Faculty of Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College faculty have a wide range of research interests.
Department of Biology
Steve C. Adolph
Stuart Mudd Professor of BiologyChair of the Department of BiologyPhD, University of Washington
Physiological, evolutionary and behavioral ecology of lizards; mathematical models in ecology and evolution; statistical estimation of physiological performance.
Anna Ahn
Professor of BiologyPhD, University of California, Berkeley
Neural control and mechanics of locomotion.
Eliot Bush
Professor of BiologyPhD, California Institute of Technology
Molecular evolution of noncoding DNA.
Matina Donaldson-Matasci
Associate Professor of BiologyPhD, University of Washington
How social insects, such as bees and ants, coordinate group behaviors.
Karl Haushalter
Professor of Chemistry and BiologyPhD, Harvard University
The biochemistry of protein:nucleic acid interactions in the context of DNA repair and the innate immune response to HIV infection.
Jae Hur
Associate Professor of BiologyPhD, Harvard University
Molecular and cellular biology with an emphasis on aging and longevity determination.
Catherine S. McFadden
Vivian and D. Kenneth Baker Professor in the Life SciencesPhD, University of Washington
Molecular systematics of Octocorallia; life history evolution in colonial marine invertebrates.
Danae Schulz
Associate Professor of BiologyPhD, University of California, Berkeley
African trypanosomes, the parasites transmitted through tsetse flies that cause sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis).
Daniel M. Stoebel
Professor of BiologyPhD, The State University of New York, Stony Brook
Function and evolution of bacterial regulatory networks.
Department of Biology Emeriti Faculty
William K. Purves
Professor of Biology EmeritusPhD, Yale University
Learning strategies, educational software.
Department of Chemistry
Spencer D. Brucks
Assistant Professor of ChemistryPhD, Columbia University
Organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and chemical biology.
Karl Haushalter
Seeley Wintersmith Mudd Professor of Chemistry and BiologyChair, Department of ChemistryPhD, Harvard University
The biochemistry of protein:nucleic acid interactions in the context of DNA repair and the innate immune response to HIV infection.
Lelia Hawkins
Professor of ChemistryHixon Professor of Climate StudiesPhD, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Characterization of light-absorbing compounds in atmospheric aerosol.
Alicia O. Hernandez-Castillo
Assistant Professor of ChemistryPhD, Purdue University
Broadband microwave spectroscopy to study molecular interactions.
Adam R. Johnson
Professor of ChemistryPhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Design of ligands for the synthesis of chiral transition metal complexes; enantioselective catalysis.
Katherine M. Van Heuvelen
R. Michael Shanahan Professor of ChemistryAssociate Dean for the FacultyPhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of bio-inspired transition metal complexes.
Hal Van Ryswyk
John Stauffer Professor of ChemistryPhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Solar energy conversion, study of energy and electron transfer in self-assembled systems; electronic materials; monolayer chemistry at surfaces; analytical chemistry.
David A. Vosburg
Professor of ChemistryPhD, The Scripps Research Institute
Biomimetic cyclizations, natural product synthesis, green chemistry.
Department of Chemistry Emeriti Faculty
G. William Daub POM ’72
Professor of ChemistryPhD, Stanford University
The development of new regio- and stereoselective reactions for organic synthesis.
Kerry K. Karukstis
Ray and Mary Ingwersen Professor of ChemistryPhD, Duke University
Applications of absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy to supramolecular assemblies (micelles, reverse micelles, vesicles) and macromolecular host-guest systems (cyclodextrins, dendrimers); spectroscopic analyses of surfactant aggregations and drug-delivery systems; determination of phase diagrams via fluorescence spectroscopy; incorporation of the case study method in chemistry courses to explore the interaction of science and society and develop critical thinking, teamwork, and oral communication skills; women as leaders in science and engineering.
Mitsuru Kubota
Professor of Chemistry EmeritusPhD, University of Illinois
Study of catalysis by metal compounds and inorganic chemistry.
