Muhlenberg Announces Faculty Promotions
Two members of the faculty were recently promoted to full professor.Wednesday, May 15, 2024 04:29 PM
William Gryc and Elizabeth NathansonWilliam Gryc (Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics)
While Gryc’s training is in functional analysis (a field that uses tools of linear algebra to solve and analyze solutions to differential equations), his recent work applies mathematics to the theory of auctions. He has led multiple student projects in auction theory, ranging from analyzing making “best offers” on eBay to strategies for so-called penny auctions. As a teacher, his goal is to develop each student’s ability to create a precise logical argument as well as to effectively communicate that argument. While these skills are vital to doing mathematics, they are also vital to navigating and understanding the world in which we live.
Elizabeth Nathanson (Media & Communication)
Nathanson teaches courses in popular culture, gender and media, television history and celebrity studies. Her research is focused on representations of femininity in American popular culture. Nathanson studies texts that appear to represent historical and sociological conditions that also appeal to audiences by speaking to cultural anxieties and desires. To this end, she analyzes media in order to explore how femininity and gender inequalities are recreated in popular culture. Some of the topics Nathanson has addressed in her publications include representations of housework on TV cooking programs, the historical significance of Joan Rivers and her impact on fashion cultures, the political implications of Ruth Bader Ginsburg memes and the rise and significance of cupcakes in popular culture.
