Eleven new tenure-track faculty members were appointed at Gettysburg College for the 2012-13 academic year.

With outstanding academic backgrounds and a diversity of experiences, Gettysburg College has hired a number of new tenure-track faculty members that bring unique perspectives to their academic areas. With an array of research specialties, ranging from educational systems in the Caribbean to the macroeconomic labor market, these professors are sure to further engage students and add depth to their departments.

Read more below about the new tenure-track faculty hires' educational backgrounds, their current research, and why they are so excited to be teaching at Gettysburg College.

Christopher Barlett, assistant professor of psychology, earned his Ph.D. in social psychology from Iowa State University and has a M.A. and B.A. from Kansas State University. His current research focus is on cyberbullying, specifically what variables either increase or decrease the likelihood that an individual will cyberbully another person.

“I like how the atmosphere around Gettysburg College allows me to do the job that I love doing,” Barlett said. “I get the opportunity to be both a teacher and a researcher. Other institutions typically favor one over the other. For me to be successful, I need to teach and do research, and Gettysburg College allows me to do that.”

Christopher D'Addario, assistant professor of English, earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and his B.A. from Dartmouth College.

Tina Gebhart, assistant professor of art and art history, earned her M.F.A. from Alfred University, New York State College of Ceramics, and her B.F.A. from Pennsylvania State University. She has spent the past five years as an assistant professor of art at Berea College and was an adjunct assistant professor in art and art history at Gettysburg from 2005-07.

Ryan Kerney, assistant professor of biology, has done postdoctoral research at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, and earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University and  B.A. from Hampshire College. Over the past year, Kerney has been working in science policy through the American Association for the Advancement of Science at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. His primary research focus is amphibian embryos. Kerney is currently conducting research on local salamanders found in this area.

"My favorite thing about Gettysburg College is the people, they have been terrific," Kerney said. "The biology department is great because the faculty has expertise in many disciplines within biology. In addition, both the students and faculty are interested in a wide range of subjects and are open to exploring new topics together."

Ariel Lelchook, assistant professor of management (OMS), earned her Ph.D. and M.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. and her B.A. at the George Washington University. Her dissertation was, "Beyond Transformational and Transactional Leadership: Authentic Leadership as a Predictor of Work Engagement and Work Related Outcomes."

Tsu-ting Tim Lin, instructor of economics, earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from Northwestern University and his B.S. from Iowa State University. This semester, Lin is teaching Principles of Macroeconomics and Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory. His research focuses on the macroeconomic labor market.

"I really like how friendly and supportive everyone is, both in my department and in the College community,"  Lin said. "I also enjoy teaching students who are very serious about their studies."

Keir Lockridge, assistant professor of mathematics, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle and his B.A. from Rice University in Houston. Before coming to Gettysburg, Lockridge was a postdoctoral fellow at Wake Forest University. This semester, he is teaching Calculus and focusing his research on a conjecture in homotopy theory known as the 'generating hypothesis.'

''I'm impressed with how friendly everyone is, how different departments mix and socialize, and how the administration is very accessible and their interests appear to be well-aligned with those of the faculty," Lockridge said. "I'm also quite fond of the environment -- this part of Pennsylvania and western Maryland are beautiful."

McKinley Melton, assistant professor of English, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and his B.A. from Duke University. His dissertation was titled, "Pen Stroking the Soul of a People: Spiritual Foundations of Black Diasporan Literature." Melton's expertise is in 20th Century literatures of Africa and the African Diaspora, with a specific focus on the importance of spirituality and religious thought and practice in shaping Africana cultures and cultural production. This semester, Melton is teaching Renaissance, Resistance, and Revolution: 20th Century African American Literature, and I've Got a Testimony: Autobiography in African American Narrative.

"Thus far, I would say that I am most impressed with Gettysburg's commitment to the ethos of a liberal arts education, which really promotes an integrative educational model," Melton said. "I share that commitment because I think that the liberal arts model is one of the most effective ways of producing critically engaged thinkers and encouraging students to pursue a balance between analytical thought, personal aspiration, and the ability to effectively reflect upon and influence the world around them."

Gary Mullen, assistant professor of philosophy, earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and his B.A. from Schreyer College (Pennsylvania State University). His dissertation was titled, "The Eschatological Dimension of Adorno's Thought."

Christina Petraglia, instructor of Italian studies, earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, M.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, and B.A. from Duquesne University. Her dissertation was titled, "Uncanny (Re)semblances: Doubles and Doubling in the Italian Novel (1860-1915)."

Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams, assistant professor of Africana studies, earned his Ed.D., Ed.M., and M.A. from Columbia University and a B.A. (Hons.) from St. Francis College. From 2009 to 2010, Williams researched school and structural violence in Trinidad and Tobago. He will be following up this research next summer, while also beginning additional research projects in similar subjects. This semester he is teaching Intro to Caribbean Studies and Globalization and its Discontents: The Caribbean Case.

"I feel so warmly welcome here at the college," Williams said. "I love that I am able to teach all the things that I am deeply passionate about. I have only been here for a short period of time and already I feel right at home. My work is very interdisciplinary and, therefore, a liberal arts environment feels like a perfect fit for my varied interests."

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

Article by: Emily Kleinburd '13, communications & marketing intern
Contact: Nikki Rhoads, senior assistant director of communications, 717.337.6803