|
|
|
|
|
Six
Exceptional Pomona College Faculty Members Voted Wig
Professors by Students
|
 |
Students at Pomona College, one of the nation's premier
liberal arts colleges, have elected professors Edward (EJ)
Crane III, Paul E. Hurley, Zayn R. Kassam, Michael K.
Kuehlwein, Patrick H. Mulcahy and Paul K. Saint-Amour to
receive the 2005 Wig Distinguished Professor Awards for
Excellence in Teaching. The Award recognizes exceptional
teaching, concern for students and service to the College
and community.
The recipients of the Wig Awards are elected by the junior
and senior classes and then confirmed by a committee of
trustees, faculty and students. The awards were announced at
Pomona's 112th Commencement held on May 15, 2005. They were
established by Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Wig in 1955.
EJ Crane, an assistant professor of chemistry, joined
the Pomona College faculty in 2002 and teaches biochemistry
and advanced biochemistry.
Student comments included: “Professor Crane has a talent for
capturing and presenting the most interesting aspects of the
subject matter he teaches. He has a fun and relaxed teaching
style while at the same time encouraging a high level of
performance from his students.” “Professor Crane made my
biochem class one of the most engaging and memorable of all
the science classes I've taken at Pomona. His ability for
personable teaching is a huge asset to the college.” “Dr.
Crane is just a cool guy. I am taking Advanced Biochemistry
with him for 'fun' since I enjoyed his intro biochemistry
class so much.”
Crane focuses his research on the biochemistry of organisms
that live in hydrothermal vent environments, both at the
ocean floor and deep underground. He is particularly
interested in how these organisms survive in environments
that are both incredibly hot and highly toxic. He has
written often on the topic. His articles have appeared in
the European Journal of Biochemistry and the
Journal of Biochemistry. He holds a Ph.D. from Johns
Hopkins University and a B.S. from St. Cloud State
University. He previously taught at Salisbury University in
Maryland, where he received a 1999 Distinguished Faculty
Award.
Paul Hurley, professor of philosophy, teaches Ethics;
Meta-ethics; Political Philosophy; Philosophy of Law; and
Freedom, Markets, and Well-Being. This is his third Wig
Award.
Students find him “an absolutely fantastic lecturer, who
really brings the material to life.” “He is academically
uncompromising, demanding that his students work hard to
understand the material, and his lectures are always clear,
informative, and engaging…. Prof. Hurley hides his biases
more effectively than any human being I've ever met. He can
argue six sides to most issues and yet still have his
opinions remain completely mysterious. Prof. Hurley has a
truly rare gift.” “Few people are as intelligent, able to
convey info, and facilitate meaningful discussions as Paul
Hurley.”
A member of the faculty since 1988, Hurley researches issues
of consequentialism, moral ethics, and issues of trust,
happiness, forgiveness, democracy and lying. His articles
have appeared most recently in the journals Analysis,
Ethics, The Journal of Ethics, Mind,
and The Pacific Philosophical Quarterly. He earned
his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his Ph.D.
from the University of Pittsburgh.
Zayn R. Kassam, associate professor of religious
studies and chair of the Religious Studies Department,
joined the faculty in 1995. She teaches The Religion of
Islam, Islamic Thought, Engendering and Experience: Women in
the Islamic Tradition, The Divine Body and Interpreting
Religious Worlds. This is her second Wig Award.
Students say: “Prof. Kassam is an amazing teacher with an
ability to synthesize a broad spectrum of material into a
coherent and fascinating take on a subject… Class
discussions [spill] out of the classroom, into the dining
and residence halls, and even onto forums in cyberspace.”
“Students can sense the effort, planning and hard work that
go into creating magical classroom discussions.” “Her
personal and honest interest in her students shines through
in everything she does, from office hours to the copious,
careful notes on our graded papers and discussions.”
In her research, Kassam focuses on Islamic ethics, gender
issues, philosophy and mysticism. Her chapters have appeared
in Ethics and the World Religions (2001), Love,
Sex and Gender in World Religions (2001), and A
Communion of Subjects: Animals in Religion and Ethics
(2001). She received her B.A, M.A. and Ph.D. from McGill
University.