Philip C. Myhre
Professor of Chemistry Emeritus PhD, University of Washington
Organic chemistry.
F. Sheldon Wettack
Years of service 1960–1992Professor of Chemistry and Dean Emeritus
Gerald R. Van Hecke
Donald A. Strauss Professor of ChemistryPhD, Princeton University
Department of Computer Science
Lucas Bang
Assistant Professor of Computer SciencePhD, University of California, Santa Barbara
Software verification and formal methods for security.
James C. Boerkoel Jr.
Csilla and Walt Foley Endowed Professor in Computer ScienceAssociate Professor of Computer Science and Chair, Department of Computer SciencePhD, University of Michigan
Artificial intelligence, automated planning and scheduling, human-robot teamwork and user experience design.
Katherine Breeden
Assistant Professor of Computer ScienceClinic Curricular DirectorPhD, Stanford University
Computer graphics, human gaze response.
Zachary Dodds
Leonhard-Johnson-Rae Professor of Computer ScienceClinic Recruiting DirectorPhD, Yale University
Real-time computer vision, vision-based autonomous robotics and mapping; and the development of low-cost robots for research and education.
Geoff Kuenning
Professor of Computer ScienceClinic Administrative DirectorPhD, University of California, Los Angeles
Operating systems, file systems, trace analysis, computer systems performance.
Julie Medero
Associate Professor of Computer ScienceUniversity of Washington
Natural language processing.
George Montañez
Assistant Professor of Computer SciencePhD, Carnegie Mellon University
The intersection of computer science, algorithmic search and mathematics.
Melissa O’Neill
Professor of Computer SciencePhD, Simon Fraser University
Functional programming languages and parallelism.
Xanda Schofield ’13
Assistant Professor of Computer SciencePhD, Cornell University
Designing easy-to-use tools for large-scale corpus text mining, with a focus on distributional semantic models.
Christopher A. Stone
Professor of Computer SciencePhD, Carnegie Mellon University
Type theory, programming language semantics, object calculi and compilers, concurrency.
Elizabeth A. Sweedyk
Associate Professor of Computer SciencePhD, University of California, Berkeley
Algorithms, complexity theory, computational biology, visualization, computer games, and computer graphics.
Erin Talvitie
Associate Professor of Computer SciencePhD, University of Michigan
Applications of machine learning to artificial intelligence, creation of artificial autonomous agents that can act flexibly and competently in unknown environments.
Katherine Elizabeth Trushkowsky
Associate Professor of Computer ScienceUniversity of California, Berkeley
Database systems, human computation.
Benjamin Wiedermann
Professor of Computer ScienceCore Curriculum DirectorPhD, University of Texas at Austin
Programming languages.
Yi-Chieh (Jessica) Wu
Associate Professor of Computer SciencePhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Computational biology.
Department of Computer Science Emeriti Faculty
Michael A. Erlinger
Professor of Computer Science EmeritusPhD, University of California, Los Angeles
Computer networking (protocols, management, security and wireless sensor networks), implementation and use.
Wing Cheung Tam
Professor of Engineering and Computer Science Emeritus
Department of Engineering
Lori C. Bassman
Professor of EngineeringPhD, Stanford University
Deformation mechanisms in polycrystalline metals, computational mechanics and plant biomechanics.
Joshua Brake
Assistant Professor of EngineeringPhD, Stanford University
Optical technologies to probe and measure brain activity, mind/body/machine interfaces (MBMI) to improve and expand human cognition.
Philip D. Cha
Professor of Engineering and C.F. Braun & Company FellowPhD, University of Michigan
Effects of parameter uncertainties on the dynamics of structures; model updating; imposing nodes for arbitrarily supported elastic structures during harmonic excitations; frequency analysis of combined dynamical systems; vibration of beams carrying spring-mass-damper systems; vibration suppression using oscillators.
Albert Dato
Associate Professor of Engineering Associate Department ChairPhD, University of California, Berkeley
Synthesis and applications of nanomaterials.
