Brinson Honors Faculty
Brinson Honors College is excited to announce our new Honors Faculty designation, which recognizes 蘑菇短视频faculty who are committed to effectively engaging and challenging honors students. Prospective students and parents can find information about current Honors Faculty below. Honors students can learn more about these Honors Faculty members' research agendas and courses in the Honors College Student Center in Canvas.
Rangika S. Hikkaduwa Koralege
Associate Professor, Chemistry & Physics
Dr. Rangika Hikkaduwa Koralege is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at 蘑菇短视频. She has been a member of the 蘑菇短视频faculty since 2017. Originally from Sri Lanka, she earned her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Kelaniya, followed by her Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at Oklahoma State University. She is a dedicated and inspiring educator whose passion for teaching, research, and mentorship enriches the 蘑菇短视频 community. Dr. Hikkaduwa Koralege teaches undergraduate general chemistry, including honors courses, as well as advanced physical chemistry courses, and actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students through laboratory-based research and training. Her research focuses on developing and applying engineered nanoscale materials for biomedical applications, particularly biomedical imaging and targeted therapeutic delivery, as well as applications in the petroleum industry. Her commitment to teaching excellence, scientific discovery, student research, mentorship, and STEM education demonstrates her dedication to innovation, service, and student success.
Sam Castelblanco
Teaching Assistant Professor, Psychology
Dr. Castelblanco earned a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University, a master's degree in Psychology with a concentration in Academic Psychology (teaching Psychology) from East Carolina University, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (with a Social Psychology focus) from East Tennessee State University. She has been teaching psychology (Asheville-Buncombe Community College, University of North Carolina at Asheville, East Tennessee State University, 蘑菇短视频) since 2012. Dr. Castelblanco conducts research and mentors undergraduate and graduate students' research in her lab, the Nature & Social Health Lab. Her research interests involve examining the impact of nature exposure on health and well-being. When she's not teaching, you can usually find her in the woods - hiking, mountain biking, or kayaking.
Katharine Mershon
Associate Professor, Philosophy & Religion
My research locates itself at the intersection of religion and animal studies in the United States. I am the author of the book, Dogs Save: Stories of Canine Redemption in US Culture (Columbia University Press, 2026). Stories about people and dogs saving one another are everywhere in US culture鈥攐n TV, in Hollywood movies, on social media, and even on bumper stickers. Dogs Save is about the unacknowledged religious underpinnings of stories about dogs, revealing deeply rooted cultural assumptions about who can be saved and how redemption ought to occur.
Christina Reitz
Professor, Music
Dr. Reitz鈥檚 interests are women and American music; she has presented at peer-reviewed conferences that include, but are not limited to: Nineteenth Century Studies Association, Women Composers Festival of Hartford, National Popular Culture and American Cultural Association, College Music Society, LIVEWIRE Festival, Feminist Theory and Music 10 Conference, the American Comparative Literature Association, The Incredible Nineteenth Century: Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Fairy Tale, and the Society for American Music. Writings for the public include The Classical Music Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained, Music: The Definitive Visual History, and Composers Who Changed History for which she also served as Musicology Consultant.
Minu Thomas
Assistant Professor, Nutrition & Dietetics
My research focuses on dietary interventions and lifestyle modifications to treat
cardiometabolic diseases, particularly metabolic syndrome. I investigate a range of
therapeutic approaches, including plant-based diets, eggs, nutraceuticals, and lifestyle
changes, with the aim of reversing the condition. Additionally, I am exploring more
targeted therapies to further improve treatment outcomes. My current work also examines
the ethical impact of digital media, especially social media, on eating patterns and
diet quality in college students, seeking to understand how these platforms influence
nutrition behaviors and contribute to health challenges in younger populations.
John Whitmire
Professor, Philosophy & Religion
A 6th-generation Western North Carolinian, I was delighted to join the 蘑菇短视频faculty of Philosophy and Religion in 2005. Since then, I鈥檝e taught a wide range of courses in Continental European philosophy and the history of philosophy, as well as a number of interdisciplinary courses at the intersections of philosophy, religion, and literature, while also serving the profession in a two-year term as President of the North Carolina Philosophical Society. I also served a five year term as Head of the 蘑菇短视频Department of Philosophy and Religion (Jan 2013-Dec 2017).
