At the December meeting of the Board of Managers, three faculty members were appointed to endowed chairs: Farha Ghannam (Sociology & Anthropology) to the Eugene M. Lang Research Professorship, Elizabeth Vallen (Biology) to the Howard A. Schneiderman ’48 Professorship in Biology, and Andrew Ward (Psychology and Peace & Conflict Studies) to the William R. Kenan Jr. Professorship.

Farha Ghannam

Farha Ghannam is an authority on contemporary Islamic practices, and on identities, gender, and sexuality in the Middle East. She is the author of Live and Die Like a Man: Gender Dynamics in Urban Egypt (Stanford University Press, 2013) and Remaking the Modern: Space, Relocation, and the Politics of Identity in a Global Cairo (University of California Press, 2002).

Elizabeth Vallen

Elizabeth Vallen teaches introductory courses in cell and molecular biology, and a seminar on symbiotic interactions. Her research explores the relationship between cnidarians (corals and sea anemones) and photosynthetic algae. Vallen has been instrumental in leading  Science for Kids, a five-week program that allows students in the Chester Children's Chorus to attend science workshops taught by Swarthmore faculty, instructors, and undergraduate counselors. She is also a member of the First in Family Advisory Group.

Andrew Ward

Andrew Ward is an authority on self-regulation and control, including strategies for enhancing individuals’ control of eating, smoking, aggression, depressed mood, and obsessive thoughts. He has also conducted research on negotiation and conflict resolution, focusing on psychological barriers to the negotiated resolution of disputes and overcoming obstacles to successful negotiations.

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