Whitney Fowler
Assistant Professor of EngineeringPhD, University of Chicago
Designing bio-inspired sensing materials to detect emerging contaminants in water
Okitsugu Furuya
Clinical Professor of EngineeringPhD, California Institute of Technology
Kash Gokli
Oliver C. Field Professor of Manufacturing Practice and Engineering EconomicsM.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Manufacturing, engineering, product development, quality management and process improvement.
David Harris
Harvey S. Mudd Professor of Engineering DesignPhD, Stanford University
Digital systems, integrated circuit design and microprocessors.
Dre Helmns
Assistant Professor of Engineering
Integrated energy storage and conversion systems, grid electrification, building decarbonization.
Gordon C. Krauss
Fletcher Jones Professor of Engineering DesignPhD, Boston University
Friction, wear and lubrication in mechanical and biological systems, design education.
Nancy K. Lape
James Howard Kindelberger Professor in EngineeringChair, Department of EngineeringPhD, University of Minnesota
The effects of hydration and mechanical stretching on transport of drugs and toxins across human skin; Design and modeling of nanocomposite gas separation membranes; Engineering education.
Fred Leichter
Clinical Professor of EngineeringDirector, Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity (The Hive)B.S., Mathematics, Swarthmore College
Design thinking, human centered design, creativity, innovation.
Leah Mendelson
Associate Professor of EngineeringPhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Biological and bio-inspired fluid dynamics and imaging techniques for fluid flow measurement.
David Nembhard
Professor of EngineeringPhD, University of Michigan
Ethan Ritz ’12
Assistant Professor of EngineeringB.S., Harvey Mudd College; PhD, Cornell University
Materials engineering, vibrations, dynamics, crystal and electronic structure; combining group theory with atomistic simulations (such as density functional theory) to understand and enhance useful materials properties.
Steven Santana ’06
Iris & Howard Critchell Assistant Professor of EngineeringDirector, Engineering ClinicB.S., Harvey Mudd College; PhD, Cornell University
Microfluidics and nanofluidics.
Matthew Spencer
Associate Professor of EngineeringPhD, University of California, Berkeley
Circuit design, MEMS.
R. Erik Spjut
Professor of EngineeringUnion Oil Company Engineering Design FellowPhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Materials processing (especially containerless), process control, optical diagnostics and heat transfer (especially radiant).
Ashwini (Asha) Srikantiah
Clinical Professor of EngineeringAssociate Director, Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Creative Collaboration (The Hive)
TJ Tsai
Associate Professor of EngineeringPhD, University of California, Berkeley
The intersection of signal processing, machine learning and music.
Qimin Yang
Professor of EngineeringPhD, Princeton University
Optical communications, optical packet switching networks, QoS in optical networks.
Werner Zorman
Walter and Leonore Annenberg Chair in LeadershipVienna University of Technology
Leadership, communication skills, emotional intelligence, team building.
Department of Engineering Emeriti Faculty
Anthony Bright
Professor of Engineering EmeritusPhD, University of Bradford, England
Hydrodynamics of jets and drop formation.
Mary Cardenas
Professor of Engineering EmeritusPhD, University of California, Santa Barbara
Numerical modeling of the fate and transport of sediments and toxic contaminants in water, both surface waters and groundwater.
Ziyad “Zee” Duron 81
Professor of Engineering EmeritusB.S. Harvey Mudd College, PhD, California Institute of Technology
Transportation, reliability and management of engineered systems.
Patrick Little
Professor of Engineering EmeritusScD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Transportation, reliability and management of engineered systems.
John I. Molinder
Professor of Engineering EmeritusPhD, California Institute of Technology
Communication systems and signal processing.
J. Richard (Rich) Phillips
Professor of Engineering Emeritus
Donald S. Remer
Professor of Engineering Economics EmeritusPhD, California Institute of Technology
Management including technical and project management, leadership styles, engineering economics and capital investment evaluation and cost estimation.
