The chemistry department recently hired Amy Huff, an alumna of Dartmouth College, who recently completed her doctorate studies at the University of California at San Diego in 1998.
"Dr. Huff has a specialty in environmental chemistry, specifically, mechanism of depletion of atmospheric ozone," said Professor of Chemistry Patricia O'Hara.
"I am going to develop a new class in atmospheric chemistry, and I'm really excited about it," said Huff. "There are a lot of 'hot' topics right now, related to atmospheric chemistry, that are constantly in the news: global warming, ozone depletion and urban air pollution, for example." She added, "Hopefully in a few years, I'll have some programs in place where Amherst students can do field work in atmospheric chemistry over the summer, in collaboration with my colleagues. "
"She was our first choice candidate, with superb publications, references and research proposals, and gave an excellent seminar during her interview," said O'Hara. The position Huff will fill is one that opened up as a result of retirements in the department.
Christopher Kingston, currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Stanford University, will join the economics department as an assistant professor. The position in the department opened due to the retirement of Professor of Economics Heinz Kohler a few years ago, according to Professor of Economics Geoffrey Woglom.
Kingston is currently studying political corruption from a theoretical point of view and has conducted much of his research in India.
Woglom said that one of the reasons that Kingston stood out was the connection that he made with students.
The English Department searched for a candidate with a specialization in African-American literature and cultural studies.
Marissa Parham of Columbia University will join the English department as an assistant professor next fall.
"We are very fortunate and pleased that she has accepted the offer ... she has enormous range of interest and knowledge," said Professor of English and Russian and Director of Studies Dale Peterson.
The mathematics department satisfied their search with the hiring of Robert Benedetto.
"We had a very strong pool, but he stood out on the two most important fronts," said Associate Professor of Mathematics Gregory Call. "He is outstanding in both teaching and research."
Benedetto will be an assistant professor of mathematics, beginning in the fall of 2002. "Dr. Benedetto is currently a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow and visiting assistant professor of mathematics at Boston University," said Call. Benedetto spent two years teaching at Rochester University before he became a visiting professor at Boston University. His areas of interest are number theory and arithmetic dynamics.
"This professorship position opened up because we lost Professor [of Mathematics and Astronomy] Duane Bailey," said Call. Bailey passed away in 1998.
"But the hiring of Robert Benedetto brings us back to our usual number of tenure-track faculty members," added Call.
The open position in the philosophy department has been filled by Nishi Shah, an ethicist from the University of Michigan.
"Our current ethicist, [Professor of Philosophy and LJST] Tom Kearns, is on phased retirement, and he will be leaving in a couple of years," said Associate Professor of Philosophy Jyl Gentzler.
"The College gives faculty the freedom, resources and time to pursue research," said Shah.
Shah is currently a doctoral student at the University of Michigan.
Gentzler, noting that Shah is young and just starting out, said, "He was really great when he was here ... students really responded."
"I am mainly interested in teaching classes in analytic ethics," said Shah.
"The hardest part will be making new friends, I suspect," he added. "Almost everything else is extremely exciting. Great colleagues, great students, a beautiful campus, closeness to Boston and New York and a decent income."
The psychology department conducted a national search to fill the position left open by Dean of the Faculty Lisa Raskin.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology Sarah Turgeon, who has been at the College for over five years as a replacement for Raskin, was hired as a tenure-track professor.
"We conducted a national search," said Associate Professor of Psychology Allen Hart, "and Professor Turgeon emerged as the best candidate."
Hart added that what made Turgeon stand out among the pool of applicants was that, "She really seems especially strong at not only conducting research but getting students interested."
The four other departments still in the process of searching for tenure-track faculty are biology, fine arts, physics, and theater and dance.