Lars Franke (e-mail) (web site)
Director of The World in Britain Program in Reading, England
B.A., M.A., University of Surrey; Ph.D., University of Southhampton

Randolph College announced the appointment of Lars Franke as director of the College’s World in Britain program in Reading, England on June 22, 2009. He follows Randolph Ivy, who retired in June after directing the Reading Program and serving as a professor since 1978. Franke is no stranger to the Reading Program. He has served as a visiting tutor since 2006 and will continue to serve as an assistant professor of music. For several years Lars remarked half jokingly to his wife Amy that directing Randolph College’s program in Britain would be his dream job. “It never crossed our minds that it might actually come up one day. And yet, here we are! I love teaching for the Reading program and the possibility of playing a bigger part in it was an opportunity that could not be missed,” he said.

Franke has also taught at the University of Surrey and the University of Reading. He specializes in 19th-century music, aesthetics, and film music. In 2007, the University of Reading honored him with the School Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning. He earned his Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Southampton and holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Surrey. His wife, Amy Franke, MMus, teaches music and has a keen interest in the 20th century. They have three guinea pigs and too many books.

Paul Irwin (e-mail) (web site)
On-Campus Coordinator
B.S., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; M.A., Ph.D., University of Maryland
feel very fortunate to be teaching at Randolph College. I teach most mathematics courses on a rotating basis with other members of the department, and I also teach some elementary computer science courses. One of the things I enjoy most besides teaching and advising students is being the liaison to our junior-year-abroad program at the University of Reading, England - Randolph College Abroad: The World in Britain.

One of my interests is cryptanalysis (akin to codebreaking) and I wrote several computer programs that were included as a supplement in the third printing of the book Elementary Cryptanalysis by Abraham Sinkov.

I love to garden and enjoy the flowers and vegetables that result. I enjoy riding a bike for exercise in the early morning hours although Lynchburg, the City of Seven Hills, presents interesting challenges. And I love driving around in my convertible with the top down.