B. Samuel Tanenbaum
Professor of Life Sciences and EngineeringDean EmeritusPhD, Yale University
Analysis of sustainability technologies and issues, particularly those related to energy use.
Ruye Wang
Professor of Engineering EmeritusPhD, Rutgers University
Image processing, pattern recognition, vision systems, data mining, remote sensing, neural computation and bioinformatics.
Christopher Clark
Professor Engineering EmeritusPhD, Stanford University
Multi-robot systems and their applications.
Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts
William Alves
Louisa and Robert Miller Professor in the HumanitiesProfessor of MusicDMA, University of Southern California
Music composition, computer music, tuning systems, abstract animation, gamelan and other world music.
Isabel Balseiro
Alexander and Adelaide Hixon Professor of HumanitiesProfessor of Comparative LiteraturePhD, New York University
Contemporary writers and filmmakers from Africa and Latin America. Teaches on cultural and race studies, cinema and postcolonial literatures.
David Cubek
Associate Professor of MusicDirector of the Claremont Concert Orchestra, Scripps College (Joint Music Program)DMA, Northwestern University
Conducting symphonic and operatic repertoire; research on alternative modes of orchestral training and music as an interdisciplinary art form.
Ambereen Dadabhoy
Associate Professor of Literature and Avery FellowPhD, Claremont Graduate University
Early modern English literature; Shakespeare; postcolonial theory; East-West encounter.
Marianne de Laet
Professor of Anthropology and Science, Technology, and SocietyAssociate Dean for Academic AffairsPhD, University of Utrecht, Netherlands
Social studies of science; cultural anthropology; technology
and culture; video game culture; practices of knowledge-making; collaboration and management in big science.
Erika W. Dyson
Willard W. Keith Jr. Fellow in the HumanitiesAssociate Professor of Religious StudiesPhD, Columbia University
Religion and science; intersections between social-change activism and religion; American religious history; and church and state.
Ken Fandell
Michael G. and C. Jane Wilson Chair in Arts and HumanitiesChair, Humanities, Social Sciences, and the ArtsMFA, University of Illinois at Chicago
Interdisciplinary arts.
Alfred Flores
Assistant Professor of Asian American StudiesPhD, University of California, Los Angeles
Pacific Islander history, Asian American history, labor, militarization, race, settler colonialism.
Anup Gampa
Assistant Professor of PsychologyPhD, University of Virginia
Social psychology of social movements, racism, capitalism and wealth inequality.
Jeffrey D. Groves
Professor of LiteraturePhD, Claremont Graduate School
Nineteenth-century American literature; history of the book; Shakespeare.
Vivien Hamilton
Associate Professor of the History of SciencePhD, University of Toronto
History of physics; history of medicine; gender and science; disciplinary cultures in science.
Charles W. Kamm
Associate Professor of MusicDirector of Choirs, Scripps College (Joint Music Program)DMA, Yale University
Conductor of the Claremont Concert Choir and the Claremont Chamber Choir; professional vocal soloist and conductor; research on performance practices of renaissance and early Baroque music, 19th century nationalism in music and contemporary Scandinavian choral repertoire.
Rachel Mayeri
Professor of Media StudiesMFA, University of California, San Diego
Contemporary art, media studies (especially film studies), cultural studies, science studies, video and new media production and installation.
Salvador Plascencia
Associate Professor of Creative WritingMFA, Syracuse University
Creative writing; The novel as print technology.
David K. Seitz
Assistant Professor of Cultural GeographyPhD, University of Toronto
Geographies of citizenship; feminist, critical race and queer theories; affect.
Paul F. Steinberg
Malcolm Lewis Chair of Sustainability and SocietyProfessor of Political Science and Environmental PolicyPhD, University of California, Santa Cruz
Comparative and international environmental politics; environmental governance in developing countries; biodiversity; research methods.
Darryl Wright
Willard W. Keith, Jr. Fellow in the HumanitiesProfessor of PhilosophyPhD, University of Michigan
History of ethics; moral and political philosophy.