Michael K. Kuehlwein, the George E. and Nancy O. Moss
Professor of Economics, joined the faculty in 1987. Now a
three-time Wig Award recipient, he teaches Principles of
Macroeconomics, Macroeconomic Theory, and a senior seminar.
Students say: “No one makes material come alive like
Professor Kuehlwein.” “The Econ 51 class I took with
Professor Kuehlwein was the most entertaining and
interactive ‘lecture’ class I have ever attended.” “I have
never seen a man so excited to run up to a blackboard to
draw a supply and demand diagram. His excitement about
economics is contagious.” “Professor Kuehlwein stands out
for me because of his genuine dedication to helping his
students learn.”
Kuehlwein’s research interests range from consumer spending
and saving to the effects of budget deficits on interest
rates in Thailand and the effect of railroads on wheat
prices in 19th century India. His articles have been
published in Economic Letters; Journal of Money, Credit, and
Banking; and Review of Economics and Statistics, among other
journals. He holds a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology and a B.A. from Swarthmore College.
Patrick H. Mulcahy, a professor of physical
education, is also the Pomona-Pitzer men’s track and
cross-country coach. Since his arrival in 1969, he has
coached 38 athletes to 67 NCAA All-American performances.
Nine of those athletes have been national champions. He
teaches activity classes in badminton, weight training, and
golf, plus a biannual Sociology class entitled 'Mind,
Culture, and Sport'.
Students find that: “Pat's influence extends beyond the
athletic field, and into so many other important aspects of
his athletes' lives.” “He has been a mentor, a coach, a
teacher, and a friend. I enjoy with him the type of
faculty-student relationship that I wish everyone could
enjoy with at least one teacher here.” “Energy and humor
like his keep the Athletic Department and the college as a
whole vibrant and exciting!” “He made my Pomona experience
the best it could be.” “Pat is always honest, open,
memorable, and builds team unity like none other.”
Mulcahy is one of the foremost field events coaches in the
country and has served as an assistant coach for both men
and women on national teams that toured the Philippines and
Taiwan, giving clinics to coaches of both countries. A
former president of the NCAA Track Coaches Association, he
was named the men's West Region Cross Country Coach of the
Year in 2004. He earned his B.A. from Pomona College and his
M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Los
Angeles.
Paul Saint-Amour, an associate professor of English,
joined the Pomona faculty in 1997. He teaches Modern British
Literature, British Novel II, Literature of the Victorian
Period, Subcontinent Literatures in English, Henry James and
his Contemporaries, James Joyce and Late Joyce and his
Legacies. This is his second Wig Award.
Student comments include: “Professor Saint-Amour is the best
teacher I've ever had. He's brilliant, kind, and able to
make students understand the problems with their arguments
and ideas in a way that makes them feel as if they've
discovered those problems, and the solutions, on their own.”
“A great teacher, but an even better person.” “More than any
other person at Pomona, Professor Saint-Amour has challenged
me intellectually… He embodies everything we should cherish
as an intellectual community: brilliance, eloquence,
humility, and most importantly, compassion.”
Saint-Amour’s book, The Copywrights: Intellectual
Property and the Literary Imagination (2003) was
recently recognized with the Modern Language Association’s
Best First Book Award. His articles have appeared in a
number of professional journals including Nineteenth-Century
Literature, European Joyce Studies, James Joyce Quarterly,
and Henry James Review. During 2005-06, he will be a
residential fellow at the National Humanities Center in
Research in N.C. and work on a new book, tentatively titled
Archive, Bomb, Camera: Modernism in the Shadow of Total
War. He earned his B.A. from Yale University and his
Ph.D. from Stanford University.
Pomona College, one of the nation’s premier liberal arts
institutions, offers a comprehensive program in the arts,
humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Its
hallmarks include small classes, close relationships between
students and faculty, and a range of opportunities for
student research. Visit Pomona College on the web at
www.pomona.edu.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quick Links |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Explore Pomona's Web |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Find It |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Search |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
