The promotions include Sociology Professor Julie Collins-Dogrul and Mathematics Professor Fred Park.
Julie Collins-Dogrul has taught at Whittier College since 2008 and is the C. Wright Mills Endowed Chair in Sociology. She was awarded the Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award in 2024. In her research methods course she connects undergraduate student researchers with local organizations to help students develop research skills by designing and conducting applied research projects. Collins-Dogrul has published numerous articles in scholarly journals on US-Mexico border issues, interorganizational cooperation and governance, and health disparities. Collins-Dogrul also coordinates the public health minor.
Fred Park has been at Whittier since 2012 and became chair of the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science in 2021. His research targets machine learning, computer vision, mathematical image processing, and scientific computing, teaching courses on everything from elementary statistics to artificial intelligence. Park is interested in finding ways to better incorporate research into the undergraduate setting, and he feels that one key way to motivate learning at all levels is by drawing inspiration from real-world mathematical problems.
The College also bids a heartfelt farewell to three long-serving professors who are retiring after decades of impactful work. Retiring are Political Science Professor Mike McBride, Physics Professor Seamus Lagan, and Biology Professor Sylvia Vetrone.
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