College of Charleston Welcomes New Faculty

The College of Charleston is proud to welcome its newest faculty members. With a diversity of expertise in a variety of disciplines, they come excited and ready to teach, mentor and inspire students across campus.

Over the fall 2026 semester, The College Today has introduced new faculty members to campus a few at a time – in no particular order – giving the CofC community the opportunity to get to know them all a little better.

Please welcome the College’s newest faculty members in the second of this introductory series, and check out the Faculty & Staff News page to learn about other new faculty members!

Apala Bhowmick
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of English

Background: Ph.D. (2026), Emory University

Expertise: Anglophone and Francophone literature; environmental humanities; science, technology and medicine studies

Outside Interests: I enjoy long walks, intense swims and reading cookbooks.

Looking Forward: I’m looking forward to making sure that my students have everything they need, in my courses, to absolutely fall in love with the academic field! Additionally, I want them to learn the joys of avid reading, keenly observing the natural environment, and to experience the fulfilling sense of accomplishment after a good day of solid writing – all of these are things I teach.

Geoffrey Boyer
Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Background: I received a B.S. in Mathematics from Wake Forest University and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences at Clemson University.

Expertise: I study various problems in structural graph theory.

Outside Interests: I enjoy playing golf and guitar, and spending time with friends and family.

Looking Forward: I am excited to teach various Discrete Mathematics courses at the College of Charleston, as these serve as the core classes that led me to what I research today.

Alexander Garber ’23
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Background: I am a former CofC student, and recently finished my masters at the University of Utah in Atmospheric Sciences.

Interests: I am a big sports fan, I love to travel, and generally just enjoy spending time with my family and friends.

Looking Forward: I am looking forward to being back in Charleston and to teaching and inspiring students.

Alexandra Helfgott ’19
Adjunct Faculty, Department of International Studies and Department of Hispanic Studies

Background: I’m from Augusta, Georgia. I previously worked at the Wilson Center, researching and writing about global supply chains and energy in North America. In addition, I worked with Wilson’s Mexico Institute to develop the 2024 Mexico Elections Guide, the premier English-language resource for Mexico’s recent electoral cycle. Prior to joining the Wilson Center, I worked as a Fulbright García Robles English Teaching Assistant in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico.

I graduated from the Honors College at the College of Charleston with degrees in political science and Spanish. I hold a Master’s in Public Policy from the Jackson School of Global Affairs at Yale University.

Expertise: My research focuses on the U.S.–Mexico relationship, with particular emphasis on how developments in Mexico’s domestic politics shape bilateral relations. I also study critical mineral, electric vehicle and semiconductor supply chains and their implications for North American competitiveness and economic security.

Outside Interests: Outside the classroom, I enjoy running, cycling, spending time with family and friends and ending the day by watching the sunset. I also love exploring new places and finding opportunities to be outdoors with a good book.

Looking Forward: I’ll be teaching introductory courses in both international studies and Hispanic studies, and I’m excited to help students discover just how relevant these fields are to understanding the world around us. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing students connect classroom concepts to current events and their own experiences.

Judith Hermis
Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Accounting and Business Law

Background: I earned my Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2017. Before that, I was a Certified Public Accountant specializing in defense industry clients in Washington, D.C. I maintain an active CPA license. I graduated with a B.S. in Accounting and Finance with Distinguished Honors from the University of Virginia in 2009.

Expertise: My research focuses on the role of accounting as a tool to facilitate public sector accountability and efficiency, and my teaching interests are in financial and managerial accounting, with a particular focus on the use of AI in the practice of professional accounting.

Outside Interests: In my free time, I enjoy cooking, knitting and weightlifting, and I have a 6-pound Chihuahua who is a big hit with students.

Looking Forward: I am excited to teach students how accounting can help business leaders make important decisions.

Austin Taylor
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering

Background: I’m joining the Department of Engineering after spending a year as a visiting assistant professor at Coastal Carolina University, where I taught electric circuits, power and renewable energy. In 2025, I completed my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Auburn University, where I primarily taught electric circuit analysis. A Louisiana native, I earned my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and my master’s degree in engineering from Louisiana Tech University in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

Expertise: Power system protection, power quality, renewable energy, grid stability and engineering education

Outside Interests: Outside of my field, my main interests are all sports related. I’m a big golfer and I love to compete and get involved with whatever local sports I can find.

Looking Forward: The most exciting thing about any course is getting a new group of students and watching them learn and progress. Part of what makes this job so great is that every semester is something new.