Levenson, Locke, and Paradis appointed to new leadership roles 


Three new leaders have been named in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, effective July 1, 2010: Professor Richard Locke is the new head of the Department of Political Science; Professor Thomas Levenson now directs the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies (WHS); and Professor James Paradis is the interim director of Comparative Media Studies (CMS). 

 

 


Thomas Levenson, Director, Writing and Humanistic Studies

 

A nationally acclaimed science journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker, Levenson joined the WHS faculty in 2005 and has led the Graduate Program in Science Writing since 2008. He enjoys working at MIT for the access to cutting-edge research in the humanities and the sciences. “If you want to understand how stories are being told—across space, time, generations, languages—all these things are happening here,” he says. •   Full profile


Richard Locke, Head, Department of Political Science

 

Locke is an award-winning teaching innovator who pioneered the Global Entrepreneurship Laboratory. Dedicated throughout his career to social justice, Locke has a history of finding new ways to confront big issues. "The School's Political Science Department is one of the country's best” says Locke, who got his PhD there, and now envisions the department working together as a community—and with others around the Institute—to take on the world's most challenging issues.  •  Full profile


James Paradis, Interim Director, Comparative Media Studies

James Paradis, who joined the faculty in 1977 led the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies for 13 years before accepting his new appointment at CMS. “Given my interest in culture, media studies fits directly,” he says. The phenomenon of science and technology influencing broader culture continues as today’s culture is being transformed by digital media such as social networking and virtual reality. “These are game changers," says Paradis, "changing the way people live." •  Full profile