Five Professors Awarded Tenure Wabash Unveils Partnership With
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OSCAR PREDICTIONS SEE PAGE FIVE FEBRUARYAUGUST 30, 7, 20192020 Five Professors Awarded Tenure I got really interested in that question interested in nature and all living because logic seems like a very hard things. “I grew up in a fairly rural part case for answering that question. […] of Minnesota, and we had probably Part of what you’re going to be doing about 100 acres of forest behind us,” [to justify something’s rationality] is Carlson said. “I spent my childhood using logic and trying to answer that exploring, catching animals, watching question. But if logic itself is the thing animals, climbing trees and sitting that you’re trying to figure out whether there as night fell, and then wait for you should believe it, and you’re trying animals to come by as I just sat there. to use logic to believe that, then there’s I just always loved observing what a kind of vicious circularity going was going on and I loved books. […] on. […] I wouldn’t say that I’ve fully Ecology is basically going outside and answered these questions, but I’ve then reading a book about it.” Carlson gotten better at articulating them.” decided to teach in light of a summer Carlson continues to explore how and research opportunity he had his junior why logic is valid in his research. At year at Bethel University, in Minnesota. the same time, he combined his passion “I like making discoveries,” Carlson for video games with philosophy to said. “I like being on the edge of our both do research and teach a class knowledge. That was a big motivating in the Philosophy of Video Games. factor to go to graduate school, Carlson also teaches Symbolic Logic although I kind of already planned on and Modern Philosophy, and, when he it.” Carlson obtained his PhD in Ecology will be taking his sabbatical, he plans from Pennsylvania State University. to overhaul Symbolic Logic. “During Carlson’s culture shock when coming my time at Wabash, I realized that the in to Wabash related more to the way I currently teach this course is a size and level of interaction between good way to prepare students to do students and faculty. “I was impressed graduate level work in logic,” Carlson when I interviewed here. I had said. “However, that’s not why my meetings where I went out with a bunch students are taking the course. It’s of Biology faculty and they would be either required for their major or they talking to each other about students on want to get their quantitative literacy a first name basis.” distribution, or because they want to Carlson’s research focuses on COURTESY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING prepare for the LSAT. So, I want to behavioral differences within members overhaul this course so that it still of the same species. For instance, there Bradley Carlson, Associate Professor of Biology, was one of five Wabsash faculty retains its mathematical rigor while are ducks that exhibit various behaviors members to earn tenure this past December. Carlson joined the Biology Depart- making more contact with the sorts of that are different from one another, ment in 2014 where his research mostly focuses on zoology, ecology and animal things my students will actually find and, essentially, “there’s no best way behavior. useful and valuable.” to be a duck,” Carlson said. “Instead, When Carlson came to Wabash, he there’s lots of different ways to be a ALEX ROTARU ’22 | ASSOCIATE Professor Matthew Carlson found his encountered a two-fold culture shock: duck, and, somehow, they all do well COPY EDITOR • Tenure is one of interest in philosophy during freshman one based on tradition and another enough to exist.” Carlson’s main focus the most important parts of one’s year at a liberal arts institution, in an on the Philosophy Department’s main is on conserving box turtles, who have professorship: it is when the academic ethics course. “The course sounded school of thought. “Every campus has two distinct behaviors: “’shy,’ who community recognizes your work interesting to me […] so I took it,” its traditions, and Wabash has some hide in their shell a lot, and ‘bold,’ and decides to give you a permanent Carlson. “I pretty quickly realized interesting ones,” Carlson said. “For who emerge from their shell quickly,” position within an institution. At that this was the sort of thing that I the first month or so that I was on Carlson said. Wabash, five professors from the Art, was interested in for a long time, but campus, on Thursdays at around 11, I Carlson teaches many classes, such as Biology, and Philosophy departments I didn’t realize there was a name for would hear this kind of droning chant General Biology II (BIO 112), Ecology, have obtained tenure as of December it.” Carlson then obtained his PhD at out in the Mall. And for that month I Advanced Ecology, Comparative 2019. The