Sul Ross State University welcomes five new faculty members for the Fall 2026 semester, bringing expertise in education, computer science, English, history and educational research to the university’s Alpine and International campuses.
The new faculty members bring extensive experience in higher education, public education, research and professional practice, strengthening SRSU’s academic offerings and providing students with opportunities to learn from scholars whose work spans disciplines and communities.
Dr. Michel Torres
Dr. Michel Torres joins Sul Ross International as an assistant professor of education after 18 years serving in roles including paraprofessional, teacher, assistant principal, principal and associate principal. A native of Eagle Pass, Torres returns home to prepare future educators at the International campus. She previously served as an associate principal with Uvalde CISD.
Torres earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Sul Ross State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education/English Language Arts and Reading from Sul Ross State University and an Associate of Arts degree from Southwest Texas Junior College. She holds certifications in bilingual education, ESL, special education, principalship and superintendency.
Her research focuses on Latina educational leadership, motherhood and leadership, bilingual and multilingual education, educator preparation, and the experiences of educators and students in rural and border communities. Her doctoral research explored the testimonios of Latina mothers in K–12 educational leadership and examined how culture, motherhood, identity and community shape leadership practice. Drawing on her experience in public education, Torres is committed to preparing educators and leaders, strengthening bilingual educator pathways, and elevating the voices and experiences of Texas-Mexico border communities.
Dr. Bushra Sajid
Dr. Bushra Sajid is an assistant professor of Computer Science. Before joining SRSU, she worked as a data scientist at Axicom World and served as a graduate research assistant at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR).
Sajid earned her Ph.D. in Information Science from UALR, where her doctoral research focused on data quality, entity resolution, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Her research interests include artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, data quality, information retrieval and responsible AI, with an emphasis on developing practical AI solutions to real-world problems.
Her work has included applying transformer-based language models to entity resolution and exploring artificial intelligence and retrieval-augmented approaches in interdisciplinary fields. At Sul Ross, Sajid is interested in advancing AI education, modernizing computer science curricula and creating opportunities for students to gain practical experience with emerging technologies.
Dr. Stephen Hager
Dr. Stephen Read Hager is an assistant professor of English and is a teacher and published scholar of modern and contemporary British and American literature. His research specializes in the relationship between the modern novel and 20th-century cinema, exploring how developments in film changed the ways writers represented perception, social life and the pressures of the interwar years.
Hager’s scholarship has appeared in Twentieth-Century Literature and the Journal of Urban Cultural Studies. He teaches courses in British literature, film and composition, with scholarly and teaching interests ranging from medieval literature to literary modernism and contemporary culture.
Hager graduated summa cum laude from Emory University and earned his Ph.D. in English from the University of Virginia. At Sul Ross State, he is particularly interested in helping students develop their skills as close readers, critical thinkers and writers.
Dr. Ives Lux Hartman
Dr. Ives Lux Hartman joins Sul Ross State as an assistant professor of history in the Department of Humanities. Before coming to SRSU, Hartman served as a graduate teaching assistant and lecturer at The Ohio State University.
Hartman earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Texas A&M University, a Master of Arts from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in History from Ohio State.
An environmental historian, Hartman’s research focuses on the intersections of animals, health, medicine and technology. Hartman teaches a wide range of courses, from world history to the history of health and disease and is passionate about helping students engage with history across diverse subjects and perspectives.
Dr. Jane McIntosh Cooper
Dr. Jane McIntosh Cooper joins is an associate professor of research in the Department of Education, where she will serve in the university’s new doctoral for Education Leadership and teacher education programs. Before joining SRSU, Cooper served in the doctoral program at the University of Clearlake, where she worked on more than 30 dissertations and taught qualitative methodologies, guiding students through rigorous research designs grounded in humanistic approaches to education.
Cooper’s scholarship focuses on collaborative, differentiated and responsive educational ecosystems. Her research has examined the lived experiences of novice teachers, bilingual teacher educators and curriculum development for early-career faculty. Her work has been presented at local, national and international academic conferences, including the Southwest Educational Research Association, American Educational Research Association, International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching and Society for Teacher Education and Professional Development. Her scholarship has also appeared in Teacher Education and Practice, Studying Teacher Education, the Bilingual Research Journal and School Leadership Review.
For more information, email provost@sulross.edu or visit www.sulross.edu.