About the College

Meet our new faculty for 2008-09
	Department of Romance Languages Matthew Bailey, Professor of Spanish Professor Bailey received his PhD in Spanish from Tulane University. His teaching interests are literature and culture of medieval Spain, Epic narrative, Orality and literacy in medieval thought and expression. He joins us from the University of Texas.
	Department of Philosophy Nathaniel Goldberg, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Professor Goldberg received his PhD in Philosophy from Georgetown University. His areas of specialization include epistemology, Philosophy of Language, and Modern Philosophy. He joins us from Ohio University.
	Department of Romance Languages Leslie Gordon, Assistant Professor of Spanish Professor Gordon received her PhD from Georgetown University where she received her M.S. in Spanish Linguistics. Her research interest is second language phonological acquisitions and perception.
	Department of History Sarah Horowitrz, Assistant Professor of History Professor Horowitz received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley where she received her M.A. in History. Her teaching interests are modern European history and European cultural history.
	Department of Biology Robert Humston, Assistant Professor of Biology Professor Humston received his PhD in Marine Biology and Fisheries from the University of Miami. His primary research interest is in fisheries ecology and management. He joins us from VMI.
	Department of History Christian Jennings, Assistant Professor of History Professor Jennings received his PhD in History from the University of Texas at Austin. His current research is on the history of marine science on the East African coast and in the western Indian Ocean. He joins us from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
	Department of English Curtis Jirsa, Assistant Professor of English Professor Jirsa received his PhD in Medieval Studies at Cornell University. His area of specialty is in Middle English literature with additional concentrations in Old French and Old English Literature. He joins us from Hamilton College.
	Department of Art Andrea Lepage, Assistant Professor of Art Professor Lepage received her PhD in History of Art and Architecture from Brown University. She joins us from Clark University.
	Department of Journalism Toni Locy, Professor of Legal Reporting Toni Locy joins W&L as the first Donald W. Reynolds Professor of Legal Reporting from a distinguished career in journalism, covering legal affairs, criminal justice, and the Supreme Court. She has worked for USA Today, the Associated Press, The Washington Post,, The Boston Globe and U.S. News & World Report. She has a master's degree in the studies of law from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. In July 2008, she was awarded the John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award by the National Press Club for defying a federal district judge's order to reveal the names of confidential sources in connection with her investigation of the anthrax attacks in 2001.
	Department of Anthropology Harvey Markowitz, Assistant Professor of Anthropology Professor Markowitz received his PhD in the History of Christianity from the University of Chicago. He has been at Washington and Lee since 2003 in the Department of Religion with adjunct teaching in the Sociology-Anthropology, Environmental Studies, and History Departments.
	Department of Physics & Engineering Dan Mazilu, Assistant Professor of Physics Professor Mazilu received his PhD in Physics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). His research interests include AR coatings by ISAM deposition, wear and friction studies of ceramics, and friction-generated micro-scale plasma. He joins us from Virginia Tech.
	Department of Journalism and Mass Communication Indira Somani, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication Professor Somani earned her PhD from the college of Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park. She has extensive experience in broadcast journalism as a producer. Her research interests include the impact of satellite TV and instantaneous communication on diaspora communities.
	Department of Philosophy Florentien Verhage, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Professor Verhage is a PhD candidate in Philosophy at McGill University. Her areas of specialization are Phenomenology, 20th century continental Philosophy, and phenomenology & cognitive science.
	Department of Biology Fiona Watson, Assistant Professor of Biology Professor Watson earned her PhD in Neurobiology at Harvard University. Her research will focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying the wiring of the CNS. She joins us from Davidson College.
Our new faculty in 2007-2008
	Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures Chia-ju Chang, Assistant Professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures Professor Chang received her PhD from Rutgers University. Her research interests include Transnational Chinese Film, Twentieth-century Chinese literature and culture, feminist and eco-criticism.
	Department of Theatre Shawn Paul Evans, Assistant Professor of Theater. Professor Evans received his MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Virginia, and has worked for several years on the UVA faculty. He previously worked at W&L as Technical Director and Lecturer in the Theatre Department.
	Department of Mathematics Carrie Finch, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Professor Finch received her PhD in Mathematics from the University of South Carolina. Her research has focused on Number Theory and Commutative Algebra.
	Department of Religion Patrick Hatcher, Assistant Professor of Religion Professor Hatcher will receive his PhD from the University of Chicago Divinity School. His specialization is in Islam with special interest in the spread of Islam in Central Asia.
	Department of German and Russian Debra Prager, Assistant Professor of German Professor Prager received her PhD in Germanic languages and literatures from Harvard. She has been teaching as an adjunct Professor at W&L for two years.
	Department of Classics Scott Johnson, Assistant Professor of Classics Professor Johnson received his DPhil and MPhil from Oxford University. His research focus is on Later Greek literature. He joins us from Harvard, where he has been a post-doctoral Fellow.
	Department of Computer Science Sara Sprenkle, Assistant Professor of Computer Science Professor Sprenkle will receive her PhD from the University of Delaware. Her research interests include the automated testing of web applications.
Our new faculty in 2006-2007
	Department of Sociology Jonathan Eastwood, Assistant Professor of Sociology Professor Eastwood received his PhD in History and Sociology from Boston University. His areas of interest include comparative and historical sociology, political sociology, the sociology of culture, and sociological theory.
	Department of Chemistry Fred La Riviere, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Professor LaRiviere received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Colorado. His interests include the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for cellular processes, especially those processes involving RNA molecules.
	Department of Romance Languages Monica Botta, Assistant Professor of Romance Languages Professor Botta will be receiving her PhD in May 2006 in Spanish from the University of Connecticut, where she also received her MA in Spanish Literature. Her fields of interest are all levels of Spanish language, 20^th Century Latin American Theater, and Spanish Drama.
	Department of History Mark Carey, Assistant Professor of History Professor Carey received his PhD in Latin American History from the University of California, Davis. His fields of specialization include Latin American History, Environmental History, and the Andean Region.
	Department of Geology Jeffry Rahl, Assistant Professor of Geology Professor Rahl received his PhD in Geology from Yale University. His areas of expertise are in tectonics, thermochronology, and structural geology.
	Department of Psychology Megan Fulcher, Assistant Professor of Psychology Professor Fulcher received her PhD in Developmental Psychology from University of Virginia. Her research interests include children's socio-emotional development, children's gender-role development, and children in non-traditional families.
	Department of History Molly Michelmore, Assistant Professor of History Professor Michelmore will receive her PhD in 20^th Century American Political History from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her research focuses on welfare policy and politics.
	Department of Mathematics Jacob Siehler, Assistant Professor of Mathematics Professor Siehler received his PhD and MS in Mathematics from Virginia Tech. His research interests include braided categories, low-dimensional topology, and algebraic topology.
	Department of Art Dinah Ryan, Gallery Director and Visual Resource Curator Professor Ryan received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Virginia. She has substantial experience in curation, art criticism, and arts management.
	Department of Art Christa Bowden, Assistant Professor of Art Professor Bowden received her MFA in Photography from the University of Georgia. She will teach traditional darkroom photography, and her own work explores the boundaries between traditional and digital techniques.