Muhammad Faress Bhuiyan, assistant professor of economics, joined the Carleton economics department in 2010, after earning a PhD in economics from Northwestern University, where he also earned an MA in economics and BA in economics and mathematics. A specialist in development and labor economics, Bhuiyan teaches a wide range of courses covering microeconomics, development economics, labor economics, and welfare economics. A strong proponent of experiential learning, he strives to provide real-world learning for his students, providing opportunities not only near campus but around the globe in Ethiopia and Bangladesh. Bhuiyan’s research addresses two broad interests: the determinants of individuals’ quality of life, and drivers of individual decisions to migrate, invest in human capital, and participate in various market and economic activities.
Andy Flory, assistant professor of music, earned his MA and PhD in musicology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and had taught for four years at Shenandoah University before joining Carleton’s music faculty in 2011. He is considered an exemplary teacher-scholar and has contributed significantly to the study of music. His courses complement his scholarly expertise as well as student interest, including well-crafted courses on jazz, rock and roll, Motown, R & B, popular music, and The Beatles. A prolific and well-respected scholar, he is an accomplished author and presenter. At Carleton, he has also made significant contributions to program in American Studies and African American Studies, and helped to create the College’s concentration in American music.
Sarah Meerts, assistant professor of psychology, graduated with a BA in biopsychology from Vassar College and later earned a PhD in psychological and brain sciences from Dartmouth University. She joined the psychology department at Carleton in 2011 and teaches a variety of courses in neuroscience which are noted for her thoughtful use of team-based learning techniques. Meerts describes the research conducted by her and her students as “focused on understanding the neural systems that support motivation and reward, how those systems support sexual behavior, and what role ovarian hormones play in sculpting and activating those systems.” Her students receive high-level training in a variety of techniques as they pursue an array of related projects.
Cherlon Ussery, assistant professor of linguistics, earned a BA in political science and African & African American studies from the University of Michigan and a PhD in linguistics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She first came to Carleton in 2009 as a Fulbright Scholar in Residence, later joining the faculty in 2010. An expert in syntax, Ussery teaches a wide range of linguistics courses including introductory courses along with specialized advanced courses in syntax, semantics, and morphology. Her research focuses on syntax and the syntax-morphology interface and current research has addressed issues of case and agreement patterns with an emphasis on Icelandic, a language both unusually complex and also well-documented and studied in linguistics literature. Ussery is renowned as a creative and intrepid scholar, praised for making important new discoveries and contributing to the understanding of factors conditioning agreement and optionality, important and exciting directions in the field of linguistics.
Matt Whited, assistant professor of chemistry, joined the Carleton chemistry faculty in 2011, after earning a BS with honors (Magna cum laude) from Davidson College and a PhD from the California Institute of Technology. He teaches courses in chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and organometallic chemistry, known for his well-organized and dynamic teaching style. Whited is an organometallic chemist whose research focuses on bond transformations of small compounds with strong chemical bonds (such as carbon dioxide). He investigates the use of cooperative multi-element catalysts to transform molecules and his research has implications for a wide range of applications, including the development of renewable fuels. He regularly publishes in top journals in his field and is the recipient of a highly competitive National Science Foundation CAREER award.
John “Thabiti” Willis, assistant professor of history, earned a BA in accounting from Clark Atlanta University, an MPS in African and African American studies from Cornell University, and an MA in African history from Emory University. Since joining the Carleton faculty in 2010, Willis works to immerse his students in the study of history and memory surrounding gender, war, religion, and culture throughout Africa, with special focus on the slave trade and colonialism in West Africa, and on Africans in the Arab World. Willis is noted for creating links between the history department and a variety of interdisciplinary programs. Outside of Carleton, he also serves as associate editor of the new Journal of West African History published by Michigan State University Press.
For more information, contact the Dean of the College Office at (507) 222-4303.