Faculty Stories

Professor Kat Wakabayashi, chemical engineering, works with students to create bio-based and biodegradable plastics for a more sustainable future.

At Bucknell, Professor Greg O’Neill leads cutting-edge research on electric aircraft, space launch traffic and morphing wings to revolutionize modern aviation.

Professor James Lawson, an English major turned CPA, combines his background to foster critical thinking, ethical reasoning and interdisciplinary analysis in his students, preparing them for the complexities of the accounting profession.

Sam Gutekunst, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Assistant Professor of Data Science, provides students with hands-on experiences that help them understand, apply and appreciate the significance of data science.

Professor Rajesh Kumar is helping students uncover and understand the potential biases of biometrics.

Professor Daniel Street is helping companies and employees understand the power — and limitations — of artificial intelligence.

Professor Annetta Grant goes beyond economics to examine what motivates homeowners to spend on renovation projects.

Professor T. Joel Wade, psychology, who studies human attraction and romantic relationships, finds that his teaching and research facilitate each other, which deepens his students' understanding while advancing his scholarship.

Professor Jackie Villadsen, physics & astronomy, is helping to answer one of science’s burning questions: Are there Earth-like planets in far-off solar systems?

Professor Sarah Lower, biology, studies the connections between the genetics of fireflies and the history of their evolution in different environments.

Professor Matías Vernengo helps students understand modern-day global challenges through the lens of economics.

Professor Nina Banks is rebuilding a long-overlooked historical body of work by early women economists.

Professor Douglas Collins' vast indoor air chemistry research seeks to isolate and analyze the abundant reactions between common household chemicals and home surfaces.

Bucknell University Professor Eric Martin, management, studies international development and community change that cuts across the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Professor Kate Suslava, management, who once planned to study Italian dialects as a graduate student, merges linguistics and management in her current research.

Professor Hiram Smith, Spanish, utilizes historical and social context to help his students gain a broader perspective on language and linguistics.

Professor Eric Kennedy, biomedical engineering, aims to reduce playground injuries by analyzing design, appropriateness of substrates for cushioning falls, and maintenance procedures that can prevent accidents.

Professor Christopher Ellis, political science, emphasizes appreciation of different perspectives and mastery of quantitative data analysis in his teaching, which frequently incorporates the creation and conducting of surveys.

Acclaimed classical vocalist Emily Martin, music, amplifies the work of underrepresented musicians in her Bucknell courses and beyond.

From investigating fraud to managing their own finances, Professor Stacy Mastrolia, accounting, gives her students a 360 view of all that accountants can do.