Elizabethtown College has promoted Dr. Robert Wheelersburg as the first full professor of anthropology in the College’s 115-year history. A graduate of Ohio State University with a doctorate from Brown University, Wheelersburg has been with Elizabethtown for 25 years. In addition to teaching anthropology, Wheelersburg also has been assistant Dean of Faculty, Sociology-Anthropology department chair and the endowed chair of International Studies.
Wheelersburg is a specialist in Arctic and Scandinavian cultures and has conducted extensive fieldwork in Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and Russia, much of which was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs. He is a two-time Fulbright Scholar to Sweden and has been awarded fellowships from the U.S. Arctic Research Consortium, Canada’s Arctic Institute of North America, the American-Scandinavian Foundation and the Sweden’s Arctic Cultural Research Center.
In addition to Wheelersburg, Elizabethtown College approved the following to promotion to full professor:
Dr. Gary Hoffman, associate professor of chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Williams College and his master’s degree in physics and his doctoral degree in chemical physics from Harvard University. Dr. Hoffman was department chairperson from 2004 to 2010. His research interests include electronic structure of disordered condensed phase materials, non-local density functional theory without gradients and Fermi hypernetted chain theory applied to many-electron systems.
Dr. David Kenley, associate professor of history in the History Department. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, his master’s degree from University of Utah and his doctorate from University of Hawaii. With Elizabethtown College since 2004, his research focuses on the history of Asia. He is the author of works dealing with Chinese intellectual history and diaspora in world history.
Dr. Susan “Susi” Mapp, associate professor of social work in the Department of Social Work. She is the department chair, and her research specialties include human trafficking, international social work, violations of children’s rights and program evaluation. She serves on the Commission of Global Social Work Education for the Council on Social Work Education and is on the editorial board of several journals dealing with social work education and international social work. Dr. Mapp has led short-term study abroad experiences and works with seniors who are completing an international internship.
Also approved for tenure and promoted to associate professor are:
Dr. Justin Badgerow, assistant professor of music in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. The pianist earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida, a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a doctoral degree in musical arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He teaches piano and music theory while serving as a collaborative pianist for many departmental activities.
Dr. David Bowne, assistant professor of biology in the Biology Department. He earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management from Rutgers University, a master’s degree in conservation ecology and sustainable development from University of Georgia and a doctoral degree in environmental sciences from the University of Virginia. He teaches general ecology, conservation biology, geographic information systems, ecology in short fiction and introductory courses molecules, cells and animal systems and principles of ecology, evolution and diversity of life. He is a founding member of the Ecological Research as Education Network, through which he leads a national, collaborative research project on freshwater turtles.
Dr. Emma Neuhauser, assistant professor of finance in the Department of Business. She earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science from Tianjin (China) Institute of Technology, her master’s degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and her doctoral degree in finance from State University of New York at Buffalo. Her research interests include corporate finance and governance, financial engineering and securities, financial institution and markets, and investments.
Dr. Stephen Soltys, assistant professor of mathematics education in the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Messiah College, a master’s degree in education from Millersville University and a doctoral degree in mathematics education from Temple University. His research interests focus on mathematics education and the use of technology in teaching. He coordinates the Mathematics-Secondary Education program.
Richard Wolf-Spencer, assistant professor of theatre in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. He was previously a theatrical design/technology professor at Emory & Henry College in Virginia and a resident technical director and theatre technology instructor at the University of Idaho and Idaho Repertory Theatre. Wolf-Spencer earned a master’s degree in theatre arts from Washington State University and a master’s degree of fine arts in theatrical design from the University of Idaho. He has designed lighting for Ephrata Performing Arts Center, Gretna Theatre, the Barter Theatre Players and Wellmont Regional Center for the Arts in Tennessee.
Approved for tenure at Elizabethtown College was:
Dr. Jean Pretz, associate professor in the Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on intuition and creativity. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University, where she double-majored in psychology and music, and her doctoral degree from Yale University. She was a Fulbright scholar, studying psychology of religion in the former East Germany.