View biographies of faculty and staff on individual pages

Faculty and Staff

Dr. George A. Benjamin

Associate Professor of Computer Science

Education

B.S. Loyola University
M.S., Ph.D. Northeastern University 1983

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 143
Phone: (484) 664-3357
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: benjamin@muhlenberg.edu
Web Site: http://mathcs.muhlenberg.edu/~gb
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Professional Background

In 1978 I received a PhD in Mathematics in the field of Algebraic Topology. Prior to graduate school, I served in the Peace Corps in Kenya, East Africa teaching mathematics, physics, chemistry, and English. After graduate school I taught at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. I came to Muhlenberg College in 1983 to teach computer science. My background in computer science has been supplemented by attending many National Science Foundation sponsored faculty summer programs.

In 1991 I published Ada Minimanual (McGraw Hill), a manual for learning the programming language Ada. A second edition was published in 1997.

Teaching

I teach a wide variety of computer science courses. My favorite courses are Operating Systems, Computer Organization, Networks, Web Programming, Database Systems and Compiler Design.

My goal in all classes is to pair the theoretical material with challenging programming projects that illustrate how the theory is put into practice. Projects are the key elements of a course. I assign projects that use computer science theory and incorporate modern languages, tools, and techniques. In this way I ensure that students are well grounded in the fundamental concepts of computer science while preparing them for careers after college.

Scholarly Activity and Interests

My scholarly interests are in parallel programming and network protocols.

Parallel programming is about distributing the execution of a computer program over many computers. The reason for doing this is to solve problems faster. At Muhlenberg we have a collection of networked computers (known as a Beowulf Cluster) that is used to study and benchmark parallel algorithms.

One networking protocol problem that intrigues me is the implementation of priorities for data packets in the Internet. Packets carrying real time video or voice need to reach their destination in a more timely fashion than packets carrying emails. How to give video and voice a higher priority is an important current research issue.

Within the profession, I am an Associate Editor of the Journal of the Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges. In addition, I am on the steering committee of the yearly CCSC - Eastern Region computer science conference.

Dr. Byungchul Cha

Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: 484-664-3920
Fax: 484-553-3546
Email: cha@muhlenberg.edu
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 Chew St
Allentown, PA 18104-5586

Dr. Margaret Dodson

Lecturer

Education

B.A. SUNY at Stony Brook 1974
M.A SUNY at Stony Brook 1976
Ph.D. Lehigh University 1994

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3355
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: dodson@muhlenberg.edu
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Biography:

After finishing my degree at Lehigh University, I taught at Kutztown University (2 years) and Lehigh University (2 years).

Teaching Activities:

I teach two sections of our introductory statistics course, Statistical Methods, MTH 104 most semesters. I am currently teaching a section of Calculus I, MTH 121, and have taught Discrete Structures, MTH 215, in the past.

Scholarly Activities:

I have attended a number of conferences on teaching statistics, most recently the Eighth Annual "Beyond the Formula" conference in Rochester, NY. I have also been to several meetings of the EPADEL society, the regional group of the Mathematical Association of America. My dissertation was in the field of numerical analysis. I gave a lecture on my work at the annual winter meeting of the American Mathematical Society, Baltimore, MD.

Personal Activities:

My hobbies include gardening and reading. My family includes my husband, Bruce, a math professor at Lehigh, a son, Allen, a PhD student at Harvard, and a cat, Taro.

Dr. Penelope H. Dunham

Professor of Mathematics

Education

B.A. St. Mary-of-the-Woods College
M.S., Ph.D. Ohio State University 1992

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3358
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: pdunham@muhlenberg.edu
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Before I came to Muhlenberg College in 1992, I taught mathematics in both large universities (Ohio State, Indiana University Southeast) and small liberal arts colleges (Hanover College in Indiana, Wittenberg University in Ohio).

Teaching

My teaching responsibilities run the gamut from introductory courses like Calculus I and II and Statistical Methods through advanced courses like Abstract Algebra. In the last few years I have developed and offered two additions to the Muhlenberg curriculum: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers prepares preservice teachers in the foundations of elementary mathematics, and Transition to Abstract Mathematics gives math majors an introduction to proof and mathematical writing.

Scholarly Activities

My research interests involve the use of graphing technology in undergraduate mathematics instruction. I began using graphing calculators in 1987 at Ohio State, where I worked with Bert Waits and Frank Demana in the Ohio State Calculator and Computer Precalculus Project (C2PC). Later I served as supplements manager for several of Waits and Demana's textbooks. My dissertation was a study of gender and confidence issues related to calculator use in precalculus. I frequently speak about technology, graphing difficulties, and gender issues at national and regional meetings, and have written several articles on those subjects. Recently I presented two papers in Japan, at the Ninth International Congress for Mathematics Education and the T3 Worldwide Conference. Currently I am developing an article on equity issues related to teaching mathematics with technology.