Bachelor will share their Indiana University. His dissertation really thought this was some sort of Vertebrate Anatomy, the Senior stories and plans for the future in a was on the Epistemology of Logic. interesting performance art. It took me Seminar in Biology, and, occasionally, two-part series. Today, The Bachelor “Epistemology is the study of rational quite a long time to realize that actual Freshman Tutorial. His class on sat down with BKT Assistant Professor belief, of knowledge,” Carlson said. words were being enunciated. And then Advanced Ecology has an immersion of Philosophy Matthew Carlson and BKT “So, the guiding question for me was, I realized ‘Oh, they’re just advertising component to the Everglades. Assistant Professor of Biology Bradley ‘What makes it rational for us to believe the Chapel Talk’.” The Bachelor congratulates Carlson. the things that we believe about logic?’ Professor Bradley Carlson was always Professors Carlson for their tenure. Wabash Unveils Partnership with Purdue Army ROTC WILL OSBORN ’21 | STAFF hope they are able to thrive here in Purdue. The application process for depending on their academic class.” WRITER • Over winter break, Over our classroom as well as thrive in their students interested in this program is When looking at the core values of winter break, President Hess announced leadership training.” slightly different in comparison to the Wabash, it is not hard to figure out why that Wabash will enter into a new The extension of the Army ROTC normal Wabash process. Prospective Purdue chose our campus to be their partnership with Purdue University to program to Wabash will afford incoming students must apply for admission to first satellite institution. Our emphasis become its first Army ROTC partner students with the opportunity to qualify both the Army ROTC program as well on leadership, critical thinking, humane institution. Freshmen in the upcoming for substantial scholarship money. as Wabash. The ROTC program will living and responsible actions line academic year will be eligible to apply. Students can potentially be eligible for determine eligibility for scholarships, as up well with the values employed by The program provides students two different scholarship packages. well as conduct interviews and physical effective candidates for the program. with the ability to attain a Wabash The first scholarship, provided by the fitness assessments. Mr. Heslin agreed in stating, “the education with the added opportunity Army ROTC program, covers full tuition Students who enroll in this program Army seeks well-rounded individuals to travel to Purdue’s West Lafayette as well as room and board for all four will primarily be Wabash students. from all different backgrounds who campus and fulfill the Army ROTC class years at Wabash. This includes various They will attend classes here and will excel as scholars, athletes, and leaders requirements. Per Paul Heslin, Purdue’s other costs that may be incurred during graduate from Wabash College. They to serve as officers and we believe that Army ROTC Enrollment Officer, this a students time in the ROTC program. will receive a liberal-arts education, this perfectly describes the typical program, “focuses on recruiting, Additionally, five students may where critical thinking and effective student at Wabash.” training, and commissioning leaders be eligible for the Wabash ROTC leadership are a hallmark in everyday This partnership affords a unique of character for the future leadership Scholarship, which covers room and life. At the same time, they will receive opportunity for future Wabash men of the U.S. Army. Army ROTC is a board plus additional expenses during all of the benefits of being in Purdue’s to establish strong connections both challenging, and exciting program of the first year. In years two through Army ROTC program. on our campus and in their program instruction that focuses on leadership four, the students will receive a full- Mr. Heslin remarked, “The Army at Purdue. These bonds will allow development not only in theory, but ride scholarship provided by the Army ROTC program consists of a combination students to have the best of both also in practice.” ROTC program. In total, this allows up of classroom instruction and hands on worlds: they will receive a top-notch As Dean for Enrollment Management to eight incoming freshmen to receive leadership training. Wabash students liberal arts education while attaining a Chip Timmons said, “The goal is to scholarships for attending Wabash and will integrate with their Purdue career path into leadership roles with enhance our student’s experience. We participating in the ROTC program at counterparts in the ROTC program the Army. PHOTO COURTESY OF PURDUE ARMY ROTC Purdue Army ROTC Cadets perform training acitivity. Beginning next semester, Wabash students will be able to join Purdue’s ROTC as part of its program satellite training.