This fall, five new professors joined the Franklin & Marshall faculty—a vibrant community of scholars who shape the College’s distinctive academic experience. Their research interests range from parasitology to documentary film, from diplomatic networks in the Middle East to algorithmic surveillance online. Read on to get to know these new members of our campus community and hear what they had to say about the F&M experience, life in Lancaster, and more.

Ian Kelly, Assistant Professor of Film

What’s your main area of interest in your research or scholarship?

I am a documentary filmmaker who primarily creates animated nonfiction films. I use the unique qualities of the animated form to enliven stories of personal and historical memory. My practice aligns the formal qualities of animation with characteristics of memory including fragmentation, transformation, and an emphasis on sensory details. I believe that the preservation and recitation of memories is an act with great societal and political significance—one that activates our relationship to the past as a presence rather than an inert artifact. 

What’s your favorite thing about campus or Lancaster?

The Winter Visual Arts Center is a truly stunning space. It is a joy to work in and an inspiring place to teach, with an excellent array of maker spaces and a beautiful cinema. And with the new West Art community space / coffee shop directly across the street, it’s hard to pull me away from this joyful pocket of campus.

Jacob Logas, Assistant Professor of Computer Science

What brought you to F&M?

Coming from a large university like Georgia Tech, I was drawn to smaller liberal arts colleges because such places encourage a dual pursuit of scholarly interests and student engagement. Of those I applied to, F&M stood out because of the unique community of interdisciplinary collaboration fostered over its history and the bright, motivated students I met during my visit.

What stands out to you about computer science at F&M?

I found computer science at F&M to be uniquely positioned for success in the current landscape of the computer science field, again because of the multidisciplinary approach that the faculty who came before me adopted. Here, computer scientists are not only software engineers who go on to work for one of the big tech companies, but also artists, economists, historians, philosophers, etc.

Daniel Metz, Assistant Professor of Biology

What’s your main area of interest in your research or scholarship?

I’m a parasitologist, so my work centers on those squiggly little things that cause infectious disease. Most of what I do in my lab involves experimentally putting numbers to the process of parasites getting from one host to another, and how much they impact the health of their hosts. These numbers go into powerful mathematical models that inform us about how diseases spread through populations and how parasites evolve new strategies. Since I deal with lots of different kinds of organisms, I sometimes end up discovering and naming brand-new species!

What stands out about the biology department at F&M?

What stands out the most is the wonderful supportiveness and helpfulness of biology faculty and staff. It’s such a welcoming and mentorship-focused department. For students, the biology department has a strong tradition of personal instruction and research involvement. It’s really a learning environment unlike any other!

Libby Southgate, Assistant Professor of Philosophy

What brought you to F&M?

I care deeply about both teaching and research and wanted to work at a college that expected and respected both research production and teaching innovation. F&M was a great fit! 

What’s your main area of interest in your research or scholarship?

I’m a philosopher. I work in ethics, particularly as it touches epistemology, political philosophy, and feminist philosophy. My research centers around the phenomenon of intractable moral disagreement—cases where we disagree with each other about a moral issue, but no amount of discussion seems likely to resolve the issue. I’m interested in what these (common!) cases imply about our moral theories and also in the practical, personal, and political implications of such cases.

 

Dana Stuster, Assistant Professor of Government

What brought you to F&M?

I applied to all kinds of schools all across the country, but I feel so incredibly happy to have landed at F&M. I’m really passionate about pedagogy and wanted to work somewhere that values teaching and student mentorship. So it feels great to be at an institution where I get to teach the topics that I find exciting and connect with students over our shared interest in the material.

What’s your favorite thing about campus or Lancaster?

I can’t choose—it’s just all so idyllic. Walking to my office through the tree-lined greens on crisp fall mornings, maybe? Trips to Central Market or runs with the Tread House run club? A nice date night at Luca or a burger at Cabalar? I can’t pick just one thing.