Faculty Members who Helped Found the Writers Syndicate

The Elon University Writers Syndicate distributes columns from any faculty member of the institution, and it strongly encourages professors to focus their topics on issues or ideas related to their field of expertise. The following list recognizes those professors whose interest in sharing ideas with general audiences helped make this service possible when it launched in May 2012.

Pranab Das, Ph.D.: Das has focused his scholarship on the intersection of science and religion. The professor of physics serves as principal investigator and executive editor of the International Society for Science and Religion Library Project, based at Cambridge University. He has focused his scientific research on chaos theory and nonlinear dynamics.

Rosemary Haskell, Ph.D.: Haskell’s area of expertise is British literature, in particular the works of Jane Austen, Daniel Defoe, George Orwell, and the literature of World War I, World War II and the war in Vietnam. Her method has been to “match up” a current event with a literary text; she also uses her English background, on occasions, as an angle on a current event.

Tom Arcaro, Ph.D.: A professor of sociology, Arcaro has previously published columns on the stigma attached to atheism and on social justice issues. He directs Project Pericles at Elon University and has taught courses on sociology through film, among other topics.

Dave Gammon, Ph.D.: Gammon’s long-term research interests are in the intersection of environmental and economic issues. Previous column topics for the associate professor of biology include the science of climate change and the need for a renewed focus on conservation in the battle against rising gas prices.

Janet MacFall, Ph.D.: Director of Elon University’s Center for Environmental Studies, MacFall’s area of expertise is in soil and restoration ecology. The center has secured grants to protect the upper Haw River and has hosted public hearings about local water management issues.MacFall serves as a member of the Haw River Assembly Board of Directors and is on the executive board of the Cape Fear River Assembly.

Anthony Hatcher, Ph.D.: Hatcher joined the Elon faculty in 2002 and has research interests in the areas of religion and popular culture, media history, and oral history. He worked for several years with The Winston-Salem Journal, The Daily News (Jacksonville, NC), and was reporter/editor for The Clemmons Courier. He also served as the Faith & Values correspondent for the Charlotte Observer.

Jeffrey Coker, Ph.D.: Author of Reinventing Life: A Guide to Our Evolutionary Future, Coker is an associate professor of biology and director of Elon’s General Studies program. He specializes in teaching science to non-scientists and developing innovative learning tools for the classroom. Research interests include using bioinformatics to better understand how plants function.

David Cooper, Ph.D.: Dean of the School of Education at Elon University, Cooper has focused his teaching on research methods, and his research on studies of early literacy and risk factors in child development. Cooper is a member of the North Carolina Governor’s Education Transformation Commission.

Michael Strickland, Ph.D.: Strickland teaches courses in both English and environmental studies with professional interests in travel writing. He teaches writing courses at Elon University and is involved with the Professional Writing and Rhetoric program in the Department of English.

Steve Friedland, J.D.: A co-author of two books published by Carolina Academic Press, Techniques For Teaching Law and Teaching the Law School Curriculum, Friedland is a national leader and frequent speaker and consultant on improving law school teaching. While in practice, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Andy Haile, J.D.: Prior to coming to Elon Law, Haile was a partner with Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, L.L.P, in the firm’s Greensboro office. He represented clients in mergers and acquisitions as well as matters involving complex tax planning and tax litigation.Haile teaches business and tax law classes with primary areas of research that include tax policy, and state and local tax issues.

Eric Fink, J.D.: Fink teaches in the areas of civil procedure, socio-legal studies, labor & employment law, professional responsibility, administrative law, and consumer rights. His research examines legal problems, institutions, and practices from a sociological perspective.

Alan Woodlief, J.D.: Associate dean of administration in the Elon University School of Law, Woodlief has taught courses in commercial law, remedies, legal research and writing and appellate advocacy. He is the author of North Carolina Law of Damages, Fifth Edition, and North Carolina Civil Practice and Procedure, Sixth Edition and serves as a research associate on criminal jury instructions for the UNC Institute of Government.