As a charter instructor in the College Short Course program sponsored by Texas Instruments and Ohio State, I have given calculator workshops throughout the country to teach other college faculty how to use graphing calculators effectively in their own classrooms. Currently, I serve on the Executive Committee of the EPADEL Section of MAA and the Oral History Task Force for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I have been a technology consultant to the College Board for AP Calculus, a Project NExT consultant for the 1999 Fellows, and a co-editor of "Connecting Research to Teaching," a department in the NCTM journal Mathematics Teacher.

Publications/Web references
Personal

Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading (Jane Austen and mysteries), gardening (flowers, not vegetables), and traveling with my family: Bill Dunham (also a member of Muhlenberg's math department), and sons Brendan and Shannon.

Dr. William Dunham

Truman Koehler Professor of Mathematics

Education

B.S. University of Pittsburgh 1969
M.S. The Ohio State University 1970
Ph.D. The Ohio State University 1974

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3353
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: wdunham@muhlenberg.edu
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Teaching Interests:

At Muhlenberg, I have taught math courses of all kinds, from the elementary to the advanced. My favorites, I suppose, involve the history of mathematics. I offer a pair of half-credit courses on this topic: Landmarks of Greek Mathematics (Math 251), featuring selections from Euclid, Archimedes, Ptolemy, and their compatriots, and Landmarks of Modern Mathematics (Math 252), featuring the equally impressive work of Newton, Leibniz, Euler, and Gauss. These provide a glimpse of history's greatest mathematicians and the theorems that made them famous.

Scholarly Interests:

I am the author of three books on math history. The first two, Journey Through Genius: The Great Theorems of Mathematics (1990) and The Mathematical Universe (1994), were alternate selections for Book-of-the-Month Club and have since been translated into Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, and Japanese, and the latter received the Association of American Publishers Award as the Best Mathematics Book of 1994. My third book, Euler: The Master of Us All, was published in 1999 by the Mathematical Association of America. My fourth book, The Calculus Gallery: Masterpieces from Newton to Lebesgue, came out in 2005 from Princeton University Press. As the name suggests, it surveys landmarks of the calculus, stretching from the early days in the late 17th century up to the dawn of the 20th.

Cover of "Journey Through Genius: The Great Theorems of Mathematics" Cover of "The Mathematical Universe" Cover of "Euler: The Master of Us All" Cover of "The Calculus Gallery: Masterpieces from Newton to Lebesgue"

I also have written a number of articles on historical topics, one of which, "Euler and the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra," won the 1993 George Polya Award from the MAA and another, "1996: A Triple Anniversary," received the MAA's Trevor Evans Award in 1997. And—just for fun—my publication list includes two (lame) mathematical cartoons and three (lamer) mathematical poems.

In the wake of these publications, I have been invited to speak on the history of mathematics at dozens of U.S. colleges and universities, before the Australian Mathematical Society, at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., on NPR's "Talk of the Nation: Science Friday", and on BBC Radio.

Dr. Michael R. Huber

Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences

Education

B.S. Loyola College 1982
M.S.E. The Johns Hopkins University 1984
M.S. The Naval Postgraduate School 1993
Ph.D. The Naval Postgraduate School 2000

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3745
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: huber@muhlenberg.edu
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Professional Background:

In May 2006, I retired from the United States Army, serving for over twenty-four years as both a commander and staff officer, primarily in troop units (mechanized and airborne) or at the United States Military Academy as a mathematics professor. My federal service had taken me across the United States and to Europe, Central America, and Southwest Asia. I taught in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the Military Academy for nine years, teaching throughout the curriculum, directing the freshman calculus program, and sponsoring several undergraduate research projects.

Teaching Activities:

At Muhlenberg, I will be teaching freshman calculus courses, as well as mathematics electives, such as Differential Equations. I hope to get involved in undergraduate research.

Professional Activities:

My mathematics passion lies in applied mathematics (in the fields of complex variables, linear algebra, and differential equations) and the statistics of sports (primarily baseball). I have also become involved in mathematics education and assessment, publishing book chapters, papers and presenting at national conferences. I was a member of two SAUM (Supporting Assessment in Undergraduate Mathematics) Workshops, which lasted four years. Assessment is a necessary part of teaching and learning.

Personal Activities:

My hobbies include researching my family history (back to 1440!), interacting with students outside of the classroom, and spending time with my family. I look forward to Allentown gaining a minor league baseball franchise.

Dr. Clifton Kussmaul

Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Education

B.A. & B.S. Swarthmore College 1989
M.A. & M.S. Dartmouth College 1991 & 1993
Ph.D. University of California, Davis 1998

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 143
Phone: (484) 664-3352
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: kussmaul@mathcs.muhlenberg.edu
Web Site: http://mathcs.muhlenberg.edu/~kussmaul
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Teaching Interests

I teach a variety of courses in the CS curriculum, ranging from Computer Science I and II (CSI 110 and CSI 111) through Software Engineering (CSI 210) to advanced courses such as Theory of Programming (CSI 310).

