Matthew H. Pangborn, Ph.D., will serve as the next chair of the Department of English in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s College of Arts and Sciences.
Matthew H. Pangborn, Ph.D.Photo courtesy of Georgia College & State University
Pangborn comes to UAB from Georgia College & State University (GCSU) where he served as professor and chair of the Department of English for the past five years.
Pangborn earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master of Fine Arts from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from the University at Albany, State University of New York.
Pangborn has authored peer-reviewed articles on a range of topics—including Henry David Thoreau and zombies—and, in 2018, he published his first book, Enlightenment Orientalism in the American Mind, 1770-1807.
In addition to his scholarship, Pangborn has served in numerous leadership and service roles. He served as a member of the Center for Teaching and Learning Advisory Board at GSCU, a sponsored attendee at the 2024 American Association of State Colleges and Universities Department Chair Leadership Institute, and was a journal reviewer for ISLE: International Studies in Literature and Environment.
The UAB Department of English offers a Bachelor of Arts in English with concentrations in creative writing, linguistics, literature, and professional writing, as well as a new Bachelor of Arts in Writing and Media. In addition, the department offers a Master of Arts in English and is home to the Birmingham Poetry Review and NELLE. Pangborn sees plenty of opportunities to further build on the current momentum in the department and across UAB.
“I've always been driven by the sense of adventure at the heart of education, so UAB's reputation for research and innovation deeply appeals to me. There's a brand-new core curriculum, which is an important development, and within the department we have a new major—Writing and Media—and new classes that connect students' learning to the rich history of the wonderful city of Birmingham,” said Pangborn. “But what impressed me most in my visit to campus was the people. Everyone was so warm and upbeat and full of great ideas. It's an exciting time to join UAB, and I can't wait to get started with my new colleagues.”
“The College is looking forward to Dr. Pangborn’s leadership of the Department of English,” said Kecia M. Thomas, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “He is an accomplished scholar and experienced chair, and he has an excellent reputation for building collaborative and productive relationships with other disciplines and facilitating department growth. I am confident that he will effectively lead his faculty colleagues in strategic directions that meet the needs of the increasingly complex higher education landscape, especially in the humanities.”
“We also appreciate Dr. Alison Chapman's many years of service as chair for the Department of English, as well as her service to the College and the University,” said Thomas.
Pangborn will start in his role as chair in August 2024.
