September is a time of transition and new experiences. But incoming students aren’t the only ones nervously anticipating the first day of class.
“I’m itching to start working with students again,” says Peter Coffman, an architectural historian, who has joined Carleton’s school for studies in art and culture.
Coffman is one of over a dozen new Carleton professors, who are studying topics ranging from the digital humanities to cancer research.
Coffman says he discovered his passion for architectural studies on a trip abroad.
“I glimpsed Canterbury Cathedral through the window of a train,” Coffman says. “It was love at first sight. I was sure I'd never seen anything so beautiful, so majestic, so compelling,” he says.
“At the time I was interested in a career in photography, and I subsequently had one — but I never lost my intense love of old buildings, especially medieval ones, and eventually I returned to academia on the slim chance that I might be able turn that passion into a career,” Coffman says.
Coffman says he is excited, although a little nervous.
“I think I'd be something other, and perhaps less, than human if I didn't have a few butterflies at the prospect of facing my first class,” Coffman says.
“The resources at Carleton for someone in my field are amazing. We have tremendous academic strength, with our history and theory of architecture program, the Azrieli school of architecture and urbanism, and our school of Canadian studies.”
Coffman will be teaching three courses this year, but he says he has big goals for the program and its growth.
“I want Carleton to be the first place anyone thinks of when they consider studying architectural history in Canada,” he says.
That said, professor Coffman says he doesn’t only want to be involved with architecture and history students, but the entire student population.
He advises students everywhere to “try all kinds of things on for size.”
“Allow yourself to make mistakes — and forgive yourself for making them, because its an unavoidable part of learning,” he says. “And if and when you find your passion, follow it — because if you don't, you'll always look back and wonder if you could have,” Coffman says.
But Coffman isn’t the only new kid in town Carleton students need to pay attention to.
Another new arrival at Carleton is merging ancient history with modern technology — what he describes as raising the dead in a “Spartacus meets the Sims” vein.
Joining the department of history as assistant professor of digital humanities, Shawn Graham is significant in both his research and plans for Carleton.
Taking inspiration from both archeology and Romanist studies, Graham says he has spent years using social networks as framework for combining and contrasting many different traces of past individuals and actions.
As it is a growing program, Graham is one of the few studying digital humanities at Carleton.
“I'm pretty pumped . . . the field is growing, and it's a very exciting field to be in — and I get an enormous kick out of seeing students get excited about these things too.”
“I’ve taught everything from Grade 9 geography to adult Ed,” Graham says. “I've even taught the use [of] 19th century artillery pieces.”
Graham says he is looking forward to teaching and working at Carleton, not only for research purposes but also for personal reasons.
“Being from the [Ottawa] Valley in the first place, it was very exciting to be able to pursue my interests close to home,” Graham says.
“The students, the faculty and staff. There are so many amazing things going on,” Graham says. “And, I've heard good things about Mike's Place, too.”
Instead of looking to the past, another new arrival is looking forward with her research into cancer treatment.
Rowan Thomson, a new member of Carleton’s physics team, has researched issues related to the cancer treatment brachytherapy, a radiation treatment often used to treat breast, prostate and ocular cancer.
Thomson says she “wanted to apply extensive knowledge of math and physics to solving problems with tangible present-day or near-future benefits.
“It is rewarding knowing my research is having a practical impact and hopefully improving cancer treatments,” she says.
“The physics department has an excellent environment for doing research, as well as teaching and studying,” Thomson says about her reason for coming to Carleton.
“There are five medical physics faculty [members] with a broad range of research interests and a very strong graduate program.”
Besides teaching two physics courses this year, professor Thomson also says she hopes to use her time here wisely by continuing her research and sharing it with others.
“I hope to contribute to the collegial environment within the physics department and within the broader community on campus and beyond,” she says.