Ellen Panofsky, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Mathematics
When Dr. Ellen Panofsky learned of an opening in the mathematics department at Cabrini, she began browsing the College's website. Something clicked.
"The information about service and social justice really spoke to me," Panofsky says. "This was a job I really wanted."
At the time, Panofsky was living with her husband in the Lehigh Valley and attending graduate school at Lehigh University, where she also worked. She was seeking a position that would allow her to live close to her family in her hometown of Holland, Pa.
She applied for the position and was invitedto the mathematics departmentin fall 2008. She knew her biggest challenge would be helping students understand what some consider a difficult subject. One of the things Panofsky loves most about being an educator at Cabrini is the freedom to teach in her own style, in which she employs examples to help students grasp mathematical concepts.
"I reassure my students that with practice, they can do math," Panofsky says. "I let them know that it is okay not to understand a concept the first time they see it in class. Hopefully the second or third example will help."
In January 2009, Panofsky attended the annual conference of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). The theme of the conference, held in Seattle, was, "Ready or Not: Global Challenges, College Learning, and America's Promise."In March, Panofsky participated in a panel at Millersville University on the achievements of women in math and the sciences.
Panofsky and her husband of two years, Mark, are first-time homeowners living in Conshohocken, Pa. One of her favorite rooms in the home is the kitchen, where she spends time cooking, baking (which her students get to sample occasionally) and canning jams, fruit butters and preserves. The couple recently welcomed into their home Missy, a cat adopted from the Montgomery County SPCA.
Panofsky earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mathematics from Lehigh University, and a B.S.Ed. in secondary education and mathematics from Millersville University.
Contact information
Dr. Ellen Panofsky
Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Iadarola Center, Room 325C
610-902-8523
ellen.r.panofsky@cabrini.edu