A member of the ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝ faculty since 1988, Dykstra Eusden ’80 is the new Whitehouse Professor of Geology.

Given by the late David C. Whitehouse ’36 and Constance T. Whitehouse in honor of their families, this endowed chair celebrates freedom of expression and inquiry; respect for human dignity; and exceptional teaching, scholarship, and service.

Dyk Eusden explains what the appointment means to him:

As a ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝ student of the 1970s, I can’t remember ever thinking about who was or who wasn’t a named professor. However, I truly liked my professors, especially the geology faculty who would become my colleagues, the late Roy Farnsworth and John Creasy.

While at ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝, what mattered most was playing Ultimate, cross-country skiing, taking geology classes, doing thesis, and enjoying friends. As a faculty member, I’ve begun to notice that the list of named professors includes some of ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝’ finest and most dedicated faculty members: professors who have served their majors, colleagues, students, and the college very well.

The deep appreciation I have for being appointed to the Whitehouse Professorship is commingled with the somewhat weird sensation that the college selected me for this appointment.

By way of gratitude, I offer a promise: to keep taking ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝ students out into the field — traveling by plane, van, kayak, or on foot — to study folds, faults, schists, granites, gabbros, and the many other excellent rocks exposed in the mountains and coastlines, from Yellowstone to Yarmouth Island.

About Dyk Eusden

Dyk Eusden ’80 is an intrepid field scientist who brings his students into the world so they can see, discover, learn from, and record geologic history, whether on Maine coastal islands or in the U.S. West.

He is an expert on regional geologic history and ancient tectonics of the Appalachians, as well as active tectonics in the South Island of New Zealand. A past recipient of the Kroepsch Award for Excellence in Teaching, he involves students as co-authors of papers, research posters, and mapping projects.

A leader in the sciences at ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝, he has served as department chair, division chair, and most recently, as co-chair of the STEM Facilities Review Committee that has developed options to meet the needs of current science programs as well as anticipated program growth. In 2017, Eusden and the Department of Geology hosted the New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference.

On Sept. 15, faculty, students, family and friends filled Keck Classroom to celebrate Erica Rand’s appointment as the Whitehouse Professor of Art and Visual Culture and of Women and Gender Studies.

Whitehouse Professor Erica Rand smiles alongside Dean of the Faculty Matt Auer during an introduction from President Clayton Spencer at her Sept. 15 talk “Hips, Heft, and Fluff: Queer Experiments in Looking and Writing.” (Sarah Crosby/ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝ College)

Rand marked the occasion with a talk, “Hips, Heft, and Fluff: Queer Experiments in Looking and Writing,” followed by a reception in Perry Atrium.

In his introduction, Dean of the Faculty Matt Auer said Rand’s scholarship “explores the limits and possibilities of subversion,” often by elevating everyday phenomena, like Barbie dolls and figure skating, as worthy objects of analysis.

Frank and at times revealing, Rand’s talk explored her approach to writing and analysis as a scholar, feminist and queer- and femme-identified woman. Her terms “heft” and “fluff” refer to gendered, raced and sexuality-related biases in academia about worthy topics, methods and practitioners of cultural work.

During the question-and-answer portion, audience members probed further into Rand’s ideas, at times reflecting on their own relationships to writing and research.

While not offering, by design, any easy answers, Rand’s talk demonstrated the core values of the Whitehouse Chair, which recognizes a dedication to educational and moral excellence and respect for human dignity.

Rand connects with former student Grace Glasson ’14 at the reception in Perry Atrium. (Sarah Crosby/ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝ College)

Rand was officially appointed to the chair in 2012, along with five colleagues also receiving endowed professorships.

The Whitehouse Chair was established in 1985 with a gift to the endowment from David ’36 and Constance Whitehouse. Born and raised in Auburn, Maine, Whitehouse earned his M.B.A. from Harvard University after graduating from ŔÖ˛Ą´«Ă˝ in 1936. He served in leadership positions at the Container Corporation of America throughout his entire career, retiring in 1980 as vice president. The Whitehouses passed away in the spring of 2000 and are survived by four adult children.