Department of HSA Emeritus Faculty
Hal S. Barron
Louisa and Robert Miller Professor of HumanitiesPhD, University of Pennsylvania
History of rural America; immigration and ethnicity; food and American culture.
Tad A. Beckman
Professor of Philosophy EmeritusPhD, University of California, Berkeley
History of Western philosophy, philosophy of science and environmental philosophy. Founder of the HMC Center for Environmental Studies.
Gary R. Evans
Ruth and Harvey Berry Professor of Entrepreneurial LeadershipDirector, Entrepreneurial NetworkPhD, University of California, Riverside
Financial institutions; small business development; enterprise and entrepreneurship.
Michael Lamkin
Professor of Music Emeritus (Joint Music Program)PhD, University of Iowa
Central European music and history 1750-1950, intersections of European cultures.
David S. Sanders
Professor of Literature Emeritus
Department of Mathematics
Arthur T. Benjamin
Smallwood Family Professor of MathematicsPhD, Johns Hopkins University
Combinatorics, game theory, and number theory, with particular emphasis on combinatorial proofs and Fibonacci numbers.
Andrew Bernoff
Professor of MathematicsPhD, Trinity College, Cambridge University
Fluid Mechanics including thin films, free surface problems, modelling of intermolecular forces, microfluidics and generation of micron-sized aerosols, mixing and advection/diffusion processes; material science, in particular continuum modelling and surface diffusion; mathematical methods, in particular dynamical systems, pattern formation self-similarity and scaling phenomena, and asymptotic methods.
Alfonso Castro
Robert and Barbara McAlister Professor of MathematicsPhD, University of Cincinnati
Existence, multiplicity and bifurcation of solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations, general applied mathematics.
Lisette G. de Pillis
Norman F. Sprague Jr., Professor of Life SciencesProfessor of MathematicsPhD, University of California, Los Angeles
Cancer immunology modeling, mathematical biology, optimal control, parallel computing, numerical analysis, computational fluid dynamics, numerical linear algebra.
Weiqing Gu
Robert and Barbara McAlister Professor of MathematicsM.A., PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Differential geometry and topology; geometrical modeling and design, applications to math-biology, applications to industrial mathematics (optimal control, encryption and color scheme).
Jamie Haddock
Assistant Professor of MathematicsPhD, University of California, Davis
Mathematical data science, optimization, applied convex geometry.
Jon Jacobsen
Kenneth and Diana Jonsson Professor of MathematicsChair, Department of MathematicsPhD, University of Utah
Partial differential equations, dynamical systems, pattern formation, mathematical biology.
Dagan Karp
Professor of MathematicsPhD, University of British Columbia
Geometry and algebraic geometry. Including quantum geometry, Gromov-Witten theory and related subjects.
Haydee Lindo
Assistant Professor of MathematicsPhD, University of Utah
Commutative algebra, homological algebra and representation theory.
Susan E. Martonosi
Professor of MathematicsPhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Operations research techniques applied to problems in homeland security; other public sector applications of mathematical modeling.
Mohamed Omar
Joseph B. Platt Chair in Effective TeachingProfessor of MathematicsPhD, University of California, Davis
Algebraic methods in graph theory and discrete/combinatorial optimization.
Michael Orrison Jr.
Professor of MathematicsPhD, Dartmouth College
Graph theory, voting theory, representation theory, computational noncommutative harmonic analysis.
Francis Su
Benediktsson-Karwa Chair in MathematicsPhD, Harvard University
Geometric and topological combinatorics, fair division problems in game theory and mathematical economics.
Talithia D. Williams
Associate Professor of MathematicsDirector, Mathematics ClinicPhD, Rice University
Statistical techniques applied to problems in the environment, dynamic space – time modeling, nonstationary covariance estimation, change-of-support problem.
Darryl H. Yong ’96
Professor of MathematicsB.S., Harvey Mudd College; PhD, University of Washington
Partial differential equations and asymptotics, mathematics education.
