through committee service supporting academic and artistic programming.
He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Johns Hopkins University Peabody Conservatory, a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, and a bachelor’s degree from the Konservatorium für Musik Bern.
Kurt Ingeman, College of Arts and Sciences
Ingeman teaches environmental studies with a focus on field-based science and research partnerships with conservation practitioners. His research program — which includes peer-reviewed publications, technical reports and student-involved research — has focused on species recovery and conversation in rapidly changing ecosystems.
He regularly integrates students into every stage of research, from project design and data collection to scientific presentation. He also contributes to university governance and regional environmental partnerships through committee service and outreach work.
Ingeman earned his bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly Humboldt and his Ph.D. from Oregon State University.
Emily Kosderka, College of Arts and Sciences
Kosderka teaches exercise science, research methods and clinical application courses that blend academic theory with clinical practice. Her research examines exercise as a therapeutic intervention in concussion recovery.
While at Linfield, she has strengthened the department’s internship and capstone pathways while supporting student recruitment and university service initiatives.
She holds a Ph.D. from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, a master’s degree from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from Willamette University.
Leslie Walker, College of Arts and Sciences
Walker is an anthropologist who helps students examine cultural and social systems through research-based and community-engaged learning. Her research focuses on indigenous responses to European settlement and colonization.
Walker also provides leadership for the Linfield Archaeology Museum, strengthening student learning opportunities and cultural preservation efforts. She recently secured a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust to support collections stewardship in the museum. In addition, she mentors first-generation students and supports student success initiatives.
Walker earned her bachelor’s degree from University of Central Arkansas and her master’s and doctoral degrees from University of Arkansas.
Daniel Zajic, College of Arts and Sciences
Zajic primarily teaches anatomy courses at Linfield, using active learning strategies to decrease the achievement gap for underrepresented populations. His teaching excellence was recognized with the Edith Green Distinguished Professor Award in 2023.
Zajic has an impressive record of scholarly publications, including work that was named a finalist for Outstanding Paper of the Year in the Journal of Experimental Biology. He regularly conducts collaborative research projects, where he actively involves and mentors students in scientific discovery.
In addition to serving on university committees, Zajic supports student belonging through his mentorship of First Scholars and LGBTQ+ students. He also engages the broader community through educational outreach such as anatomy lab demonstrations and public science education.
Zajic earned his bachelor’s degree from Whitman College and his Ph.D. from Portland State University.
Awarded emeritus status
Tianbao Xie, College of Arts and Sciences
Xie is known for inspiring, student-centered teaching across the physics curriculum and for mentoring students during their senior theses and research-based interests. Xie’s own research interests included field emissions physics, carbide materials and materials physics. Over his career, he built a scholarly record of more than 20 peer-reviewed publications.
While at Linfield, he also supported international students and contributed technical expertise to laboratory and equipment-based projects across academic and operational departments.
Xie earned his bachelor’s degree from Peking University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from University of Oklahoma.
