Dr. Jason Doll, associate professor of fisheries, Dr. Ivan Dungan, associate professor of mathematics, and Dr. Erica Johnson, associate professor of history, have been named Francis Marion University’s newest Board of Trustees Research Scholars.
FMU President Fred Carter announced the appointments during the university’s annual faculty welcome event on campus.
“This year, there are three slots for new Trustee Research Scholars. This has become increasingly difficult because the faculty continues to produce more meaningful research,” Carter said. “But this year, the decisions are easy. All three of these are gifted scholars.”
Established in 2002, the Board of Trustees Research Scholars program recognizes substantial and sustained scholarship by members of the FMU faculty. Appointments are made by the president and awarded to senior faculty members with significant records of research and publication, as well as promise for continued scholarly productivity. The three-year appointments are renewable and include a reduced teaching load and salary supplement.
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Doll joined the FMU faculty in 2019 and teaches courses in fisheries science and management, ecology, environmental science, biostatistics and research methods, ichthyology, and related fields. His research focuses on freshwater and coastal fisheries ecology, fish populations, and aquatic community ecology.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in biology, a Master of Science in aquatic biology and fisheries, and a Ph.D. in environmental science from Ball State University. He also completed postdoctoral research at Michigan State University.
In announcing Doll’s appointment, Carter described him as one of the university’s finest academicians.
“He is amazingly young and remarkably brilliant,” said Carter. “His work covers the spectrum – sponsored research, grants, pure and applied studies – anything, as long as it involves his closest friends, the fish.”
Dungan joined FMU’s faculty in 2018. He has taught courses ranging from mathematical modeling and problem solving to discrete mathematics, linear algebra, calculus, and artificial intelligence and the search for causality. His research interests include data science, machine learning methods, topological data analysis, and algebraic topology.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Florida State University, a Master of Science in mathematics from the University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D. in mathematics from Florida State University.
Carter describes Dungan as a thoughtful and reflective teacher and researcher.
“You sit across from him, listen to his ideas, and just when you think you’ll never understand them – you do. It all comes together. That’s the brilliance of the man and the depth of his intellect.”
Johnson joined the faculty of FMU in 2017. She specializes in the history of the Atlantic World and teaches courses on United States, European, and Native American history. Her research interests include religion, race, and revolution in the greater Atlantic World.
Johnson earned a Bachelor of Arts in history and geography from the University of Central Oklahoma, a Master of Arts in history from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a Ph.D. in history from Florida State University.
“Her work is devoted to helping the most neglected and underserved people in the community and region. And her research and outreach are always underscored by messages of optimism and hope,” Carter said.