Heather Zinn Brooks
Barbara Stokes Dewey Assistant Professor of MathematicsPhD, University of Utah
Applied mathematics, mathematical modeling, complex systems, nonlinear dynamics, network theory, social systems, mathematical biology.
Department of Mathematics Emeriti Faculty
Courtney S. Coleman
Professor of Mathematics Emeritus
John Greever
Professor of Mathematics Emeritus
Robert T. Ives
Associate Professor of Mathematics Emeritus
Henry A. Krieger
Professor of Mathematics EmeritusPhD, Brown University
Probability theory and stochastic processes.
Alden F. Pixley
Professor of Mathematics Emeritus
Department of Physics
Nicholas P. Breznay
Assistant Professor of PhysicsPhD, Stanford University
Condensed matter physics.
Thomas D. Donnelly
Vice President and R. Michael Shanahan Dean of the FacultyProfessor of PhysicsPhD, University of California, Berkeley
High intensity laser physics and fluid dynamics.
James C. Eckert
Professor of PhysicsPhD, University of Southern California
Magnetic thin films.
Ann Esin
Associate Professor of PhysicsPhD, Harvard University
Astrophysics, with a focus on observations and theoretical modeling of young stellar clusters.
Jason Gallicchio
Associate Professor of PhysicsPhD, Harvard University
Experimental cosmology.
Sharon Gerbode
Associate Professor of PhysicsPhD, Cornell University
Soft condensed matter.
Mark Ilton
Assistant Professor of PhysicsPhD, McMaster UniversityKeck 1237
Soft condensed matter.
Theresa W. Lynn
Bruce and Susan Worster Professor of PhysicsChair, Department of PhysicsPhD, California Institute of Technology
Atomic and optical physics, including quantum optics; observational study of ultra-high energy cosmic rays.
Peter N. Saeta
Professor of PhysicsDirector, Physics ClinicPhD, Harvard University
Nonlinear optics and semiconductor physics, including surface and buried interface effects, metal surfaces and nanoparticles; magneto-optics; plasmonics and solar energy conversion.
Vatche Sahakian
Burton Bettingen Professor of PhysicsPhD, University of Chicago
Theoretical physics, including string theory and cosmology.
Brian Shuve
Assistant Professor of PhysicsPhD, Harvard University
Particle physics.
Department of Physics Faculty Emeriti
Chih-Yung Chen
Associate Professor of PhysicsPhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Interests: Solid-state physics, including electromagnetic and optical properties of high-temperature superconductors, semiconductors and magnetic materials.
Richard C. Haskell
Professor of Physics EmeritusPhD, Johns Hopkins University
Biophysics and optics, including laser light scattering to study membranes and muscle; photon diffusion and optical coherence microscopy to image biological tissue.
Thomas M. Helliwell
Professor of Physics EmeritusPhD, California Institute of Technology
Theoretical general relativity, relativistic astrophysics, and cosmology; the foundations of quantum theory.
Gregory A. Lyzenga ’75
Professor of PhysicsB.S., Harvey Mudd College; PhD, California Institute of Technology
Geophysics, including observational study of crustal deformation and earthquakes using geodetic, seismological and gravimetric methods; computer simulation of tectonic processes.
Daniel C. Petersen
Professor of Physics EmeritusPhD, Harvard University
Biophysics, including physical properties of membranes, optical coherence microscopy; chaos.
Patricia D. Sparks
Professor of Physics EmeritusPhD, Cornell University
Solid-state physics, including study of the optical and magnetic properties of metals and interfaces.
John S. Townsend
Professor of Physics EmeritusPhD, Johns Hopkins University
Theoretical particle physics and quantum field theory.
Jack H. Waggoner, Jr.
Associate Professor of Physics Emeritus
Robert P. Wolf
Professor of Physics EmeritusPhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Energy resources, especially solar energy, environmental effects; Nonlinear phenomena, including chaotic behavior; computer modeling; Solid state physics, especially low-temperature phase transitions