Seven New Women Faculty Members at Colgate University in New York

Megan Brankley Abbas has been named an assistant professor of religion. She was an assistant professor in Islamic world history at the State University of New York at Geneseo.

Dr. Abbas holds a bachelor’s degree from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. both from Princeton University in New Jersey.

Masha Hedberg has been named an assistant professor of political science. She was the James Anderson Adjunct Professor at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Dr. Hedberg holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Siona O’Connell has been named the Colgate NEH Professor of the Humanities in the Africana and Latin American studies program, the department of art and art history, and the film and media studies program. She was academic head in the museum and heritage studies at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

Dr. O’Connell holds a bachelor of fine arts, a master’s degree in African Studies, and a Ph.D. in African Studies all from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

Anne Perring has been named an assistant professor of chemistry. She was a research scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in Boulder, Colorado.

Dr. Perring holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

Lauren Philbrook has been named an assistant professor of psychology. She was a visiting assistant professor in the psychology department at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Dr. Philbrook is a graduate of Williams College where she majored in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. both in human development and family studies from Pennsylvania State University.

Brenda Sanya has been named an assistant professor of educational studies. She served as a visiting assistant professor at Colgate during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Dr. Sanya holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, a master’s degree in gender and cultural studies from Simmons University in Boston, and a Ph.D. in global studies in education from the University of Illinois.

Courtney Young has been named a professor and University Librarian. She was the head librarian and professor of women’s studies at Pennsylvania State University’s Greater Allegheny campus.

Professor Young holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Wooster in Ohio and a master’s degree in library science from Simmons University in Boston.