Five Women Faculty Earn Promotions at Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College, the highly rated liberal arts college in suburban Philadelphia has announced the promotions of five women faculty members.

Aurora Camacho de Schmidt was promoted to full professor of Spanish. Her research is focused on Mexican and Central American social movements in literature, indigenous populations, immigration, and pre-colonial critical theory.

Professor Schmidt completed her undergraduate work in Mexico and earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. at Temple University.

Elizabeth Vallen was appointed professor of biology at Swarthmore. She conducts research on coral reefs.

A graduate of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Dr. Vallen holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology from Princeton University.

Jane Gillam, an associate professor of psychology at Swarthmore, was granted tenure. She studies the prevention and treatment of depression in children and adolescents and autism.

Dr. Gillam is a graduate of Princeton University. She holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Linda Chen was promoted to associate professor of mathematics and granted tenure. Her research is focused on algebraic geometry and algebraic combinatorics.

Dr. Chen is a graduate of Harvard University. She holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Chicago.

Tomoko Sakomura was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor of art. She specializes in Japanese and East Asian art.

Dr. Sakomura is a graduate of Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. She earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. at Columbia University.