Professional Interests

My experiences and interests are connected by three themes. The first theme is software engineering, which is changing radically due to trends such as open source software and offshore development. As a result, software developers will be working with networks of people in other locations, and integrating executables and code from a variety of sources.

The second theme is the application of computing, and digital signal processing (DSP) in particular. Computer scientists have been described as the blacksmiths of the 21st century; like blacksmiths, we create tools for ourselves as well as for other people. At UC Davis and at Dartmouth, I collaborated with neuroscientists, psychologists, and others on projects that used DSP to help understand how the brain functions.

The third theme is programming languages. I am intrigued by the effects of design goals on language features; for example, what language features might support unit testing, refactoring, and programmer documentation? I am also interested in the problems of translating between high-level languages, and the relationships between programming languages, natural languages, and music.

Mrs. Linda A. Luckenbill

Faculty Secretary

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3299
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: luckenbl@muhlenberg.edu
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Up Close and Personal:

My career at Muhlenberg College began in the Fall of 1987 as a part-time staff associate in the Office of Student Activities and through the years has evolved into a full-time academic year faculty secretarial position for the math, computer science, and physics departments. Working so closely with first the students and now the faculty has enriched my life and continues to be a wonderful experience for me.

My husband, Stan, retired in June '99 from a 30-year career as an educator but continues to coach football and umpire girls' softball. Our son, Rodd, is a middle school teacher in the Southern Lehigh School District. He is married to the former Heather Anthony, RN, and they have two beautiful little daughters, Ashleigh Gabrielle and Nicole Elizabeth. Our daughter, Traci, is a '92 Muhlenberg graduate and is currently the Director of Alumni Relations here at the 'Berg. She is married to 'Berg alum, James Falco, D.M.D., and they have three adorable children: Michael, Christopher, and Jessica.

Among the many things that I enjoy doing in my free time, attending a good high school football game on a clear, cool fall evening is one of my favorites. Athletics have always been an important part of my life since my husband has been involved in coaching throughout our entire married life. I also love to vacation in Punta Cana, spend a day in "The Big Apple," work out at my gym, take a walk in the evening, relax in our hot tub, and, most importantly, spend time with our precious little grandchildren. They are truly the light of my life.

Dr. Linda E. McGuire

Associate Professor of Mathematics

Education

B.S. Seton Hall University
M.S., Ph.D. Stevens Institute of Technology

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3351
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: lmcguire@muhlenberg.edu
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Dr. David A. Nelson

Department Chair
Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences

Education

B.S. United States Air Force Academy 1969
M.A.M. North Carolina State University 1970
Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University 1978

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3359
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: nelson@muhlenberg.edu
Web Site: http://mathcs.muhlenberg.edu/~nelson
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104

Biography

Professional Background:

I came to Muhlenberg in August 1989 after completing a 20 year career in the U. S. Air Force. I retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel having worked in numerous mathematics and computer-related assignments. Among these were: Associate Professor of Mathematics at the U. S. Air Force Academy (1973-1982); Research & Development Project Manager at the Defense Mapping Agency (1982-1984); Chief of the Enlisted Analysis & Data Support Division working for the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Pentagon (1984-1988); Scientific Program Manager at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research in Washington, D. C. (1988-1989).

Teaching Activities:

I teach Computer Science courses at all levels from Computer Science I (in Java) to upper-level courses in Theory of Computation and Theory of Programming Languages. I am also the department's primary instructor in Applied Mathematics courses teaching Operations Research, Mathematical Modeling, and Discrete Mathematics. Over the past several years I have guided several students in independent study courses in computer science and mathematics. The most recent was a group of four students studying Graphical User Interface Programming. The students learned and worked with Visual C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, Visual J++ (Java), and X Windows programming.

Professional Activities:

I am primarily interested in mathematical modeling and computer simulation, particularly the teaching of these tools to undergraduate students. I have attended several workshops and written and presented papers on modeling, bio-modeling, and the teaching of simulation.

Personal Activities:

I am an avid runner and all-around "sports nut." I enjoy watching almost any sport. My daughter Cindy and her husband Jake Alexander are physicians in Pittsburgh. They live there with our grandsons Nathan and Ben. Matthew is a PhD student in biology at NYU. He and his wife Rachael, who is the Assistant Executive Director of the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, live in NYC. Julie works for Merry Maids in Allentown. My wife, Patsy, is a general music teacher in the Allentown School District.

Dr. Elyn K. Rykken

Associate Professor of Mathematics

Education

B.A. St. Olaf College 1988
M.A., Ph.D. Northwestern University 1990 & 1993

Contact Information

Office: Trumbower 110
Phone: (484) 664-3356
Fax: (484) 664-3546
Email: elrykken@muhlenberg.edu
Web Site: http://mathcs.muhlenberg.edu/~rykken
Mailing Address: Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
Muhlenberg College
2400 W. Chew Street
Allentown, PA 18104