Professors Willett and Kang Promoted    

March 31, 2010

Dr. Donald E. Willett has been promoted to professor from associate professor and Dr. Cong X. Kang has been promoted to tenure track assistant professor from lecturer.  Both Dr. Willett and Dr. Kang are members of the faculty of the Department of General Academics.

Willett joined TAMUG in 1985 as a lecturer.  He was promoted to assistant professor in 1986 and associate professor in 1993.  Willett holds a bachelor’s degree in history and math from St. Edward’s University, a master’s degree in history from Stephen F. Austin University, and a doctoral degree in history from Texas A&M University.   He currently teaches American History, History of Texas, History of American Seapower and Civil War and Reconstruction.  He is the recipient of three prestigious teaching awards.  In his first year, Willett received the C.D. Mickey Most Effective Teaching Award.  He is the only person to be recognized with that award during their first year.  In 2002 the student body selected him as the winner of the Neches Gulf Marine Most Effective Teaching Award.  In 1992, he received the Otis P. Lock Excellence in Teaching Award from the East Texas Historical Association.  His research into the forgotten figures of history has earned him praise of colleagues and peers.  Additionally, it has led to the publication of two books Invisible Texans: Women and Minorities in Texas History and The Texas That Might Have Been: Sam Houston’s Foes Write to Albert Sydney Johnston.  Additionally he has published several refereed articles, book chapters, book reviews and other pieces.  Willett is currently engaged in three publishing projects.  He is active in numerous historical associations and frequently spends his time making presentations to the community about the unique history of Texas and the region.

Kang joined TAMUG in 2004 as a lecturer.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University and a doctoral degree in Mathematics from the University of Texas.  He currently teaches College Algebra, Pre-calculus, Finite Math, Logic, Probability/Statistics, Plane and Spherical Trig, Calculus I, and Calculus II.  Kang’s research interests lie in Graph Theory and Combinatorics, Expository Mathematics and Algebraic Geometry and Function Field Theory.  Published in five refereed journals, Kang looks forward to expanding his research and publishing in his new role as assistant professor.

As members of the Department of General Academics, both Willett and Kang teach core courses to undergraduate students pursing marine or maritime related degrees.  Students at (TAMUG) study ocean-oriented academic programs in transportation, science, engineering, business and liberal arts at the by-the-sea campus.

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