St. Mary’s College is pleased to announce the promotions (effective Aug. 1, 2014) of the following faculty:
Promoted to Full Professor
Angela Johnson (educational studies) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 2002. She earned her undergraduate degree at Bryn Mawr College and her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. She has taught courses in multicultural education, research methods, data-driven instruction, and science and science education. Her research interests include women of color in the sciences, power, culture and education, and culturally relevant science teaching.
J. Jordan Price (biology) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 2002. He completed his undergraduate study at Queen’s University (Ontario, Canada) and earned a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He has taught courses in animal behavior, topical biology, molecular evolution, and ecology and evolution. His research interests include animal communication, the evolution of animal behavior, molecular phylogenetics, and ornithology.
Reappointment with Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor
Karen Leona Anderson (English) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 2008. She began her studies as an undergraduate at McGill University (Montreal, Quebec), going on to earn master’s degrees at University of Iowa, Victoria University at Wellington (New Zealand), and Cornell University, where she also completed her Ph.D. She has taught courses in creative writing, poetry and science, and 19thand 20th-century American poetry. Her current work is focused on bio-economic metaphor. Her first collection of poetry, “Punish honey,” was published in 2009 by Carolina Wren Press and her poem, “Receipt: Midway Entertainment Presents” was chosen for the 2012 volume of “The Best American Poetry” (Scribner).
Kenneth Cohen (history and museum studies) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 2008. He graduated from Allegheny College and then earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. through the University of Delaware’s Winterthur Program. He has taught courses covering early America, sport and entertainment history, and research methods, and has directed the museum studies minor since 2012. His research on the relationship between sport and democracy in the 18th and 19th centuries has been broadly published in several history journals. Cohen has also consulted on grant-funded projects at nearby Sotterley Plantation and Calvert Marine Museum.
Erin De Pree (physics) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 2008. After completing a bachelor of science degree at Hillsdale College, she earned a master’s of science and Ph.D. at The College of William and Mary. She has taught courses in introductory physics, classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, general relativity, quantum mechanics and particle physics. Her award-winning research with undergraduates in high-energy phenomenology focuses on extra dimensions and fourth generation particles. She also conducts research in physics education
Alan Jamieson (computer science) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 2007. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Tulane University and his Ph.D. from Clemson University. He has taught courses in introductory computer science, algorithms and data structures, programming languages, software engineering, operating systems, computer graphics, theory of computation and artificial intelligence. His research interests include domination algorithms, graph theory, self-stabilizing algorithms, game development and design, robotics, and the recruitment and retention of women and other underrepresented groups in computer science. He is a recipient of the 2014 National Center for Women and Information Technology and AT&T undergraduate research mentoring award.
Promoted to Associate Professor
Michael Taber (philosophy) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 1987. He has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Rochester, as well as a master of arts and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. Widely published, he currently serves as chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and his interests include ancient Greek philosophy and classics, ethics, and philosophical psychology. Taber has been the coach of the St. Mary’s Ethics Bowl team since 2010 and the director of the Paul H. Nitze Scholars Program since 2003.
Granted Permanent Status
Conrad Helms (library) joined the St. Mary’s faculty in 2008. He has a bachelor of arts degree and master of arts degree from the University of South Florida. At St. Mary’s College, Helms serves as the patron services librarian, responsible for oversight of circulation functions. He also assists students with library research, as an academic adviser and First Year Seminar liaison.